140 MAHRATTA WAR. 



In short, the negotiation took so unfavourable a turn, that 

 Colonel Upton announced to the councils both of Calcutta 

 and Bombay, that in all probability it would be immediately 

 broken off. Suddenly, however, the Mahratta minister, 

 seeing that the British authorities were really determined 

 to renew the war, and consequently had in no degree been 

 actuated by fear, yielded almost every point in dispute. A 

 treaty was concluded at Poorundur, by which they obtained 

 the cessions demanded; while a month was fixed as the 

 period within which the army of Ragoba was to be reduced, 

 and their protection entirely withdrawn from him. 



Affairs seemed amicably settled, when the wheel of 

 events brought round another remarkable change. The 

 court of directors at home, on being apprized of the ar- 

 rangement made by the government of Bombay with Ra- 

 goba, were more swayed by its immediate advantages than 

 by their general principles, and sent out a cordial approba- 

 tion of the measure. Their despatch to this effect arrived 

 immediately after the conclusion of the treaty of Poorundur. 

 It was impossible at once to annul so solemn a transaction ; 

 but the council at Bombay exulted in an extraordinary de- 

 gree over the superior presidency which had so harshly 

 censured their conduct, and became accordingly disposed to 

 find pretexts- for placing themselves again in a hostile atti- 

 tude towards the administration at Poonah. They by no 

 means withdrew entirely their protection from Ragoba; 

 they even derived encouragement from intrigues carried on 

 to re-establish his influence, which, however, were baffled 

 by the profound political skill of Fumavese. The latter re- 

 ceived with great favour a Frenchman named St. Lubin, who 

 appears to have held out to him the expectation of a strong 

 military force from Europe. It was concluded, on the 

 whole, that Nana had shown a hostile disposition; and 

 Mr. Hornby, the Governor of Bombay, entered on the 

 minutes a general review of .Mahratta affairs, in which he 

 concluded that they were fast verging to a crisis that would 

 compel the English either to take some active and decisive 

 part, or to relinquish for ever the hopes of improving their 

 own condition in the west of India. Mr. Hastings, too 

 though he had concurred in the censure on the Bombay 

 government, now began to think that better terms miotit 

 pave been gained by the treaty of Poorundur. He granted. 



