GHAZIPORE. 
67 
most princely bearing. Being moreover a man of 
great piety, he was beloved among the Brahmins, and 
by them he was persuaded to embrace the active duties 
of his caste and join the forces of the Maharliattas, 
under the banners of Madhaji Scindia, who was then 
in co-operation with Trimbuck Mamma, to oppose 
the daily injuries which were practised against the 
religious notions of the Hindoos, both by the Ma- 
hommedan and British powers ; who not only before 
our eyes delighted to insult our religion, by overbur- 
dening and cruelly treating the ox, but hesitated not 
to slay and feed upon that sacred animal. Madhaji 
Scindia was careful to observe and protect, even in his 
times of greatest difficulty, all the rites and ceremonies 
of our faith ; and to him we looked to repel the wanton 
attacks of our insulting foes. 
“ It was the good fortune of my grandfather, during 
the first few years of his service, to distinguish him- 
self in many successive actions, by which he obtained 
both fame and riches; but in the year 1771, when 
opposed to Hyder Ali, he is said to have wrought won- 
ders in battle. The army of that chief was utterly 
routed, fifteen thousand of his choicest troops lay dead 
upon the field : my noble grandsire, supported by ten 
of his own followers, had hewn his way, through the 
ranks of the enemy, to the very person of the Moslem 
chief, to whom he offered quarter, claiming him as his 
prisoner. Hyder Ali was for a moment aghast at his 
peril, but seeing that the day was lost and his person 
