A propofal was made by Mr. Gardiner, the commandant of a brigade of Scindia's troops, to advance the fecond parallel: a council affembled to confult on the moft eligible mode, but finding this could not be effected without firft taking a redoubt which lay in their front, no perfon appearing inclined to rifk the enter prife, the council broke up.

On the enfuing day Mr. Thomas, of his own accord, took an opportunity, when the enemy were off their guard, to ftorm the redoubt. Repeated attempts were made by the enemy to regain poffeffion, but he bravely maintained himself in it, till a reinforcement arriving they gave up the conteft. Mr. Thomas immediately fortified the post.

The parallel was advanced, and the garrifon perceiving no chance of fuccour from without, the commandant negotiated, and as a ranfom for the fort agreed to pay the fum of two lacs of rupees. Mr. Thomas received a

fum fufficient to reimburfe him for the expences he had incurred, and was then directed

!

to return to his own diftricts.

arrival he reftored them to order.

Soon after his

Mr. Thomas had by this time formed his men into a regiment confifting of two battalions; of these, one he detached to collect the revenues of the country, and with the other remained at Jyjur.

During these transactions begum Sumroo, in whofe fervice Mr. Thomas had formerly been employed, was now trying every means in her power to effect his ruin. She had even gone fo far as to bribe the Mahratta officers to advise his difmiffion; and a body of Mahrattas having joined her army, fhe marched from Sirdhanna, her capital, and encamped about feventeen cofs fouth-east of Jyjur.

This conduct in the begum Mr. Thomas attributed to the influence of the officers in her fervice; and more particularly to that of Levaffo, who not only commanded her troops, but had lately received her hand in marriage.

On every occafion, he was the declared and inveterate enemy of Mr. Thomas; and had by his influence wrought in the begum her prefent determination.

In the begum's army it was publicly afferted, that their prefent destination was against Mr. Thomas. Her force, confifting of four battalions of infantry, twenty pieces of artillery, and about four hundred cavalry, was commanded by officers of tried and acknowledged abilities. Mr. Thomas, having recalled the battalion that had been detached, had now a regiment confifting of two thousand men, ten pieces of artillery, five hundred irregulars, and two hundred cavalry.

The diffenfions, however, that arofe among the begum's officers, not only induced her to relinquish her intention of attacking Mr. Thomas, but ended in her imprisonment, and the total fubverfion of her authority. The cause of these diffenfions must now be traced to its fource.

Levaffo, who had the chief command of the

begum's army, was jealous of the authority of Legois. This man is a German; and fo named from Liege, the place of his nativity. He had been many years in habits of intimacy and friendship with Mr. Thomas; and, on the prefent occafion, had ftrenuously diffuaded the begum from the proposed hoftilities. This conduct having given umbrage to Levaffo, he by his influence with the begum, procured Legois's degradation; and to render his disgrace the more mortifying, his place was given to a junior officer.

A conduct fo inconfiftent and unjuft difgufted the foldiers, who for many years had been commanded by Legois, with whom also they had often fought and conquered. They remonstrated, but in vain, against the measure; finding there was no hope of altering the begum's refolution, they fuddenly broke out into open mutiny. They invited Zuffur Yab Khawn, the son of the late Sumroo by a former wife, who then refided at Delhi, to become their commander. In return, they promifed to feat him on the mufnud. For this purpose, a deputation of the army, in spite of

all the exertions of the begum, repaired to Delhi, and folemnly tendered him the command. Zuffur Yab Khawn, fearful of the intrigues of his mother-in-law, at last consented. To relieve his apprehenfion, the deputation, in the name of the army, took an oath of fidelity to him on the spot.

On the first intelligence of the confpiracy the begum and Levaffo, with a few of their old fervants, prepared for flight. It was their intention to have proceeded directly to the Ganges, and to feek refuge in the country of the vizier Afuph ool Dowla.

In this refolution, however, they were unfortunately intercepted. A party of cavalry which had been detached by Zuffur Yub Khawn on the first intimation of their flight, overtook and furrounded them at the village of Kerwah, in the begum's jaghire, four miles diftant from her capital. Previous to the commencement of hoftilities the commandant of cavalry proclaimed a free pardon, and promise of their arrears, to the foldiers who ftill adhered