188 PTNDAREE WAR. 



ceived a discharge of firearms before almost a man of then* 

 was mounted ; and they were obliged to fly, abandoning 

 nearly all their horses and booty. One bold chieftain, with 

 260 troopers, crossed the peninsula, swept along the west- 

 ern 6hore, and, ascending the Tuptee, reached his home 

 with less indeed than half his original number, but all of 

 them carrying in their saddles a rich booty. Major Lush- 

 ington again, learning that the other party had passed Poo- 

 nah, made a march of fifty miles, came upon them while 

 busied in cooking, and gave them so complete a defeat that 

 only a few escaped. In Ganjam, too, they met with several 

 surprises, in one of which Lieutenant Borthwick beat up 

 their camp with only fifty men. They abandoned their at- 

 tempt to penetrate into the territory of Cuttack ; and learn- 

 ing that a plan was formed to intercept their return, they 

 endeavoured to effect their object by a circuitous route 

 through Bundelcund, in the course of which Colonel Adams- 

 and other officers inflicted upon them very severe losses. 



Although this campaign had been in some measure suc- 

 cessful and even triumphant, it afforded reason to appre- 

 hend that India could never be secure from the inroad of 

 these marauders, so long as they should have a place of se- 

 cure retreat. Upwards of 30,000 troops had been employed 

 against them, a number adequate to a regular war on the 

 greatest scale, and involving an immense expenditure ; yet 

 they had penetrated through a strong line of defence, while 

 their subsequent failure was occasioned only by an undue 

 security, which they would probably learn to correct. The 

 permission granted by the government at home to prosecute 

 the war against them waa far from liein« unlimited ; but the 

 marquis trusted that the events which had occurred during 

 this campaign, and the success which he hoped would still 

 attend his measures, would secure for him the sanction of 

 the company. 



About the middle of the year 1817, the governor-general 

 put in motion the most numerous and efficient army that 

 had ever perhaps taken the field in India. Its entire amount 

 is estimated at about 81,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry ; of 

 Which 57,000 advanced from the Deiean and (lU/.erat, and! 

 34,000 from Bengal through Hindostan Proper. To the corps 

 from the Deccan were attached 13,000 irregular cavalry and 

 to that from Bengal 10,000 of the same force, many of them 



