The usurpation of Raghoba, the uncle of Narayen Rao, and his invasion of the Balaghaut country; and, at length, his hopeless and fugitive retreat. Also, the conquest by the Nawaub, during this opportunity, of the countries of Badami, Hulihul, Nowul-goondah, Dharwar, &c.; with other events of the year 1183, Hijri, A. D. 1769.

WHEN Narayen Rao was murdered at the insti­gation of his uncle Raghoo, by the instrumentality of the relations of Muhammad Yoosuf, commandant, Raghoo, who, from the time of the government of Balajee Rao and Madhoo Rao, had been in con­finement, seated himself on the Musnud, and made his own arrangements to carry on the govern­ment; sending some of the chiefs of the Mahratta state, whom he had attracted to his party, with a large force towards Hydurabad. The Názim* of that place although he with his troops and artillery soon entered the field to oppose the invaders, still, from the immense force of the Mahrattas, and because the Moghul soldiers are a motley assemblage of proud, indolent, and effeminate men, could not stand against the Mahrattas in the field, but in one battle was overthrown, and his troops fled, leaving their master at the mercy* of the Mahrattas. When he saw that his troops would not fight, but that they fled to their own homes, abandoning their artillery, stores and ammunition, to the enemy, the chief of Hydurabad was obliged to sue for peace, Rooknuddowla, his minister, being unable to carry on the war any longer. Monsieur Ray­mond, a Frenchman, however, with two thousand regular infantry, and two guns, formed round the body guard and elephant of the Nizám, and, fight­ing the whole way, safely escorted him to the fort of Budur. Raghoba, nevertheless, still followed him, and besieged the fort, and compelled the Nizám to assign to him in the fullest and most satis­factory manner, the revenues of certain districts, such as Budur, Ourungabad, Berar, &c. He then turned his steps and his views towards the conquest of the Balaghaut, or the country belonging to the Nawaub, and marched thither. During this time, Furnavees, the prime minister at Poona, who had remained at the capital, pretending to be sick, now forming a deep plan, secretly wrote to the Nizám of Hydurabad, that Raghoba, being insane and instigated by an insatiable desire to obtain wealth and rule, had murdered his own brother’s son, who was the rightful heir to the musnud, or throne of that country, and had himself usurped the chief authority, and that it was desirable the Nizám should unite with the Mahrattas, and put him out of the way. He also wrote and despatched letters in the same strain, to the Nawaub. The Nawaub, with his newly reformed army, was holding himself in readiness, and looking out for times and opportunities, when the minister above mentioned wrote also to the chiefs of the Mahratta government, who in the dialect or language of their nation are called Put­kuh,* and who from policy had accompanied Rag­hoba; that, they might be sure the sinner Raghoba had smeared the blood of his nephew on the fore­head of his own condition,* and that he had hung round his neck the Zoonnar, (or Braminical cord,) of infamy and shame, and was now dark and entirely reckless. It was therefore, he said, only consistent with their loyalty that they should unite and take revenge on him; that the wife of the murdered Narayen Rao was with child, and should be considered as the sovereign and heir to the government, and that they should not turn aside from her authority; and that it was evident what worldly advantages they might expect from a man who acted so barbarously to his own nephew. The Mahratta chiefs, with the army, when they were acquainted with the contents of this letter, became satisfied that no one could ever be profited by a connection with Raghoba, and therefore every day some one of them, with his contingent, returned without Raghoba’s knowledge to Poona; and, besides this, troops of his best soldiers left the camp under the pretence of joining the picquets, or out guards, and thence returned to their homes. In fact, Raghoba’s army in marching from Budur, to Rai Droog, to which place they had proceeded by the route of Gopul, Bahadúr Bundah, and Kunuk­giri, was completely disbanded, except the Kuzzaks or Pindarahs, a body whom he had himself col­lected, and which amounted to about thirty thou­sand men, and they were the only troops remaining with him. When Raghoba saw that so much disaf­fection had crept into his camp, that the key to the authority of the government was lost; that the chief of Hydurabad, according to the hint given him by Nana Furnavees, was also actively occu­pied in collecting troops, and military stores; also, that, the Poona Chiefs, who had separated them­selves from his army, had united with an intention to punish him, were actually following him like a hawk pursuing a partridge; and lastly, that the road of safety was closed, and the field of murder, and rapine wide open; he became uneasy and per­plexed, and began to seek the path of accommodation with the Nawaub. He therefore despatched a Vakeel, with a request for aid, and for the Chouth, or fourth part of the revenue of Mysore. The Nawaub, however, seeing his actual necessities, and the disordered state of his affairs, declined to grant his requests; and, in apology, urged the ruined state of the country, and the plunder and destruction of his property and resources, and wrote plainly, in answer, that he must be excused from agreeing to any such measures. Raghoba, however, from policy again sought his protection, and offered the whole of the Souba of Sura; and not only that, but declared that the whole of the country on this side of the river Kishna, to Badami, Jali Hulli, &c., should be given up to the Nawaub’s officers; but for this, the Nawaub was to furnish, by any means in his power ten Lakhs of rupees. As the Nawaub lent a willing ear to this proposition, Raghoba despatched his half brother, Bajee Rao, with three hundred horse, to withdraw the garrison from the fort of the Souba of Sura.

When this chief arrived there, he forwarded Raghoba’s letter to Bapojee Sindiah, the governor, requiring the fort to be delivered up. Bapojee, however, got the guns of the fort in readiness, and sent for answer, that Raghoba was the murderer of his nephew, and what power or authority had a foolish, unfortunate man, like him, to issue orders to the officers of the Chief of the Poona State, that is, to the children of Balajee Rao Nana;— and that if the messengers wished to preserve their lives, they had better take themselves off, as if they did not, he would blow every ungrateful rascal among them from the mouth of a gun. On hearing this sturdy message, Bajee Rao, losing all courage, took the road to Seringaputtun, where he was introduced to the Nawaub Bahadúr, and represented to him the measures necessary for the conquest of the Souba Sura &c.; and, in consequence, the prince, (Tip­poo), was sent with him, accompanied by a large force.

At this very time, letters to the Nawaub arrived from the minister, above-mentioned (Furnavees), to the effect— “that he was on no account to move or act on the deceitful words of the murderer of his nephew, namely Raghoba; that please God, after the punishment of that wicked man, all arrangements relative to the brave Nawaub’s possessions and dig­nity would be settled by the Chief and ministers of Poona on a sure footing (this part is rather obscure) and that, even now, the Nawaub was to consider the punishment of that villain Raghoba as incum­bent on him.”

The Nawaub therefore, in compliance with the request of the minister, marched with a large force from his capital, and encamped at Chundrai Puttun. Tippoo, on leaving his father had marched, with the Rao before mentioned, to Sura, where he found the Killadár ready for action. But having thrown up batteries, and attacked the works, he in two or three months took the fort, and, leaving a garrison there, moved on quickly to Mud Giri, and in four days finished the conquest of the fort of that place, and made all necessary arrangements. He then proceeded to Chundrai Droog, which he besieged, and, at the end of a month, by a gallant attack on the place, he took it.