"حياة ومراسلات اللواء السير جون مالكوم، قائد فرسان وسام الطُهر، المبعوث السابق إلى بلاد فارس وحاكم بومباي؛ من رسائل ومذكرات غير منشورة. في مجلّدين. المجلد II." [‎٢‎٠‎٠] (٦٥٤/٢١٧)

200 MEHIDPOOR.
merits would be made for an advance of money to liqui
date the balances due to the troops.*
The terms which were thus proposed to them the
envoys affected to receive with respect. But, alleging
that they had no power to accept or reject them, and
being, doubtless, in genuine awe of the military chiefs
they placed themselves in frequent communication with
the camp at Mehidpoor, and, after the old fashion of
Mahratta diplomacy, succeeded at least in gaining time.
Always humane and forbearing, Malcolm was unwilling
to precipitate the crisis, and he would have averted it if
he could; but there was a limit beyond which he could
not suffer the Wakeels to protract the negotiations. The
two armies were encamped, it has been said, within
twenty miles of each other. Parties of Mahratta horse
men were flitting about the outskirts of our position,
attacking our foraging parties, and carrying off our
cattle. It was truly said, that if we hesitated any longer,
the Mahrattas would believe that we were shrinking
from the encounter. So, on the 19th of December, the
proposed treaty not having been accepted by Holkar's
Durbar, and no definite pledges given, the Mahratta en
voys were dismissed from the British camp.
Whilst these fruitless negotiations had been going
on, a terrible tragedy had been acted in Holkar's camp.
Theie had been sharp internal dissension in the Durbar.
Gunput Rao, still supported by the Regent, was nomi
nally the chief minister; but the real direction of affairs
had fallen into the hands of the military chiefs, who had
t ^ yc ! y® ars before this time, must know that it could not be paid.
-Lord Hastings had anticipated the ne- Of course I should bind
ccssi y o paying Holkar's troops, as a Holkar's troops ("who must, perhaps,
eans ot securing the alliance of that be brought into order by some pe-
bovernment. 'i should not require cuniary advances from us) to be at
any subs^y he wrote, on January 6, our disposal."
1816, to Mr. Metcalfe, "because I