100 Lieut. -Colonel Bricgs' Memoir of the early Life of Nana Fanievis. 



" from the gentle and cool breezes which blow there in the evening across 

 " the waters of the Jumna. This ceremony I continued for four days ; and 

 " I felt that all the members of my body, and my senses which had partaken 

 " of my devotions, were sanctified by the performance. While at Bin- 

 '♦ derabun I could not help feehng a veneration for every thing I saw ; and 

 " even the holy men who sat in the Kunj Bati at different places, subsisting 

 " either wholly by drinking water, or by merely eating leaves and grass, 

 " inspired me at once with a sensation of respect and pleasure. One of 

 " these devotees, calling me to him, whispered a moral sentence into my ear, 

 " which he desired me to repeat frequently every day, and to act up to it. 

 " From Binderabun I went to Delhi, where, according to his Highness's 

 " orders, I paid my respects to (Prit'hivi Pati) the • King of the Earth,' 

 " who received me with great affability, and presented me with robes of 

 " honour. On the same day, while sitting with his Highness, the sensation 

 " of an earthquake was experienced. During my residence at Delhi, I 

 " purchased a number of pictures,* taking care to make a selection free 

 " from all immodest and indecent representation. 



" At this period information was received, that in the north an army of 

 " Yavmms (Muhammedans), consisting of 75,000 men, had arrived on the 

 " west bank of the Jumna: but owing to the river being full from bank 

 " to bank, both armies t I'emained separated. His Highness however 

 " marched and occupied Ktinjpura, in spite of the enemy's efforts to 

 " prevent him. I accompanied the division wliich attacked, and God 

 «• spared my life. The Muhammedans now forced the passage of the river, 

 " and were opposed by his Highness. I was a mere boy ; and his Highness, 

 " though sufficiently wise on all other occasions, seems on this to have lost 

 " his usual wisdom. My maternal uncle Balwant Rao, and Nana Puran- 

 " dari, his Highness's natural advisers, were set aside, and BhawAni 

 " Sankar and Shah Newaz Khan became favourite counsellors ; in con- 

 " sequence of which he abandoned our system of warfare, and adopted 

 " that of the enemy. We were surrounded, and the enemy's shot fell 

 " thickly among our tents daily. My mother and wife screamed with alarm, 

 " but I endeavoured to console them by desiring them to trust in 

 " God. At length my mother's brother X v as killed, and had it not been 



• He preserved this taste for paintings through life. 



f The army of the Peshwa and that of the Muhammedans. 



X Balwant Rao Crishna Mehindli. 



