144 MAHRATTA UAH. 



spreading his force over a great part of the Concan, whence 

 he drew both supplies and revenue. This campaign was 

 very successful; Bassein surrendered on the 11th De- 

 cember, while Hartley, taking a judicious position, com- 

 pletely repulsed the whole combined force of the Mahrattas, 

 which attempted to overwhelm him. Thus the English 

 affairs were beginning to assume a prosperous aspect, 

 when Goddard was apprized of an immediate intention on 

 the part of government to open a negotiation. He was 

 directed, therefore, to hold himself in readiness to cease 

 hostilities as soon as intelligence should be received from 

 Poonah of a corresponding disposition. This resolution 

 was connected with certain events of the war in the south 

 of India related in a former chapter. Hyder, having 

 formed an alliance with the nizam and the Mahrattas, had 

 made a terrible irruption into the Carnatic, and was threat- 

 ening the very existence of the British establishment at 

 Madras. Under these circumstances, it. was determined to 

 make sacrifices to a great extent, in order to detach the 

 court of Poonah from this formidable confederacy. The 

 treaty, however, proceeded slowly, especially after tidings 

 had arrived of the catastrophe that had befallen Colonel 

 Baillie's detachment. In these discouraging circumstances 

 General Goddard conceived that an advance with his army 

 beyond the Ghauts, and the placing it in a position so as 

 to menace the Mahratta capital, might produce a favourable 

 effect. With about C0O0 men he penetrated with little 

 difficulty the barrier of hills. Nana Furnavese, however, 

 still refused to separate from his ally, and the general was 

 so harassed by attacks on his rear, by convoys intercepted, 

 and by the country being laid waste around him, that he 

 felt at last the necessity of retreating to Bombay. In this 

 movement he was assailed by the enemy with so much 

 fury, that although be reached the coast without dishonour, 

 he sustained a loss more .severe than had been incurred in 

 the campaign which terminated in the convention of Wor- 

 gaom. 



Mr. Hastings, meantime, attempted to influence the war 

 by military movements from Bengal, directed towards the 

 very heart of India. Captain Popbaro, with 2400 men, 

 crowed the JumQa, and attacked the fort of Lahar; but 

 finding it much stronger than was expected, and labouring 



