242 J. Beames —Notes on the History of northern Orissa. [No. 3, 
over to the Marathas at the request of the zemindars of Midnapore and 
Burdwan in exchange for 4 lakhs of the “ chauth”, the remainder to be 
paid from Bengal. Janoji’s attention was engrossed by more exciting 
events in his own country, and he contented himself with getting as much 
money as he could out of the province and leaving it to be governed by 
his officers as they chose. The northern limit of Orissa was at this time 
not as is generally stated at the Subanrekha, but included Pataspur and 
Bhograi. 
The oppression of the Marathas has often been written about. To 
this day the peasant’s name for anarchy and oppression is “ Maratha 
Amal.” Janoji Bhonsla died in 1773, and was succeeded by his brother 
Sabaji, who ruled till 1775, when he was slain in battle by Madhoji his 
brother, who succeeded him as regent for his own son Baghoji II who had 
been adopted by Janoji and named his successor. 
Before continuing the history of Balasore under the Marathas 
it will be interesting to collect the scattered notices of their presence in 
Orissa as it affected the then growing power of the English. Our 
countrymen as will be stated more in detail in the next section, had for 
more than a century been in possession of factories and trading-posts in 
Orissa.* The chief of these were at Balasore and Pipli on the Su¬ 
banrekha of which more hereafter. The first entry in the Government 
records is dated 25th February 1748, and records the alarm caused by the 
Marathas, then encamped at Katwa in Burdwan and threatening Mur- 
shidabad. On the same date Mr. Ivelsall, Resident at Balasore, suggests 
the sending of the post by mounted postmen as faster than runners. 
The Marathas were in great force in the Santhal Pergunnahs and all over 
lower Bengal, and took a fort on the site of the present Botanical Gardens. 
The Nawab sends a hint to the English to the effect that they should 
drive away these marauders who had plundered the Company’s fleet of 
boats laden with silk from Casimbazar. 
In August of the same year, Mr. Kelsall again writes from Balasore 
that the “ Morattoes Horse” had attacked the factory of Balramgarhi 
at the mouth of the Balasore river, but had been repulsed by the Nawab 
who had pursued them into Cuttack. 
In May 1749 the Nawab was at Cuttack, the Marathas had fled, 
but were expected to return the next year, which, as we have seen, they did 
under Janoji. There were still, however, parties of them hanging about 
Diamond Harbour and the lower reaches of the river. They seem to have 
given the English a wide berth, though the timid Bengalis could make no 
* Selections from the records of the Government of India, by Rev. J. Long 
1748 to 1767. 
