Secret Corresponde7ice of the Court of t/ie Pesjiwa. 123 



Again, on the same day : 



" Ascertain what is the nature of the correspondence my uncle has lately 

 " opened with the Nizam, and who are the people employed in this 

 " business." 



As a proof of the influence the females had at the court of Poona, and 

 of the deference paid to them, the following letter is introduced : 



On the 1st of June 1764, Madhu Rao writes : " My aunt Parwati 

 " Bhye (the widow of Bhao Sahib, who commanded the army and lost 

 " his life at Paniput) complains of want of courtesy from you. By all 

 " means indulge her whims, and keep her in good humour ; do not give 

 " room to her to complain again." 



This line of conduct was accordingly adopted ; but the result is apparent 

 from the following letter, dated the 6th of October I764 : 



" I understand that Parwati Bhye has procured some of the jewels to 

 " be sent to her from Sirgur. Enquire if this be the case ; and if so, 

 " procure them to be sent back into the fort without mentioning it to my 

 " uncle Ragoba. Let this be done at once. 



" When I came away I told both you and Naro Pant not to allow any of 

 " those jewels to be removed without asking me. How is it then, when I 

 " spoke so plainly on this subject, that this has occurred? You can tell my 

 " aunt (Parwati Bhye) quietly, that ' you did not like to prevent her 

 " ' having the jewels to look at when she wanted them, for fear of giving 

 " ' her offence, but that you now beg her to send them back, for if I hear 

 " ' it I shall be very angry with you.' Make this excuse to her, and 

 " get the jewels back. Do not let any body see this letter. This is 

 " the method of managing my aunt, so as to have the jewels back into 

 " the fort." 



In the month of December 1764, Ragoba, having finished his field equip- 

 ments, proceeded to join his nephew, whose military operations against 

 Hyder, according to the historians of that time, Grant Duff and Colonel 

 Wilks, were eminently successful. This youthful chieftain had driven the 

 enemy's troops before him in all directions, and compelled Hyder to fall 

 back, with his army dispersed, excepting two thousand five hundred 

 horse and ten thousand infantry and guns ; and he was reduced to 

 such extremities as to open a negociation through Ragoba, who had just 

 reached his nephew's camp. Madhu Rao gave up the whole of the 

 negociation to his uncle, who effected a peace on terms which Colonel 



R2 



