1883.] 
J. Beames —Notes on the History of Orissa. 
253 
The news of this success reached Colonel Harcourt before he 
arrived at Cuttack. The earliest letter in the records of the Balasore 
Collectorate is one from Colonel Harcourt to Captain Morgan congratula¬ 
ting him. I give it a portion of it. 
“ In Camp at Burpoorshuttumpore, 25 miles south of Cuttack, 3rd 
October 1803. 
“ SlE, 
“ I have great satisfaction in acknowledging the receipt of jours of 
the 22nd ultimo and am happy to hear of your successes in Balasore. 
# # * # 
“ I have &c. 
“ Gr. Haecottrt, 
“ Lieutenant Colonel 
“ Coming, in Cuttack 
This shews that Morgan had taken Balasore before the British force 
had even reached Cuttack. 
Captain Morgan, who appears to have been a rough and ready, but 
able officer, pushed on a small detachment and occupied Soroh, which for 
some reason he miscalls Soorrung, on the 3rd October. The first book of 
copies of letters sent is unfortunately not to be found, and the earliest 
letter of Captain Morgan’s is dated 12th June 1804, but from a large col¬ 
lection of letters in Colonel Harcourt’s own hand still in the office, his and 
Morgan’s movements may be clearly traced. 
Their first efforts were to learn the geography of the Moliarbhanj 
and Nilgiri Hills, especially the passes, and to open communications 
with the Rajas of those two States. Spies were sent into “ Mohurbundge 
and Lilliagerhy” as Harcourt writes them, to keep a watch on the chiefs, 
and Passports were to be granted to their vakeels or representatives 
should they desire to visit Cuttack. 
Soroh was abandoned and the detachment under Lieutenant 
Slye marched to Jajpore in November. Morgan was at once entrusted 
with Revenue duties, in that month he is instructed to make it known 
that “ as it is the intention of the Commissioners for the settlement of the 
Province of Cuttack to give a general acquittal of all arrears of Revenue 
due to the Sircar, previous to the arrival of the British Troops in the 
Province, we mean on the other hand not to attend to any complaints 
which the zamindars, kandytes, mokuddums or r 3 r ots may wish to prefer 
against their former masters” (Colonel Harcourt to Morgan 3-11-1803.) 
The Moliarbhanj Rani was at this time apparently half afraid to come in, 
and half disposed to be turbulent. Harcourt writes frequent letters to 
him, and enjoins on Morgan the necessity of extremely conciliatory conduct 
to him. A certain Mr. Possinan appears to have been up in Moliarbhanj 
L L 
