Page images
PDF
EPUB

Their exertions

and plunder the country. were attended with fuccefs: upwards of one hundred and fifty perfons were killed in refifting, and the cavalry brought away with them three thousand head of cattle, which

they depofited fafely in Mr. Thomas's camp. This last attack having deterred the people of Bhowanee from any further interruption, and no fuccours as yet having arrived from Mr. Perron, the garrifon, feeing no likelihood of affiftance from without, confented to capitulate. Compofed of people belonging to different villages, and having separate interests to adjust, they could not come to any determination among themselves. By this time, from the want of provifions, from disease, and other causes, they were reduced to one third of their original number; even of the few that remained several were then ill. Mr. Thomas, defirous of putting at end to these altercations, drew out his troops with intent to storm the place; but the enemy perceiving his refolution, at laft confented to capitulate; they agreed to pay him the fum of 30,000 rupees, and to deliver up the fort with the property contained therein. Hoftages having been

taken for the performance of these articles, Mr. Thomas returned to Hanfi, where he employed himself in completing ammunition and ftores, fully determined to invade the Punjab, and punish the rajah of Pattialah, for his treacherous conduct in breaking the treaty, by affording aid to the Batties in the preceding year,

That chief (whose force confifted of fifteen hundred cavalry and one thousand infantry) was at this time befieging his fifter in her fort. Affured of speedy relief, this gallant lady still continued to hold out; and Mr. Thomas's preparations being at length completed, he first marched to her relief. On his approach the rajah thought proper to raise the fiege, and retire within the fortifications of Sonaum.* Thither he was followed by Mr. Thomas, who intended to have ftormed the place; but the unexpected arrival of Tarah Sing, an ally, and fon-in-law of the rajah, with a very confider

* Sonaum, a large town, situated 22 coss to the westward of Pattialah.

able force, for the present prevented the attack.

By this time alfo the neighbouring peafantry having joined the rajah's standard, determined Mr. Thomas to relinquish his intention until a more favourable opportunity. Numerous bodies of cavalry continued daily to hover round the fkirts of his army during the march, by which he sustained great annoyance. After a fatiguing march of four-and-twenty miles, on coming to the ground, he was furprised by the found of the Thamuck.*

He encamped near the town of Bellud. A large body of the enemy, who were concealed in a neighbouring jungle, waited the event with impatience, and hoped to take advantage of the diforder of Mr. Thomas's troops, whilft attacked by the town's people, and cut them to pieces. It is here neceffary to remark, that

Thamuck, a large military drum, in common use in the north-west parts of India, the sounding of which is always considered as a prelude to hostilities.

in confequence of the continued state of warfare in those parts, the villages and towns are ftrongly fortified, and capable of making a defperate refiftance against the attacks of their predatory neighbours.

The walls of the town aforementioned were nine feet thick, with a ditch twenty feet in depth, and the garrison numerous. Mr. Thomas, therefore, without lofs of time, made preparations for ftorming before he could be attacked by the enemy. By a vigorous assault, he carried the place with the lofs of only eighty of his own people, though with upwards of five hundred of the enemy; and though he exerted every means in his power to prevent a continuance of the flaughter, he was unfuccessful: the rancorous enmity which fubfifted between his own troops, who were moofulmauns, and the Seiks being fo great, that the former never omitted any opportunity of revenging themselves on the latter in the fevereft

manner.

The town's people who furvived the affault were ranfomed by a large fum of money. Mr.

Thomas's views were now directed to dividing the enemy's force, which confifted of ten thousand men, to raise contributions in the neighbouring districts, and also to explore the country. To effect these objects, he encamped in a centrical pofition between the towns of Pattialah and Sonaum. Defirous however of punishing Tarah Sing, whom, as we have before feen, had come to the affiftance of the rajah, Mr. Thomas now determined to advance towards Malhere Kotela, the enemy's principal refidence. This town is fituate on the Punjab frontier; the road lay through a thick jungle, well adapted for an ambuscade. He was marching quietly along, when a smart firing was heard in the front of his line. Inftantly repairing to the fpot, he found that a party who had advanced to reconnoitre were attacked by a fuperior body of the enemy. By the time Mr. Thomas arrived, the party attacked had got out of the jungle to the entrance of an extenfive plain; and he now perceived that the present affault had been made only with a view to call off his attention from he large and populous town of Bhaut.

« PreviousContinue »