Lieut.-Colonel BniGcs' Memoir of the early Life of Na7ia Farnevts. 101 



" for the approach of darkness, we should all have been destroyed on that 

 " night. Thus we remained in a state of siege for two months, during 

 " which most of the cattle of the army died, and the stench was dreadful. 

 " My aunt insisted on burning with her husband's body. Previously to the 

 " last fatal action, his Highness had determined to destroy all the females 

 " of his family rather than suffer them to fall into the hands of the enemy, 

 " and I took the same resolution. We both left persons with them, to 

 " perform the dreadful office in case of defeat. The battle at length com- 

 " menced.* His Highness, though wise, valiant and experienced, had 

 " latterly become proud and arrogant ; and although the ari'angement for 

 " the action was good, yet he did not attend to it himself, nor did others. 

 " Confusion prevailed in every direction. I remained close to his Higliness, 

 " but was able to do nothing, except to pray to God to save us. Wiswas 

 " Rao f fell by a cannon-shot, when his Highness taking him up on his 

 " elephant, stood fast. The Afghans dismounted from their horses, and 

 " stormed the camp on all sides. The battle was now brought to cuts and 

 " slashes. In this state of affairs the great officers of the left wing shewed 

 " the example of flight. On the right, Sindia and Holkar stood aloof, 

 " and at last the royal standard was seen to retreat. Around his Highness 

 " there were now only about two hundred men left, and he looked stupified 

 " as if unable to see what passed about him. Bapuji Pant told me to go to 

 " the rear : I replied, ' I cannot quit his Highness at such a moment ;' but 

 " God prompted me soon after to follow his advice. I turned my horse's 

 " head. Of one hundred thousand men, among whom were many great 

 " officers of distinction, not one stood by his Highness at such a moment, 

 " though I had heard them repeatedly swear in the time of peace, that 

 " rather than a hair of his head should be touched, they would each 

 " sacrifice a thousand lives if they had them : so that they turned out to 

 " be the mere companions of his prosperity, and deserters in the hour of 

 " adversity. 



" When I consider how he conciliated his chiefs with blandishments, 

 " what honours, pi'esents and estates he had conferred on them, and how he 

 " had exerted himself to win their affections, it is matter of surprise to 



• January 15, 1761. 



f Wiswds Rao, the eldest and favourite son of the Peshwa, accompanied his uncle Bhao 

 Sahib in this campaign. 



