to his orders to obftruft the progrefs of our march. The Colonel
complied, but at the fame time abated nothing of his vigilance,
knowing the char after of the man to be compofed o f
fraud and deceit. On the aoth the troops reached Malloon,
the country fine, and well cultivated; after that KinlaJJab, where
it was fuppofed that Ballagee had depofited his treafures, a large
fort and ftrong citadel, the property o f that chieftain, and firft
town in the province of Malava. Kourney was reached on
BnsABi November 4th. Beyond, the fmall diftrift of Bilfah begins,
famed all over the eaft for its exquifite fnuff.
H j e r e Ballagee firft flung off the mafque; he fuddenly appeared
in our rear with five thoufand horfe, and made an attack
on the baggage without the left effeft. After a. march
of fixty miles farther, to Burfeaby it was found that Ballar-
gee's troops had increafed to ten thoufand, with which he
continually haraffed the rear, but failed in every attempt.
The march continued uninterrupted through feveral places
©f little note, as far as IJlamabad, or IJlama Gurr, a large
and populous place, with a ftone' fort, the principal place of
a pat an, Hyat Mahomed Cawn, Nabob o f the province of'
>ntir»n»i Bopaltol. The capital bears the lame name with the province,
is nine miles, in circuit, is feated on the fide of. a- hill defcend-
ing to a lake ten miles in circumference. The inhabitants ape
fairer o f complexion than ufual in India; the houfes moftly
good, and built of ftone. The country Ihewcd all the effefts of
peace and good government; the villages frequent,.and inhabited
by people who lived in eafe and plenty^ and all of them well
tloathed. The conduct of the Nabob- was fo different towards-
©uc
our army to what Ballagee expefted, that he plundered fome of
his villages, but a threat from Mahomet Cawn put an end to
his exceffes.
F r o m hence the march pointed towards the Nerbudda, fee N ir b u d b a .
vol. i.. p. p§2 It was made through a difficult country, through
numbers o f narrow paffes; they lead to HuJJnabad Ghaut, a
long defcent, bounded on each fide by a _chain of rude and
lofty mountains, condufting to the banks of the famous river.
The bottom is fandy, intermixed with rocks, the breadth not
exceeding that of the Jumnab at Calpee, the depth at this time
only three feet. On January i6th> 1779, the army went towards
Cbarkeerab; the country moft of the way covered with
grain as far as could be feen, efpecially wheat, the ears of
which were juft formed.
. F r o m the Nerbuddab, at this place, to the province of Berar,
was only fourteen miles. The death o f Mr. Elliott had fuf-
pended the negotiation with the Rajab o f Berar. It had
been ftill carried on between him and the Governor General.
The high charafter of Colonel Goddard had reached the ears
o f Moodagee; he fent a confidential perfon to him: the diftance
to Nagpour, his refidence, was too great for the Colonel to go
in perfon. He fent there his fecretary, Mr. Watherjlon, a gentleman
o f ability and fidelity, fully inftrufted in the bufinefs
he was charged with. The march was continued, and after
paffing the Nerbuddab, the army entered the province of Can-
dei/h at Hurdah. The courfe lay obliquely fouth-weftwardly, to- h u r d a h
wards the river <Taptee,vol. i. p. 75, all the way fertile, and exceeding
rich in wheat. Near Cbarwab, Colonel Goddard had in-
C c_ a telligence