INTRIGUES AT POONAH. 199 



complete overthrow, and were dispersed in every direction, 

 leaving several of their leaders dead on the field. After 

 suffering some further disasters, all the corps were reduced 

 to a state truly miserable. Cheetoo and his adherents 

 sometimes slept with their horses saddled, and the bridles 

 in their hands, that they might be ready for instant flight. 

 At length an intimation was circulated, that, in case of 

 unconditional surrender, their lives would be spared, and 

 the chiefs should even obtain the means of an honourable 

 subsistence in some remote district. One leader after 

 another submitted upon these terms. At length Kurreem, 

 after wandering for some time on foot through the jungles, 

 gave himself up, on the 15th February, 1818, to Sir John 

 Malcolm. Cheetoo opened a negotiation ; but, on learning 

 the small allowance which was to be granted to one whoa; 

 he thought entitled to a jaghire in his native country and 

 a place in the British service, he hastily took, his departure. 

 He afterward encountered a variety of distresses, which 

 ended in a manner equally dismal and appalling, being 

 devoured by a tiger while lurking in the forests of Asseer- 

 ghur. His fate excited sympathy among the British 

 officers, who admired the spirit and intrepidity with which 

 he had braved the deepest reverses of fortune. 



While the performances on the main theatre of Indian 

 warfare were thus brought to a successful close, two 

 separate dramas of a subordinate though eventful character 

 were acted on other stages. The most remarkable was at 

 the court of Poonah. The peishwa, ever since the last 

 humiliating treaty which he was compelled to sign, had 

 eagerly sought deliverance from a yoke which now pressed 

 heavily upon him. The employment of the British forces 

 in the Pindaree campaign offered a tempting occasion to 

 reassert his independence. A little consideration indeed 

 would have shown him that this contest could not engage 

 his enemy beyond a very short period ; after which they 

 would find it easy to crush such resistance as he or any 

 other of the Mahratta states could create. But the 

 peishwa, like many other Indian princes, though possessed 

 of talent and address, and skilled in pursuing the ordinary 

 objects of eastern policy, was incapable of taking a compre- 

 hensive view of his actual situation. He was encouraged 

 by the hatred of the English which he saw prevalent 



