im POONAH. 
^ 
wives was with child, and that that child would be a son. It turned 
out to be so ; and though on the boy's death, Ragonaut Rao had 
the power of state for some time in his hands, yet for the want of a 
few forms he was never actually Paishwa. His son Chimnagee is 
reckoned as the sixth, and the present as the seventh, as will ap- 
pear from the pedigree of the family, which will be given in the 
Appendix. His Highness's filial piety in endeavouring to liberate 
his father's soul from the stain of these crimes, by his own works 
of supererogation, is worthy of praise, however we may pity the 
ignorance that gives rise to an expectation of success. 
The satisfaction expressed by his Highness at the result of his 
alliance with the British, and which every part of his conduct has 
shown to be unfeigned, will be easily accounted for by an examina- 
tion of his situation prior to its taking place, and a comparison of 
it with his present ameliorated condition. Although the Paishwa 
was recognised as the representative of the sovereign, by the great 
feudatories of the Mahratta states, Scindiah, Holcar, and Guikwar, 
and by the Rajah of Berar, yet the control which he could exercise 
over princes, who each independently possessed revenues and forces 
equal to his own, must at all times have been trifling ; but latterly 
Scindiah had, in fact, reduced him to a state of subjection, and 
merely used his name as a cloak to his ambitious plan of uniting in 
himself the whole power of the Mahratta empire. In this attempt 
he met with resistance from Holcar, who was defeated by him, but 
whom he imprudently permitted to retire unmolested to Chandore, 
Vt'here having rapidly increased his forces, he attacked the troops of 
Scindiah and the Paishwa forty miles from Poonah, in turn defeated 
them completely, and got possession of the capital. 
