Thomas's camp, where an amicable arrangement took place.

After this Mr. Thomas repaired to collect his rents in the Mewattee district, which he found filled with party feuds; but his active and spirited conduct, punishing some and conciliating others, once more restored order. In the course of these transactions, he stormed a fort, where he found several pieces of artillery, and an abundant supply of bullocks, and other draft cattle. Hence a new dispute arose, Appa loudly claiming the cannon, and Thomas obstinately defending the rights of the captors; till, at length Appa secretly employed a body of Ghosseins, who were proceeding on their annual pilgrimage to Hurdwar, to attack Thomas's camp, with the promised reward of ten thousand rupees; but Thomas, inflamed with indignation at this new and unparallelled treachery, marched against the enemy, whom he defeated, with great loss to them, and trifling to himself.

Appa, finding himself baffled, meditated a reconciliation with Mr. Thomas, whom he engaged to convince of his innocence in the late affair, which, he said, had been directed by his agents, during a dangerous illness he had sustained; and intreated Mr. Thomas, as he continued very feeble, to come to him, that he might avail himself of his counsel and fidelity, in the arrangement of his private affairs.

While Mr. Thomas hesitated bctween the policy of refusing the request of so powerful a chief, and a regard for his personal safety, a large body of Seiks made an irruption into the Dooab, in the vicinity of Seharunpore, and cut to pieces some battalions of Mahrattas stationed for its defence.

The ravages which they commit

ted, called upon Thomas to make common cause against them, and he accordinglymarched to attack them; but too well accustomed to his mode of fighting, they retreated across the Jumna, and returned to the Punjab.

Luckwa, hearing of the disgrace his troops had sustained at Scharunpore, and the subsequent flight of the Seiks at the approach of Mr. Thomas, requested Appa to permit this enterprising man to raise a body of 2000 men, for the protection of that province, and other parts of the Mahratta possessions. To this request Appa, with difficulty, complied, and in consequence the pergunnahs of Panniput, Soneput, and Kurnaul were assigned to Mr. Thomas, for the payment of 2000 infantry, 200 cavalry, and 16 pieces of artillery. This district yielded a revenue of 10 lacks of rupees.

About this time the Begum Sumroo implored Mr. Thomas, in the most abject and desponding terms, to save her from the apprehension of being poisoned, and offered any sum of money to be restored to her former authority.

Mr. Thomas, thereupon, prevailed upon Bappoo Scindeah (the Governor at Seharunpore), by an offer of 120,000 rupees, to make a movement towards Sirdhannah, which ended in the restoration of the Begum.

Mr. Thomas was next ordered to Samli, to punish the commandant for having encouraged the Seiks in their late hostilities. By a forced march of 30 coss in one day, he arrived before the town, which he attacked: a most gallant defence was made, but Mr. Thomas afterwards carried the place by storm, in which assault the commandant, his son, and most of his adherents, were cut to pieces.

Two

Two days previous to its reduction, Mr. Thomas received a letter from Appa, informing him, that seeing no hope of recovery from his illness, he had determined to put a period to his misery, by a voluntary death, and therefore earnestly desired to see him before the scene was closed for ever.

Mr. Thomas hastened to obey this summons; but had not advanced far before he received intelligence of that chief's having drowned himself in the Jumna.

Upon the death of Appa, his nephew and successor, Vavon Row, (a vain inconsiderate young man) was prevailed upon to demand restitution of those districts which had been granted to Mr. Thomas by Appa, as an honourable reward for his faithful services.

To this requisition Mr. Thomas peremptorily refused compliance, and it became necessary to defend his rights with the sword,

An engagement consequently took place at Hossellee, a large village forming part of Mr. Thomas's possessions, in which Vavon Row's party were routed, and fled for safety into the fort of Kussolee. Mr. Thomas immediately followed, and commenced a siege, during which, from his batteries, he poured red-hot balls into the fort, and quickly compelled them to surrender at discretion.

Having routed the enemy completely, he now marched his troops towards the northern pergunnahs, which had lately been invaded by the Seiks. He attacked them in four successive actions, with the loss, to himself, of 500 men, and double that number to the enemy. A treaty of peace, however, was soon after concluded, and the Seiks evacuated the province. Mr. Thomas then returned with his force to

Soneput, but was not long permit, ted to remain inactive. A misunderstanding having arisen between Bappoo and himself, an engagement ensued, in which Bappoo's troops were compelled to withdraw.

A reconciliation would have followed this victory: but the Seiks of Bappoo's army, being the inveterate enemies of Thomas, continued to widen the existing difference, and hostilities were renewed.

The next action took place on the banks of the Jumna, but Mr. Thomas forced his passage through the enemy, across the river, and proceeded to the north-east frontier, much distressed for provisions. In his route, he was pursued by Bappoo's army, the troops of the Begum Sumroo, and those of Ragojee, Governor of Delhi. He however proved victorious against their combined force, and reached the neighbourhood of Panniput, where he was obliged to confine himself to Jyjur, and relinquish the frontier towns.

His troops now beginning to grow clamorous for arrears, he determined on levying contributions; and for that purpose marched to Oreecha, a large and populous town belonging to the Rajah of Jypore.

Mr. Thomas having demanded a lack of rupees, for the ransom of the town, and the governor having refused to comply, he took possession of the city by storm; but the fort being separate, just as he was about to make a second assault, the killadar agreed to ransom both for 52,000 rupees. 52,000 rupees. Unfortunately the town had been set fire to, and property to the amount of several lacks of rupees, was totally consumed.

About this time a reconciliation took place between Mr. Thomas and Vavon Row. He entered the Jypore country a second time, and

having annihilated a powerful banditti who infested the country, he returned to Jyjur.

Here in the year 1798 Mr. Thomas first conceived the eccentric and arduous design of founding a principality for himself. The country of Hurrianah had, from the troubled state of the times, been some years without an acknowledged master. He therefore resolved to establish his authority in that district.

The scarcity of water in this part of India induced Mr. Thomas to defer his expedition until the approach of the rainy season; when, having reinforced his army, and provided every thing necessary to insure success, he commenced his march.

His first attack was directed against the town and fort of Kanhorce; but the enemy compelled him to retreat, with a loss of 300

men.

In consequence of this severe check, he fortified his camp, and heavy and constant rains preventing him from erecting batteries, he established a chain of forts round the town, to cut off all succour from the inhabitants.

The enemy thus blockaded, and shortened for provisions, made frequent sallies to interrupt his operations. In one of these an attack was made on the redoubt occupied by himself. This created universal confusion, and the greater number

of his people being panic struck, ran away.

In this critical situation, supported only by five infantry, who had the charge of the arms, and a few horsemen, he not only valiantly maintained his post, but at length compelled the enemy to retreat.

A few days after, the weather proving more favourable, Mr. Thomas prepared to storm; but the night previous to his intended assault, the enemy evacuated the place.

The remaining towns having made little resistance, Mr. Thomas, in a short time, became master of the whole southern province; but the north-western being occupied by the Batties, the Rajah of Pattyalah, and other Seik chieftains, it cost him considerable time and labour to establish his authority as far as the river Caugger.

After this arduous campaign, conceived in the true spirit of enterprize, and executed by a clear head, a solid judgment, and invincible courage, he filled up the measure of his ambition, by establishing his residence at the town of Hansi, about 90 miles north of Delhi, and nearly in the center of his newly acquired dominions, I will cite his own words on this occasion.

"Here I established my capital, rebuilt the walls of the city, long since fallen into decay, and repaired the fortifications. As it

had been long deserted, I at first found a difficulty in procuring inhabitants; but by degrees and gentle treatment, I selected between five and six thousand persons, to whom I allowed every lawful indulgence.

"I established a mint and coined my own rupees, which I made current in my army and country. As, from the commencement of my career at Jyjur, I had resolved to establish an independency, I employed workmen and artificers of all kinds; and I now judged that nothing but force of arms could maintain me in my authority, I therefore encreased their numbers, cast my own artillery, commenced making muskets, match-locks and powder; and in short, made the best preparations for carrying on an offensive and defensive war; till at length having joined a capital and country, bordering on the Seik territories, I wished to put myself in a capacity, when a favourable opportunity should offer, of attempting the conquest of the Punjaub, and aspired to the honour of planting the BRITISH standard on the banks of the ATTOCK."

Among other arrangements made by Mr. Thomas, he appropriated a considerable part of his revenues to pension the widows, children, or nearest relations of those who fell in his service; these payments were made regularly every six months, and the nearest relation of the deceased officer, or private, received the half of the pay allotted to his

rank.

The dominion thus gained by force of arms, was maintained by the unremitted exertions, and superior military talents, of this very extraordinary chieftain, from the year 1798, to the latter end of 1801; when the persecution of his numer

ous and inveterate foes, co-operating with the treachery of his own officers, compelled him to seek an asylum in the territories of his natural sovereign.

Our limits will not permit us to detail the vicissitudes of brilliant conquest, and severe ill-fortune, which marked the military operations of Mr. Thomas, in his bold career; all calculated to exalt his undaunted character. We must, therefore, conclude with recording the events most fatal to him, and most disagraceful to his partisans.

The formidable establishment that now surrounded him, together with the success of his arms, occasioned repeated applications from Seindeah, to induce him to act in concert with Mr. Perron, against their common enemies.

To these applications he replied, that Mr. Perron and himself being of different nations, at that moment in open hostility with each other, it was impossible they could act with cordiality; and that he could not expect from Mr. Perron, as a Frenchman, possessing national enmity against him, a fair representation of his conduct, or a true regard to his interests; but added he, with his accustomed spirit"If you think proper to appoint me to a separate command, under the control of a Mahratta general, in the Deccan, Hindustan, or the Punjaub, either offensively, or defensively, I am ready to undertake the charge, as soon as the necessary arrangement for payment of my troops can be completed."

This offer was rejected, but the Mahratta chief being then engaged in an eventful and difficult contest with his antient enemy Jeswunt-Rao Holkar, thought proper to temporize with Mr. Thomas, and he was requested to send a vakeel to Mr. Perron's