Pursuing his march, after a long and tedious day's journey, he encamped near the town of Tejara, in the centre of the Mewattee district. The night was very dark and rainy, which,, together with the extreme fatigue of the troops, favoured the enemy in carrying off a horse from the very centre of his camp.

On the following morning, a party was detached to discover the village to which the horse had been conveyed; but the party had not proceeded far, before it was attacked, and compelled to retreat. Orders were then given for the cavalry to advance in support of the detachment. Mr. Thomas having taken the command of the infantry, in person, with his whole collected forces, attacked the village to which the horse had been taken. The enemy had assembled in formidable numbers; but the centre division of Mr. Thomas's troops having, in a short time, fired the village, he made no doubt of a complete victory. At this moment, however, the divisions on the right and left gave way, flying with the utmost precipitancy, and leaving the wounded in the field of battle, where they were cut to pieces by the enemy.

The centre division soon following the example of their comrades, Mr. Thomas was left with about a dozen infantry, and a few determined cavalry to support the contest.

In this perplexity, Mr. Thomas, as a dernier resort, encouraged his faithful adherents to exert themselves in extricating a nine-pounder, which, previous to the battle, had sunk in the bed of a nullah. The party had just succeeded, when the enemy, flushed with a

certainty of victory, recommenced their attack, and endeavoured to seize the gun.

The commandant of Thomas's cavalry, a man of distinguished bravery, resolving not to forsake his chief, desperately threw himself, with a few resolute followers, between the gun and the enemy. This gallant action was fatal to them, but afforded Mr. Thomas time to remount his nine-pounder, and open a well-directed shower of grape upon the enemy. This saved the gallant few of the surviving party, for after discharging a few rounds, the Mewattees retired to the surrounding ravines.

Mr. Thomas now collected his fugitives, who, with the brave partakers of his danger, encreased his detachment to about 300 men. With these, he challenged the enemy to a renewal of the combat, which they, however, cautiously declined.

This action, so disastrous in the onset, and so brilliant in its termination, spread an universal terror throughout the remaining districts in rebellion, and led to an immédiate overture of peace.

The punishment of this village, the strongest and most refractory of the district, was highly favourable to Mr. Thomas's interest, and the more particularly so, as it had, in a former campaign, resisted the whole force of the Begum Sumroo; but experience having convinced Mr. Thomas that vigorous measures could alone be depended on, he consumed others of the rebellious villages by fire as soon as he had gained possession of them.

An example so severe deterred the remainder from opposing him, and Mr. Thomas returned to Teja§ A 2

ra,

ra, after the full accomplishment of his mission.

Mr. Thomas finding himself in want of every necessary, marched to Behadurghur, in order to raise supplies by contribution.

In his route he found all the small villages deserted, and the larger ones filled with armed per'sons, while his own troops were reduced by desertion to 300 men, and those undisciplined.

At Mundaka, (the zemindars of which had been the original cause of the misunderstanding between himself and Appakandarao,) Mr. Thomas found the inhabitants ready to give him battle. Inconsiderable as his force was, he did not hesitate to attack, and having defeated them, was rewarded with plunder to the amount of 4000 rupees.

During these transactions, the Begum Sumroo, and the Mahratta governor of Delhi, becoming jea'lous of the ascendancy Mr. Thomas had acquired, sent a force to watch his motions, upon which he deemed it most prudent to remove to a distance, and his new levies being completed, he marched back to Tejara.

Here he received a letter from Appakandarow, who was detained in the fort of Kotepootly by the mutinous state of his troops, complaining, that Gopaul Row, Scindeah's commander in chief, had made proposals to his troops to pay up their arrears, on condition of their giving up their master, and expressed his apprehension of the consequences to himself and family, unless he received immediate succour.

On receipt of this letter, Mr. Thomas instantly set off, and marched all that night, and the greater part of the ensuing day,

through a constant and heavy rain.

About two o'clock, he arrived at the fort of Kotepootly. The incessant rain having prevented any opposition from the enemy, he encamped under the walls of the fort.

On the following day, Appakandarao, by the advice of Mr. Thomas, evacuated the fort. Mr. Thomas received him, his family, and effects, without the walls, and placed them in the centre of a strong detachment, which formed round them, and with very little opposition, conducted them in safety to Kanond. For this essential service, Appakandarao adopted Mr. Thomas as his son, and presented him with the sum of 3000 rupees, to purchase an elephant and palankeen, suitable to the dignity of his station, ordered him to encrease his force 200 infantry, and as many cavalry, and made over to him, in perpetuity, Jygur, Byree, Mandoté, and Phatoda, which yield an annual revenue of a lack and 50,000 rupees.

Mr. Thomas now turned his thoughts to the Mewattee districts, and soon discovered, that a principal zemindar, by name, Gunga Bishen, of a powerful tribe, called Aheer, had proposed delivering up the district to Scindeah. On the disclosure of this treachery, Mr. Thomas immediately marched against the rebel, who in the mean time had fortified himself in the mountains; but Mr. Thomas, by a forced march arrived suddenly at the place of concealment, and by a successful stratagem, made Gunga Bishen prisoner, whom he sent to Appa:

The fort, still maintained by his nephew, was garrisoned with 1000 men, and abounded in all neces

saries,

saries, water excepted. That article lay at a distance of two miles, and Mr. Thomas, in the hope of compelling them to surrender, commenced a blockade, and threw up a chain of redoubts round the fort.

In this employment he had a narrow escape for his life. He had retired to snatch an hour's rest, from the toils of the day, when he was suddenly awakened in the night by shoutings from the enemy. Repairing to an eminence, he had the mortification to perceive that his people had given way, and that the enemy were in possession of a newly completed redoubt, together with the arms and ammunition contained therein: His distress was increased when he saw a party advancing to the place where he stood unarmed and defenceless: fortunately, however, a faithful servant had followed him with a sword, which, taking from the man, he prepared for his defence.

From various quarters spears were thrown, and matchlocks fired at him, but without effect. At length, stooping to recover a stand of colours, which his own people had left behind, the enemy rushed in upon him, and wounded him in several places.

Relinquishing the colours, he attacked the enemy, and soon compelled them to retreat.-He then ascended an eminence, but perceiving no traces of his fugitive troops, and being faint from his wounds, he retired within his trenches to get them dressed.

The siege advanced, and two mines having been sprung with considerable effect, the garrison capitulated.

During this siege, Mr. Thomas and his followers had suffered great hardships. They were reduced to

scarcity of provisions; his own

hut was converted into an hospital for the sick and wounded; and the season being very severe, he humanely sold his own horses, to procure blankets for his men.

Mr. Thomas then marched to Jyjur, but the Zemindars who had revolted, paid their rents, and the troops received their arrears.

Shortly after this, Appa was obliged to make over, by mortgage, the best part of his country to Bapoo Farnaveze, who had succeeded to the command of Gopaul Row, in liquidation of a pretended tribute due by him to Scindeah. Among the pergunnahs, &c. ceded, were three in the Mewattee country, which belonged to Mr. Thomas. The loss to him was severe; but he magnanimously reconciled his misfortune, by observing-" That he had no cause for complaint, when his chief was ruined.”

This humiliation to Appa occasioned the Zemindars once more to break out in open rebellion. But Mr. Thomas marched against them with about 800 men; and, with his usual promptitude and vigour, soon reduced them to obedience.

Of the capture of Byree, the following interesting detail is given in Mr. Thomas's own words:

"In this fort, exclusive of the garrison, were 300 Rajepoots and Jauts. These had been hired for the express purpose of defending the place, and it was here I was in the most imminent danger of losing the whole of my party. We had stormed the fort, and were beaten back with loss, one of my sirdars was wounded, and from the confusion that occurred, left behind in the hands of the enemy; the dane. ger was every moment encreasing; the town was on fire in several parts, and our retreat nearly cut off by the flames that surrounded us. § A3

"In

"In this situation we had the additional mortification to perceive the merciless enemy seize on the wounded officer, and with savage barbarity precipitate him into the fire. Equally animated, and enraged, by this spectacle, my troops now rushed forward to the attack, with an ardour that was irresistible. Having gained entire possession of the fort, the soldiers, with clamorous expressions of revenge, insisted on the death of every one of the garrison that remained, and I was not inclined to refuse; but it cost us dear. The enemy, to a man, made a brave resistance; the contest was continued so long as to afford time to those that had retreated, to return by this means we were again engaged, and at one time almost overpowered; but receiving a reinforcement of our party, the enemy, by slow degrees, began again to retreat, which they effected. I pursued with the cavalry; the enemy once more made a stand, in the jungles adjoining the town, when, after a second desperate conflict, they gave way on all sides, and most of them were cut to pieces."

Scarcely, however, had Mr. Thomas completed the object of his march, when Appa, civilly, sent him his dismissal; which he said he had done at the request of the Mahratta government, who were dissatisfied with Mr.Thomas's conduct.

The fact, however, proved other wise; for on the following day he was offered the command of 2000 men, in the service of Scindeah. This he declined, and persisted in continuing with Appa, which he considered essential to the restoration of his affairs.

Luckwa, a principal officer in the service of Scindeah, having now applied to Mr. Thomas to aid

him in reducing a fort which had refused to pay its tribute, he, with the consent of Appa, joined his forces, and they commenced their march.

On their arrival before the place, Mr. Thomas's post was assigned him; but his soldiers being six months in arrears, shewed evident dissatisfaction. He had recourse to his private means to pay them off, and they returned to their duty.

Several ineffectual skirmishes having taken place, it was thought expedient by Mr. Gardiner, (commandant of a brigade of Scindeah's troops) to advance the second parallel; but this could not be effected, without first taking a redoubt in front; and no person appearing inclined to undertake the service, the affair dropped.

On the following day Mr. Thomas, of his own accord, stormed the redoubt, which he captured, and bravely maintained against the united forces of the enemy, till he was reinforced. He then fortified the post.

The parallel was now advanced, the garrison capitulated, and two lacks of rupees being settled as the ransom of the fort, Mr. Thomas was reimbursed his expences. He then retired to his own district, which he restored to order.

Mr. Thomas had now formed his men into a regiment, consisting of two battalions. One of these he detached to collect his revenues, and with the other remained himself at Jyjur.

Meanwhile, the Begum Sumroo was trying every means in her power to effect the ruin of Mr. Thomas, and having procured a body of Mahrattas to join her army, she marched from her capital at Sirdhannah, and encamped about 27 coss south-east of Jyjur.

It was notorious that this army was destined to act against Mr. Thomas. The force amounted to four battalions of infantry, 20 pieces of artillery, and about 400 cavalry, commanded by officers of tried and acknowledged abilities, and Mr. Thomas having recalled his absent battalion, had an army to oppose, of 2000 men, 10 pieces of artillery, 500 irregulars, and 200 cavalry. Dissentions, however, having arisen among the Begum's officers, she was compelled to relinquish her design. This princess afterwards suffered imprisonment, and Zuffur Yab Khan, the son of the late Sumroo, by a former wife, was, after a short struggle, formally seated on the musnud.

Mr. Thomas, now, freed from the apprehension of hostilities, devoted himself to the arrangement of his districts.

During these events, Appakandarao having successfully sown dissention between the Mahratta generals, Luckwa and Bappoo Farnaveze, chose the moment to send orders to Mr. Thomas to dismiss Bappoo's collector, and to reinstate his own.

Mr. Thomas obeyed; but Bappoo's army amounting to 3000 men, it cost the lives of many to dispossess them.

An interview now took place between Appa and Mr. Thomas,when the former, having loaded him with thanks for his meritorious services, presented him, as a mark of his approbation, with an elephant, a palankeen, shawls, and other articles of value.

This reception, at once so cordial and gratifying to Mr. Thomas, was not lasting in its impression. A few days after, Appa demanded the person of a Bramin, in the service

of Bappoo Farnaveze, from whom he intended to exact a fine. But Mr. Thomas having pledged himself for the security of the Bramin's life and property, resolutely resisted several attempts which Appa made to prevail on him to give him up. Irritated at his inflexibility, Appa laid a plan to arrest him; but Thomas defeated the project with that presence of mind which on trying occasions never forsook him. Appa affecting sickness, invited him to a friendly conference. Thomas attended with his accustomed readiness; but without attending to the ceremonies usual on such occasions, proceeded alone to Appa's apartment,where he found him in perfect health. Appa immediately left the room, saying he would soon return. Several armed men then entered, and in a few minutes afterwards, Thomas received a written order from Appa, to deliver up the Bramin and his property. In a firm tone, Thomas told the person who brought the order,— "That he would never comply with it:" and passing the armed men, proceeded to the adjoining apartinent, to which he suspected Appa had retired. He went up to him, with his sword in his hand, but undrawn, and paying the customary compliment, withdrew in triumph.

On his return to camp, Mr. Thomas dispatched his dewan to Appa, with a message, purporting, That the just indignation he felt at his late treacherous conduct, would not permit his continuing to serve him.

In this declaration Mr. Thomas was seconded by his troops, who unanimously declared their abhorrence of the treachery, and their determination to support him.

Appa, alarmed at this turn of affairs, sought a reconciliation, and as a proof of his contrition, came the following day in person to Mr. $44 Thomas's