Star.
London, England, 1805-08-31 00:00:00

THE MAHE-ITEM

following particulars of thefe extraordinary
with whom the Englifh Government in India
it war, are extracted from a letter written a few
yo by an officer in the fervice of the Peifhwa:
ition, in his Hiftory of the Decline and Fall of
zman Empire, in fpeaking of the Tartars, ob-
that a paftoral people ire, above al/ others,
`inclined and bell cultivated for war. This
has both truth and novslty to recommend
. May be farther confirmed by being. applied
blalsratras, a people whote occupation, are
'mat. Homer mentions Princeffes going in'
:o the fountains to wafh their houfehold linen,
Arm having teen daughters of a prince (able
an army into the field much larger than the
,eek Confederacy) making bread with her.
ids, and otherwife employed in the ordinary,
,of domeftie houfewifery. l.have feen one'.
moll powerful Chiefs of the Empire, after a
lotion, atilt in kindling a.firt to keep himfelf
luring the night, and fitting on the ground on
faddle cloth, didtating to his fectetyies, and
voile difcharging the dimes of his Ration. This ,
'al plainnefs operates upon the whole people. '
.a no dillinftion of fentiment to.be difserned :
'rince and his domeftic think efaaly in the fame
, and exprefs themfelves in the Tank terms.
'erhaps no .country on earth is ,better calculated
purpofe of ddenfive ;war :than that of the
Inas ; fo that, 'whatever be the fortune of the
Attas in the field, we may fafely pronounce, that
• own country, they will always be impregna-
/ this truth the Emperor Aurengzebei who
fome attempts to fylingate it, appeared latter-
convinced ; for, en acting an the Deccan,
mmoll plenitude o his power, he thought it
7il
prudent to fubmit to the depredations of Sera-
' great founder of the Mahratta Empire, than
the purfalit, through a mountainous awn.
. fugitiveitrmy, that he might poffibly dif-
out nevi/ defeat. Yet there were the people
varently inconfiderable, that were deltined by
mines to overtnrnthe empire he was labouring
:tend ; who, 'Ging from their mountains and
have, in lefs than a century, levelled to its
e whole fabric of Mahomined.tn greatnefs,
ended for themfelves an independent Govern-
on the ruins of an empire of [even hundred
lunation : perhaps fuch a fudden aereffiOn of
ion, from fo °Vane an origin, is without a
'in the annals of mankind. About thirty-
irs ago the Mahrattas were ftrong encnigh to
! with the Muffulmans for the fupreme 'clomi•
Hindoltan. At the fanscus battle Of Panni-
colledive ftrength of both parties coritefted.
. empire. The Mahrattas were defeated, byt
were neither difperfed nnr fubdued. Their
, policy moving progreffively to its grand ob-
univerfal domination, was not to be diverted
courfe by 'a tingle overthrew ; but by the
torte of victory and intrigue they have annihi-
ie overgrown Government of the Emperors,
, prepared for the event by its own extent, its
:ions, and its vices.
one peculiar feature of the Mahratta Govern-
that the empire always confiders itfelf as in a
' war. This circumftancc entirely refults from
...,,ettled and fluctuating (late of the internal go-
,ernment ; their recent acquifitions in Hindothm,
I only by the fword, and the necelfity they are
• of compelling the payment of the chout, al-
a given with reFudance, and frequently extorted
actual force. But, independently of thefeminives,
is with them a fource of revenge, as the different
of the Empire make annual campaigns, iu the
which have not yet been brought to a Rate
:Rion or actual fervitude.
Mahrattas never come to ation without hav-
endeavoured to negotiate ; they even very
engage when they come in fight of the ene-
my unlefs attacked, will remain in their camp
days ; during this time they harrafs their ad-
ies by cutting off forage and futiplies, and de-
1g the adjacent country ; and newer, except in
t extremity, come to clofe action.
hlaliratta cavalry, at times, make very long
?id marches, in which they do not futicr them-
to be interrupted by the monfoon, or any
lee of weather. In very prefling exigencies it
Idible the fatigue a Mahratta horfeman will
: ; frequently many days pal; without his en-
one regular meal; but he depends entirely for
,ence on the different corn fields through which
ay pars; a few heads ofjoary, which he chafes in
,ands while on horfeback, will terve him for the
His horfe fubfifts on the fame fare ; and With.
tddition cf npium, which the Mahrattas fi equent-
minilter to their cattle, they are ciiabled to per-
incisdible marches. Should the army even be
ibertd with heavy artillery, they (till move with
teat celerity, as there is always, an advanced
of cavalry detached to. prefs draught bullocks
.very town in fight.

.Rerday R. Deering, who made his efcape oat of
' in Mex. Come months agot was apprehended
5-on Hill, and reconduded to his tdrrneltlaee
.inement
Wednefday evening as a gentleman's coach-
was driving down Argyle-Rreet, the horfes took
And ran againa the railing of a houfe, which
:ompletely driven in. The coachman was thrown
Ile box, and the wheels going over his loins,
much btuilad as to bt taken up with thud'
112.