As a Mahratta is feldom at a lofs for an excufe, Appa, in answer to these charges, replied, that his own inability to attend to business (being confined by illness) had occafioned thofe who had undertaken to manage his concerns, to act in a manner fo unworthy; that a dangerous diforder with which he had been long afflicted was growing worfe every day, and that he wished much for a personal interview with Mr. Thomas before his death. In this letter, Appakandarow further urged, that the person whom he intended for his fucceffor being young and inexperienced, he wished to avail himself of the benefit of Mr. Thomas's counsel, Appakandarow being from experience well convinced no other perfon would be equally interested with the welfare of his family. Finally he affured Mr. Thomas, that in the propofed interview he would not only clear himself from the afperfions of treachery, but arrange every thing to their mutual fatisfaction and advantage.

This intimation excited no fmall degree of furprise in Mr. Thomas, but from past experience he did not chufe to place implicit re

liance in the declaration of the Mahratta chief. He was thus reduced to a critical fituation : for as on the one hand it was difficult to refuse the request of fo powerful a chief; fo on the other, a laudable regard for his perfonal fafety, if treachery were intended, induced him to decline the proposed vifit. From this state of uncertainty and fufpenfe he was happily relieved, by intelligence of a numerous body of feiks having made an irruption into the Dooab, and were at that time committing depredations in the vicinity of Seharunpore," the capital of the late Gholaum Cadir Khan.

The apprehension of all parties was confiderably augmented, when it was known that on their first onset they had cut to pieces fome battalions of Mahratta troops ftationed for the defence of that, province.

Although Appakandarow had no particular connexion with Seharunpore, he thought that, in common with other powers, he ought to exert himself to prevent further incurfions, especially as his own diftrict would in all probility be the next invaded by these defperate ma

rauders. He therefore directed Mr. Thomas to march with his whole force, and with all poffible expedition, giving the most express injunctions to fight the feiks wherever he might come up with them in the Mahratta territories.

Agreeably to these inftructions, Mr. Thomas loft no time in repairing to Jyjur; from whence, croffing the Jumna to the northward of Delhi, he advanced rapidly towards the enemy. They not being inclined for the contest thought proper to retreat, croffed the river, and returned unmolested to the Punjab. Mr. Thomas in this place remarks, that whilft in the fervice of Begum Sumroo he had encountered the feiks on more than one occafion, and had already given them famples of his method of fighting; and though their number at this time was not more than five thousand men, they had not only defeated the Mahrattas, but compelled them to take fhelter in the fort of Jelalabad.

Luckwa, commander of the Mahratta forces, hearing of the difgrace fuftained by his troops at Seharunpore, as likewife of the fubfequent

flight of the feiks on Mr. Thomas's approach, now requested of Appa to permit this enterprifing man to raise a body of two thousand men for the protection of the province of Seharunpore, and other parts of the Mahratta poffeffions. To this request Appa, though with difficulty, complied; and in confequence of the purgunahs of Panniput, Soneput, and Karnaul, were affigned to Mr. Thomas, for the payment of two thousand infantry, two hundred cavalry, and fixteen pieces of field artillery. Bappoo Scindiah was nominated to the government of Seharunpore; which with the country adjacent, at the period we are fpeaking of, yielded an annual revenue of ten lacks of rupees.

The fituation of the city of Panniput, and the celebrated canal in its neighbourhood, may perhaps juftify a digreffion in its favour, and curiofity will be gratified in the detail of its ancient and present state.

Panniput is a city of great antiquity, and was inhabited by Mahomedans in the reign of Mahmoud of Ghuzna; who, during one of his

incurfions into Hindooftan, fettled a colony at that place. In the time of the emperor Shah Jehan, it was a populous city; and in the reign of Mahomed Shah, was felected by that prince as his principal refidence. In the year 900 of the Hijira, or A. D. 1525, the Mogul emperor Mahomed Baber invaded Hindooftan: Ibrahim Lodi of the Patan dynasty at that time fat on the throne of Delhi.

He prepared to refift the invader; and affembling his forces, conducted them towards the frontiers. The rival armies met on the plains of Panniput; and a general engagement enfued, in which the forces of Ibrahim were totally defeated, and himself flain. The deceased monarch was interred on the spot where he fell, by the command of Baber, who directed a tomb to be erected to his memory. This tomb is ftill to be seen, about three miles to the north-west of the city. In commemoration of the victory, the Mogul prince directed a magnificent mofque to be built on the fpot where his own tent was pitched, on the eastern side of the city. It is called Cabil Baug.