160 MAIIRATTA WAR. 



the fort after a surprisingly short resistance. Sindia then 

 began in earnest to sue for peace, and the terms of an 

 armistice were arranged for all his territories south of the 

 IS'erbudda. The British general next led his army against 

 Berar, and found the rajah with his troops on the plains of 

 Argaom, where, contrary to the convention, he was still 

 supported by a strong body of Sindia's cavalry. Weltesley 

 attacked them without hesitation, and, after a contest 

 obstinate than at Assaye, gained a complete victory. £ 

 was then laid to Gawilghur, one of those hill-forts v 

 are esteemed the bulwarks of India. It made amore vig< 

 defence than any of Sindia's strongholds, and severe labour 

 was required in planting the cannon on its steep sides ; but 

 in a very few days a breach was effected, and the outer wall 

 was carried by storm. There remained still an inner ram- 

 part, which for some time defeated the efforts of the assail- 

 ants, till Captain Campbell, with a detachment of light 

 troops, carried it by escalade, and opened the gate to the 

 rest of the army. 



The general could now have advanced upon the rajah's 

 capital, and threatened the extinction of his power ; but a 

 vakeel had already arrived in his camp to solicit a conference 

 preparatory to negotiation. This envoy endeavoured to 

 prove that his master had never entertained any hostile 

 intention; and after some unprofitable discussion on this 

 question, asked the terms on which peace might now be 

 obtained. The British commander demanded the cession 

 of the maritim district of Cuttack, which was desirable for 

 completing the company's dominion over the eastern coast ; 

 also the surrender of a territory on the river Wurda, the 

 authority over which had hitherto been inconveniently 

 shared between the rajah and the nizam. Some further 

 demands were made, but withdrawn ; and the arrangements, 

 being hastened by the fall of Qawilghar, were completed on 

 the 16th, &nd the treaty signed on the 1 7th December, 1803. 



Meantime, the central regions of Hindostan were the 

 theatre of events equally memorable. Sindia's force here 

 consisted almost exclusively of the large corps formed on 

 the. European model by De Boigne, who, having returned 

 to France, had, as we have already stated, been succeeded 

 by Perron. These troops were considered very formidable, 

 consisting of 16 or 17,000 regular infantry, 15 to 20,000 



