The Nawaub having marched from Chundrai Droog, proceeded by slow stages to Tumkoor; when Raghoo, seeing the field of prosperity and safety closed against him on all sides, hearing of the warlike demonstrations of the Nawaub Bahadúr, his neglecting to send the money required of him, and the capture of his forts by the bravery of the Prince (Tippoo) and being grieved to the heart by these accounts, he saw no remedy but to fly, and save his life as best he could. He, therefore, with the troops he had present, about sixteen thousand horse, commenced his return, bootless, and wound, like a black snake, his devious way to Hindustan through the mountainous and woody parts of the country; the troops of Poona and Hydurabad fol­lowing him successively to Boorhanpoor, and from that to Khandees, and Gujurat.

The Nawaub, considering this opportunity very fortunate, now marched on, and, without the least opposition from any one, took possession of Gopul, Bahadúr Bunduh, Mondergi Droog, Gujindur Gurh, &c., all belonging to the Mahrattas. Some of the Talookas and forts were taken by force of arms; but mostly they surrendered from fear. He also collected Paishkush from all the Poligars of that neighbourhood; and, having honoured the Poligar of Surhutti with a Khilut and presents, he left the charge of that quarter to his management, and, marching on, in a very short time made conquests of Nowul Goondah, Jalli Hulli, and Badami; and, at length, arrived near Hoobli and Dharwar.

It is not to be concealed here, that, in former time, that is, after the conquest of Nuggur, the Nawaub, by management or stratagem, but accord­ing to the desire of Meer Rustam Khan Farooki, the governor on the part of Asof Jah, took possession of Dharwar, and stationed a garrison of his own in it, giving the Meer above mentioned according to his rank, five hundred rupees a month, and after­wards the office of Bukshi, or paymaster of horse. When, however, Madhoo Rao marched towards the Balaghaut, he took this place, and retained it in his possession. The Nawaub Bahadúr now promised the Killadár, whose name was Biswunt Rao, a relation of Gopal Rao, the Chief of Mirch, certain Jageers and Inams, or presents, if he would give up the fort, but he, not agreeing to this proposition, the fort was besieged, and a fire com­menced on it from a distance. While the siege was proceeding, Hydur formed a deep plan to take the fort; and, on the third night, he sent for a pair of Hurkaras of the Mahratta tribe, inhabitants of Mirch, who were acquainted with the names of the chief persons there, and with the Mahratta dialect, and ordered a letter to be written, as from the minister of the chief of the Mirch state, who, at that time was Soobrao Tatia, the elder brother of Purusram Bhao; but he having followed in pursuit of Rag­hoba, his agent, a man named Appaja Rao was in charge. The letter was to this effect:— “That information had been received that Hydur Alí Khan Bahadúr, with a strong force, had arrived at Dhar­war, and that he intended to make a conquest of that place. It was therefore necessary that he, the Killadár, should perform well the duties of his sta­tion, and exert himself to repel the enemy, that relief should soon be sent, and that, until the arrival of this aid he was to take care he was not betrayed.” When the letter was written, it was placed in a cover, and, the seal of Appajee Ram, one of the Nawaub’s own servants being affixed, it was then forwarded on. Having changed their dresses, the Hurkaras entered the fort, and detailing the cir­cumstances as from the agent of the Mirch state, pre­sented the letter, promising aid. The commandant of the fort, at the contents of this letter, was highly pleased, and repaired and strengthened the walls and towers, and remained ready for the attack.

Three or four days after, the Nawaub selected two Risalas of foot and three hundred horse, from his Mahratta and Rajpoot soldiers, and, clothing them like Mahrattas, sent them on the road from Mirch towards the fort, and, encircling this detach­ment, the Nawaub appointed a separate body of troops, to fire at them from their guns and mus­ketry, without ball. When the report of the firing was heard by the garrison, they were much (rejoiced that the aid which they expected had arrived,) and opened the gates of the fort in readi­ness to receive their friends. The officer com­manding Hydur’s troops above mentioned accord­ingly entered the fort, and requested the Killadár to assemble his men in one place, and put them under his authority, that they might be in readi­ness to make a sortie at night, on the enemy and put them to the rout; and he also required that his (Hydur’s) men should be stationed on the walls and at the gates, as they had travelled and were fatigued. The foolish Killadár did as he was directed, that is to say, he assembled all his men in one place. The experienced officer (Hydur’s) having now sent a few matchlock men to different parts of the walls they made signs to the horsemen outside the fort, who immediately dismounted, and leaving their horses, ran on and laid hold on the Killadár, whose hands they tied behind his back; and then, having seized the arms of the garrison, they made prisoners of every one of them. The fort having been thus, by the felicitous fortune of the Nawaub, taken without opposition, his brave officer, after returning thanks to God, the giver of all gifts, fired a salute in honour of his success; and the Nawaub, hearing the guns, became certain that the fort had fallen into the hands of the Khodadad Sirkar. The next morning, therefore, he came to the fort, and having made the requisite arrange­ments, (for the good keeping of his conquest) he returned to his tents.

Having thus in one year taken all these forts and districts, he placed in all the hill forts strong gar­risons, with brave officers, to command them, and able civilians, to fill their respective departments. He also settled accounts with all the Poligars of that quarter, and collected from them an immense amount. Of this, however, he sent, by his Vakeel, five Lakhs of rupees, and some valuable presents, to the minister Furnavees, at Poona, to remove any bad impressions or feeling which might have arisen from his taking possession of the country; and then, victorious, he returned to Seringaputtun.

Bajee Rao, the half brother of Raghoo, was now sent for by the Nawaub, who told him that, if he wished, he might have permission to go to any place he chose; but Bajee Rao, aware of the unfortunate condition of his brother, and knowing that all the Ameers of Poona, and the Moghul chiefs of Hydurabad, were the inveterate enemies of him and his family, and were seeking their destruction by all the means in their power, and seeing, therefore, that he had no asylum but the Nawaub, and that his safety and prosperity in all respects were centered in him, said in reply, that he hoped the Nawaub would consider him as one of his old servants, and employ him in some office, that he might have an opportunity of shewing his attachment, by his devotion to his service. The Nawaub, therefore, having cast an eye of compassion on this poor man, raised him to the command of five hundred horse, and gave him an elephant, Howdah, and standard, and enrolled him among his old servants.

About this time, a Brahman, named Poornea, who was in a low station, as a servant to a certain banker, named Andan Sheth, at an allowance of two Hoons, (Pagodas) a month, and who being a good accountant in the Kinhiri, (Canara) language, was also employed in some way connected with the Tosha Khana, and whose method of keeping the accounts had pleased the Nawaub, was taken from the service of the banker, and placed in charge of the Duftur* of the Kinhiri accounts, with a com­petent salary. Kishen Rao, also a Brahman, had charge of the Hindi or Mahratta Duftur, and these two together kept in good order the accounts of the receipts and disbursements in the Tosha Khana and treasury.*

As the Nawaub, after his return from his last expedition, employed himself in collecting arms and stores of all descriptions, and also in raising horse and foot, in a very short time, he collected and kept ready in a very perfect degree the means of attack and defence; for troops of brave and experienced soldiers, with horses and arms complete, flocked to his victorious standard, where they were entertained in his service, and placed in the receipt of pay according to their merits. His Dustahs that is, his stable horse, or household cavalry, became in appearance like a Gul Dustah, (a handful of roses); his matchlock-men, or infantry, were clothed in red, yellow, green, or black broad cloth; and near a thousand head of camels, taken from the Mahratta army, were trained to carry swivels.* He had also two or three thousand select cavalry, intelligent and brave men, clad in complete armour. His irregular infantry, blood-drinkers, were assembled from every country. He had, moreover, twenty thousand horse, and sixteen thousand regular infantry, with nearly forty thousand Karnatic foot, and having these always ready for service, he remained free from apprehension. The noise of his victories, and the destruction of his enemies, resounding through all parts of the world, troops of brave men, well equipped and mounted, flocked to him, not only from Hind, and the Dukhun, but even from Iraun and Tooraun; and, giving them high pay, he retained them in his service.