154 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
Determined to act with that vigour which the occa- 
sion required,, Mr. Hastings immediately on receiving 
the Rajah’s reply, sent an official order to the resident 
to proceed early on the following morning to the 
house of that prince, and place him under arrest, 
but to treat him with the respect suitable to his 
rank. This order was duly executed, and Cheit Singh, 
still keeping up the farce of respectful submission to 
the supreme authority, acquiesced in it without the 
slightest opposition, apparently manifesting deep con- 
trition at his past duplicity ; so much so, indeed, that 
Mr. Hastings was in some measure deceived; at all 
events his suspicions were considerably lulled, and 
thinking it therefore necessary to give his prisoner 
some encouragement, he wrote as follows, in answer 
to a very submissive letter addressed to him by the 
Rajah. 
" I have received your two arzees from the hands 
of Mr. Markham, and understand their contents. 
That gentleman will wait on you in the afternoon, 
and explain particulars. Set your mind at rest, and 
do not conceive any terror or apprehension.” 
Nothing surely could exceed the kindness of this 
letter. It evinced no disposition to tyranny. On 
the contrary, it manifested the most amiable and 
generous feeling, and it is in consequence of the prac- 
tical influence of such feelings, that the name of 
Warren Hastings is venerated in India at this mo- 
ment by natives as well as by Europeans. The 
Rajah’s reply to the letter just quoted is curious, as 
exhibiting the extreme pliancy of his temperament, 
and the masterly adroitness of his cunning. 
