ESCAPE OF TRIMBUCKJEE. 179 



began to augment his troops ; and it was understood that 

 he was on the point of making common cause with his 

 minister, — to fly with him from the capital, and endeavour 

 to raise the Mahrattas against the company. Mr. Elphin- 

 stone then considered it indispensable to order the subsidiary 

 force to march upon Poonah ; but Bajee Rao, when he saw 

 the sword about to be drawn, lost courage, and Trimbuckjee 

 was delivered into the hands of the English. This they 

 considered an important triumph, having long foreseen that 

 they must ultimately come to a rupture with this person, 

 who had shown a disposition the most evidently hostile ; yet 

 to have driven him from power merely because he supported 

 his master's interests, and opposed a foreign influence, would 

 havebeen extremely odious in the eyes of the nation. But 

 the crime of Trimbuckjee, being aggravated in their view 

 by every possible circumstance, as being committed on a 

 Bramin of high sanctity, and within the precincts of one of 

 their holiest shrines, threw a great degree of popularity on 

 the vigorous steps taken by the resident for its punishment. 



The English conducted their prisoner to the strong for- 

 tress of Tannah, in the island of Salsette, and watched him 

 so narrowly that they did not admit a single native into the 

 guard. This excessive precaution was perhaps the very 

 circumstance which defeated its own object. The vicinity 

 was filled with the minister's adherents ; and a groom in 

 the service of one of the British officers, in passing near 

 the terrace where the accused was allowed to walk, chanted 

 gayly what was supposed to be a Hindoo song, but which 

 really communicated a plan contrived for his escape. 

 Through a small gap in the wall of the edifice he reached 

 a stable ; and not being missed for a few minutes, suc- 

 ceeded in crossing the narrow channel which separates Sal- 

 sette from the continent. He immediately hastened to the 

 southern districts, where he began to levy troops, and raise 

 the whole country against the English. 



The peishwa avowed total ignorance of the course taken 

 by Trimbuckjee after his escape, as well as of the place of 

 his retreat ; and as no proof could be obtained of the false- 

 hood of these declarations, the good understanding between 

 the two states was not at first interrupted. Bajee's con- 

 duct, however, became more and more unsatisfactory- 

 Troops were indeed sent, ostensibly to put down the inBur- 



