It has been already related that the Governor, from the very first arrival of General Clavering and his party, had found it out of his power to come to an understanding with them. For although now and then both sides listened to the persuasion of common friends, who forcibly pointed out the inconveniencies of dissension, and the advantages of concert, so as to seem inclined to unite together; yet such was the difference of tempers, and such the diversity of interests, that no union and no concert could take place. Even of late, that is some time after the duel had happened, some appearance of peace, and even some union, had been per­ceived between the Governor and Mr. Francis, on the mediation of General Coote and Mr. Doocreel; but after the General’s departure for Mendradj, matters took to their former course. For Mr. Francis wished that some arrangements might take place, to not one of which the Governor would listen. The first was, the sending back Mr. Brishtoo to his office of Lucknow, with his former appointment and authority, for both which, repeated orders had come from Europe. The second, that the Divanship of the Calcutta department should be given to Ram-chund-ráy, instead of Ganga-govind, who now holds it. The third was, that Nand-comar’s son should be put at the head of the Qhalissah or Revenue-office. There were some other demands, to none of which the Governor would consent. He had of late met with several new subjects of discontent; insomuch that his enmity had risen to a height.

But whilst there was so much dissension and enmity at home, great misfortunes had befallen the English arms abroad. Two or three veteran armies, with a number of renowned Commanders, had been destroyed; and an immense sum of money having been spent in those expeditions, the Company’s treasury was become so empty, that Government had been obliged to have recourse to a loan, which was obtained from the Bengalies; and all that, at the very time that the Supreme Council were forbidden from making any new conquests. It was from such events, and from such formal disobediences of orders, that Mr. Francis who brought them into one point of view, thought he could prove a great body of misdemeanours and mismanagement in the Governor’s conduct. He now re-digested the whole into a methodical writing, which he got bound like a book; and after having obtained its being registered, he thought himself strong enough with such a piece, and he departed this country at the end of Zilcaad, of the year A. D. 1781. 1194 of the Hedjrah. He was attended by a number of gentlemen, all dissatisfied with the Governor, who all repaired to London, which is the Capital of the dominions of the Kings of England. By this departure he freed the Governor from a troublesome antagonist. For hitherto the latter had been at some trouble in managing the Government in an absolute manner, although he took all the risks upon himself; but now that the whole Council is reduced to his own person, and to that of Mr. Wheeler’s, he is become sole master of binding and unbinding, of appointing, and dismissing in every department, without either controul or dispute. Time only can show in what manner shall end these dissensions, as well as these troubles which are just commencing; and time alone shall determine what completion his schemes are likely to have. Then shall we know something of what is to become of the poor injured people of this land, who now have no other friend and no other comforter but God Almighty. As to myself, having set out from Moorshood-abad the 26th Zilhidj; and in that same year having stopped some time at Radjemahal for some particular business, and especially for performing the rites of the ten days of Moharrem; on the ninth of that same month, I heard from a person of consequence and credit, that General Coote, having joined the troops he had brought with him, to those he found at Mendradj, had set out from that fortress with a great train of artillery; and having given battle to the troops of Háider-náic, he had been beaten as had already been General Monro, and forced to retire within the walls, without which Háider-náic is now master of every thing, throughout the province of Arcat, and up to the walls of Mendradj.

Nor did the affairs of the English wear a more favourable aspect in Hindostan, where the troops, which had been carried by Captain Palmer to the assistance of the Ranna of Gohud, having lodged themselves for their own conveniency in the fortress of that name, turned their thoughts towards recovering some other strongholds, and places which had been in the possession of the Rana’s* ancestors. That Commander put to the Radja a number of questions about every spot and every place in that region. The Ranna answered: “That one of the principal possessions of his ancestors, was the fortress of Goaliar, a place renowned for strength all over Hindostan, and which the Emperors of the family of Babr* had seized by force, having maintained their conquest by a superiority of power. That from that time it had belonged to them, being called by excellence the Imperial fortress. That in process of time as the Empire came to lose of its power, and the Marhattas to increase theirs, it happened that the Governor and Garrison finding themselves neglected by the Ministers and Grandees of the Court, as well as reduced very low for want of pay and necessaries, thought it high time to listen to the offers of the Marhattas, to whom they consented to surrender the fortress on condition of being paid the whole of their arrears; and thus having received the money in exchange for the fortress, they had surrendered it to a body of Marhatta troops. That from that day it had remained in their possession; a transaction which was fresh in every one’s mind, as it had happened in the time of Ahmed-shah, son to the Emperor Mahmed-shah, of the Babr family.” This was the information given by the Rana. Now as that place is only at about thirteen cosses from Gohud, and, it had been constantly an eye-sore to the Gentoo Prince, he was thoroughly informed of every corner of it, and of every manner of approaching it, as well as completely apprised of a particular path, hidden by the rock, and quite out of sight, where the rampart was lower than any elsewhere. Of all this he gave information to the English, and added a number of men who had a local knowledge of every part within and without the walls. The English Commander formed his project upon those lights; and having with great secrecy prepared a number of ladders proportionate to the height of the wall, and meanwhile spread a report of an attack being intended against another fort, he set out from Gohud, the place of his residence, stopped at about five or six cosses distance; and from thence at the beginning of the night, he posted his army, and with a proper number of light troops which he furnished with ladders, he marched forwards. At the end of the night, being arrived at the spot he intended, he placed his ladders, and availing himself of the neglect and supineness of the garrison, he got upon the wall, and commenced firing at the garrison, which was thrown into the greatest consternation. For one or two thousand of such troops, being once got within the fortress, were by all means an overmatch for any ten thousand of such slothful fellows as composed the garrison. They cay that the Marhatta Governor, either out of despair and shame, or for fear of being called to an account, killed himself; and there is also another report, that this surprise had been concerted with the ancient Imperial Commander, who dissatisfied with his not being paid his arrears, had only dissembled his resentment, and had remained within the fortress, until he could find some opportunity of introducing an enemy. It was in this manner that so famous a fortress fell in a twinkle, in the hands of the English, who took care to put a garrison in it*. I was in Calcutta, when news came of the capture of Goaliar; and I heard with my own ears the discharges of cannon, by which that happy event was announced to the public. It was there I learned also that Maha-dji-sindia, one of the principal feudatory rulers of the Marhatta Empire, who has the absolute government of the provinces of Malva and Oodjéin, as well as of the castle of Goaliar, hearing of General Godard’s being gone to Surat, to take his winter quarters there, had set out in the height of A. D. 1781. the rains in the year 1194, and had passed that difficult season in that country, without it being known whether he intended in the sequel to fight General Godard, who was to besiege the fortress of Bessi (Bassein), or whether he would turn his thoughts towards recovering Goaliar, from the hands of the English; or rather would think it better to make a diversion against them, by invading the provinces of Atava and Corrah and Ilah-abad. Some others, however, conjectured that he would turn his arms against the English troops about Gohud, and especially against that body commanded by Colonel Camac, who having taken his route through the mountains in the height of the rainy season, had invaded the provinces of Malva and Oodgéin, and made great progresses. Notwithstanding all these, the English came to be tired of this warfare, both on account of the immensity of the charges, and of the difficulty of subsisting armies in such countries, where a dearth and a scarcity of provisions is always to be expected; for the Marhattas seldom fight, but only endeavour to cut off an enemy from the necessaries of life, especially from grain and forage, burning and destroying every village and every heap of grain, whether it be their own or of the enemy’s country, so as to surround him with a desert, to all intents and purposes. The English, moreover, were disgusted with this war, as there appeared at this very time signs of defection in the Radja of Gohud, and this Gentoo Prince seemed tired of his new allies. This discovery made them take their resolution suddenly; and leaving that Prince to himself, they abandoned the fortresses of Goaliar and Gohud, and expressed a disposition of coming to an accommodation with the Marhattas; nor was Scindia himself averse to such a measure. Reckoning such an event to be a favour of Providence, which came unexpectedly, he slackened the preparations for war, and abstained from committing hostilities: a conduct which was imitated by the English Commanders themselves, who returned towards Corrah and Canpore, and encamped within the frontiers of the province of Ilah-abad, on the hopes of a treaty of peace and amity, which is wished for by both parties. They abstained therefore from hostilities on their side; but peace is not concluded yet, and we must see how matters shall end.