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SCENES IN INDIA. 
CHAPTER XVI. 
RISE OF THE MAHRATTA POWER. SEVAJEE. — SCINDIA. 
The portrait of the Mahratta chief which embellishes 
this volume is that of the celebrated Mahadajee Scindia, 
predecessor to the reigning prince. Mr. Daniell, shortly 
after his arrival in India, and not long before the death 
of the old warrior, had the honour of an interview, 
during which he was also honoured with an Oriental 
embrace. Availing himself of the opportunity, he made 
an admirable likeness of this remarkable man, of whom 
I shall do my best to give some account, the subject 
being new, and I trust not uninteresting, to the 
generality of English readers. 
The rise of the Mahratta power in India was one 
of those sudden and surprising revolutions which, in 
the troubled current of political events, have been so 
frequently seen to spring from the reaction of despotism. 
The Mogul empire, under the able but despotic direc- 
tion of Aurungzebe, extended over nearly the whole 
of India. The most fertile and populous provinces of 
Hindostan were subjected to the dominion of a tyrant, 
who nevertheless governed wisely, though he ruled 
despotically. The extensive plains of the Deccan and 
of Hindostan Proper, which are protected by that 
elevated chain of mountains, called the Ghauts, form- 
