CONTENTS. 
The author obtains an appointment among the civil servants attached 
to the British detachment ordered from Bombay , to assist Rago- 
nath-Row, peshwa of the Mahrattas, then driven from his capital , 
and at the head of an army in Guzerat — origin of the Mahratta 
empire — epitome of the Hindoos in general — derivation of the 
Mahratta name — Shajee the founder of the empire-— his son , Se- 
vajee, assumes the title of rajah — his wars with Aurungzebe , de- 
predations in the Mogul empire , and death in 1680 — misfortunes 
and death of his son Sambajee by Aurungzebe — military character 
of the Mahrattas — great increase of their army — Raje-Ram—his 
widow assumes the government — dreadful scenes in the Mogul em- 
pire on the death of Aurungzebe — its rapid decline , subsequent 
plunder of Delhi by Nadir Shah, and wanton cruelties on the de- 
struction of the Mogul power at the conclusion of the eighteenth 
century — Saojee, the son of Sambojee, escapes from the Moguls, 
and ascends the Mahratta throne — constitutes the great council — 
rapid rise of the brahmin family of Ballajee — Ballajee advanced 
to the dignity of peshwa — supersedes the power and splendour of 
the rajah, and becomes in fact sovereign of the Mahrattas — success 
of the Mahrattas, and increase of their dominions, under the admi- 
nistration of Ballajee Bajerow and Nanna Saib — situation of Poo- 
nah, the capital of the empire-— progress of the Mahrattas in the 
art of war — battle of P ampul* — death of Narnia Saib— accession 
of Mhadarow — disputes with his uncle Ragobah — foreign wars — 
success— and death of Mhaderow — conduct to his brother Narrain 
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