he was surrounded by spies, and ordered not to move from the 
capital. 
Narrain Row’s duplicity and ill treatment at length occa- 
sioned Ragobah to concert measures with Ryder Ally’s ambassador 
to effect his escape, which being known by the young peshwa, lie 
confined him in his palace, suffering no friend to visit him, nor 
any of his own servants to attend him. Being all brahmins, Nar- 
rain Row could proceed no further, there being then no instance 
of one of that sacred order taking away the life of another. 
Having thus once more imprisoned his uncle, Narrain Row 
gave himself up to every evil propensity; sensual pleasures, use- 
less pomp, and an ostentatious display of wealth, constituted his 
chief delight: in a few months he thus squandered the immense 
treasures amassed by his predecessors for the emergencies of the 
state. This weakness of character, and insolent behaviour to his 
ministers, beanie every day more disgusting, and the hearts of the 
people were entirely alienated. At length, conscious of defects 
which he was too weak and irresolute to amend, and dreading a 
revolution in favour of Ragobah, he confined him with yet more 
rigorous severity. 
Whether from weariness of life, or to intimidate his nephew, 
Ragobah now entered into a solemn vow to starve himself, when, 
his death being attributed to Narrain Row’s cruelty, the nation 
would stigmatize him as the murderer: thus resolved, he put his 
vow into execution, and, for the space of eighteen days, took no 
other sustenance than two ounces of deer’s milk each day, until 
being nearly exhausted, Narrain Row relented, and promised, if 
