Chap. XXVII. VIEW FROM TARBUTTY HILL. 479 



on the summit of which there is a temple to Siva. The 

 ascent is by a well-cut flight of steps, and the temple/ which 

 crowns the hill, is surrounded by a wall of very solid 

 masonry, with a covered gallery having quaintly carved 

 w'ooden balconies, and an open rampart above. From one of 

 these balconies Bajee Eao, the last of the Peishwas, watched 

 the defeat of his army at Kirkee in 1817 ; when Poena, and 

 all its territory, became an integral part of British India. 



The view from the Parbutty hill is very extensive. At 

 our feet was the Hira Bagh, with its broad sheet of water, 

 and numerous groves of trees ; beyond was the great city 

 almost hidden by trees, the roofs of houses showing here and 

 there, but no conspicuous towers or lofty building. Further 

 still we could see the windings of the rivers Mula and Muta, 

 tributaries of the Krishna. To the left was the village of 

 Kirkee, and to the right the churches, numerous bungalows, 

 and other buildings of the English cantonment. At this 

 time of year the whole mass of buildings and gardens forming 

 and mingling with the city and cantonment, is sm-rounded 

 by brown dried-up plains, and rocky arid-looking mountains, 

 which furnish a sombre frame to the picture. 



This magnificent view was exceedingly interesting, because 

 it seemed more than probable that, in a not far distant 

 future, the city of Poena might become the capital of British 

 India — the seat of Government of a vast Empire, united for 

 the first time in history under one firm and beneficent rule, 

 enjoying a universal peace nnkno^\Ti for centuries, and rapidly 

 advancing in material prosperity. Calcutta must be given 

 up as the most distant from England, the least conveniently 

 situated as regards other parts of India, and the most un- 

 healthy place that could be selected for a capital. This 

 point once granted, the old Mahratta capital recommends 



Built in 1749 by the Peishwa Balajee Bajee Bao. 



