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inhabitants of Dhuboy assembled in the inner court, of the durbar. 

 Their behaviour indicated something uncommonly solemn and 

 mysterious, and a horror in their countenance very much surprised 

 me. At length an aged brahmin with a few associates, came into 

 the hall, and requested I would defer my departure to Baroche 

 until the garrison and train of artillery proceeded with me, as that 

 day was peculiarly unfortunate, and my journey would be attended 

 with extreme danger. Knowing my incredulity respecting brah- 

 minical prognostics and cabalistical tables, they added to their 

 usual strain a prevailing report, that in consequence of the late 

 treaty between the company and the Mahrattas, by which the 

 purgunnas under my charge were to be restored to the latter 

 power, the Gracia chieftains had been for some time secretly 

 convened at Mandwa, with a number of celebrated soothsayers, 

 and having raised a large body of horse and foot, had resolved 

 under the sanction of Manha, to cut me off or take me prisoner, on 

 my return to Baroche. 



The fact was, that the conquest of Mandwa and the captivity 

 of the rajah's family, had struck a general terror among the Gracias, 

 and my correspondence with the other chieftains accomplished 

 every intended purpose without further bloodshed. They all sent 

 ambassadors to Dhuboy, entered into treaties, and engaged the 

 most respectable Bhauts to become security for their performance. 

 The Gracias would probably have adhered to these terms, had the 

 English power continued in Guzerat, but finding they were to 

 withdraw their forces and lose their influence in that part of India, 

 they determined to break the treaty; and indignant at the capture 

 of a fortress hitherto deemed impregnable, and enraged against 



