156 MAHRATTA WAR. 



General Wellesley, having thus accomplished the main 

 object of the treaty of Bassein, was inclined to push his 

 advantages no farther, but to allow the great military chiefs 

 to retain their independent position. Holkar, in fact, with 

 whose interests the present measure came into the most 

 immediate collision, declined involving himself in any hasty 

 step ; and, having retired into the heart of his own domin- 

 ions, watched the progress of events. But Sindia and the 

 Rajah of Berar viewed with the deepest indignation the 

 success of a scheme which placed the head of the Mahratta 

 confederacy under control, and the capital in the hands of a 

 foreign power. These two chiefs led their forces to positions 

 where, in communication with each other, they threatened 

 the territory of the nizam. In this critical state of affairs, 

 Wellesley, who had been invested by the governor-general 

 with the entire power of peace and war, instructed Colonel 

 Collins, the British resident in the camp of Sindia, to 

 demand an explanation of his present threatening attitude. 

 That chief gave the most positive assurances of a pacific 

 disposition, and even of an intention to acquiesce in the 

 treaty of Bassein ; but as, in conjunction with the Rajah of 

 Berar, he still maintained his menacing posture, and was 

 understood to be issuing orders to his officers to hold them- 

 selves in readiness to act on the shortest notice, it was 

 judged further necessary to require that he and the rajah 

 should withdraw their troops to their ordinary stations in 

 the centre of their respective territories, while a corres- 

 ponding movement should be made on the part of the 

 British army. To this demand Sindia replied, that he 

 expected in a few days to have an interview with the Rajah 

 of Berar, when the resident should be informed "whether 

 it should be peace or war." This ambiguous expression, 

 so strongly indicative of the latter alternative, induced the 

 general to advance to Walkee, a strong post near Ahmed- 

 nugger, whence he could with advantage commence military 

 operations. 



On the 4th June, the rajah arrived, and had a meeting 

 with Sindia ; but the principal conference did not take place 

 till the 8th. When the resident, however, on the 12th, 

 demanded to know the result, he was met only by delays 

 and subterfuges. The two princes acknowledged them- 

 selves to be in some respects dissatisfied with the treaty oi 



