"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." [‎٢‎٥‎١] (٦٥٤/٢٦٨)

PINAL MEASUEES.
251
morning. I told them that General Doveton would
move at the same time, and that another corps, under
Colonel Eussell, which I had before detached, would
march also; and that any attempt to retreat would be
destruction. I also wrote to the commandant of As-
seerghur, a fortress of Scindiah's, warning him against
receiving the enemies of the British Government."
There was then at Malcolm's head-quarters a confiden
tial agent, or news-writer, of BadjeeRao, whom the Eng
lish General had permitted to lay posts, and send out
messengers in all directions to report what was going on
in the British camp. The greatest obstacle to the suc
cessful termination of the negotiations resided in the
extreme timidity of the Peishwah, who was suspicious
of all our movements, and apprehensive of a sudden
iffl( attack on his position. To allay these alarms, Malcolm
i ri : r had encouraged the news-writer to communicate freely
octr with the Mahratta camp; but he now sent for the man,
j,,,.. and told him that there was no longer any need of his
.|j. services—that he must return at once to his master, and
never show his face again to the British except in the
suite of the Peishwah. " Tell your master," added Mal
colm, " that at six o'clock to-morrow morning I march
to Keyree; and that if he intends to accept my terms,
he must leave the hills, and pitch near my tent by noon-
P;' tide. After that hour I can only regard him as an
^ enemy."
Having sent out horsemen along all the roads which
led to his camp to turn back any envoys or messengers
00. from the Peishwah who might be coming with new
IP overtures or excuses for delay, Malcolm prepared to
move forward at the appointed hour. By nine o'clock
he had reached the ground at the foot of the hill on
0' which Badjee Rao was encamped. At a short distance
tuflff from our camp one of the Peishwah's principal agents
mil
11
r