WESTERN H I N D O O S T A N. 85 



northern borders of the dominions of Tippoo Sultan, Their 

 forces confift of two hundred thoufand foot and horfe, and the 

 £ame number in garrifon *. hi their inroads they come in 

 clouds, and fpread defolation far and wide. 



A NEW empire is fpringing out of thefe people ; Madajee Sin" 

 dia, a Jagbiredar of the Mabratta ftates (of Poonab) or mere 

 landholder, is now fucceisfully conquering for himfelf. Since 

 the year 1783 he has extended his frontiers from Mahva towards 

 the Jumna, poffelTed himfelf of the flrong fortrefs of Guallior, 

 and even gives a penfion to the unhappy Mogul Sbab Allum., 

 ■who fled to him for protection, after having his eyes put out 

 by a favage Rohilla chieftain, on whom Shtdia revenged the 

 cruelty by putting him to a moft excruciating death. Such 

 is the funk ftate of the reprefentative of the mighty emperors 

 of Hindoqflan. Sindia refides at Ougein, in Lat. 23° 14', a little 

 north of the Nerbudda river.. 



About the year 1740 Ram Rajah, a weak prince, fucceeded 

 to the throne of the Mabratta empire t. His two miniflers 

 agreed to divide his kingdom ; after which it became feparated 

 into two, in the manner we have defcribed t. The fame fpecies 

 of war was continued, and for a long time they carried their 

 plundering excurfions to a great diltance. At one time they 

 fent forth two armies of horfemen, confifting of eighty thoufand 

 each %. They poured like a deluge, in 1743, over the low coun- 

 tries weft of the Ganges, and exercifed their gothic rage again ft 

 every thing animate, and inanimate ; the moft elegant works 

 of art fell before their brutal fury. The EngUJJj were often in- 



* Rennel, cxxviii. t Same, Ixxxii. iv. % Same,lxxxv. 



volved 



