ld count for nothing. All the hard knocks would fall on the
English, and it was but fair that they should have the prize-money; the
Mahrattas would gain a substantial benefit in the possession of Gheriah,
which was to be made over to them after capture.

The arrangements for the command of the troops showed that the lessons of
the last ten years of warfare against the French had borne fruit. The
command was left to those who made it their profession. Henceforth we hear
no more of factors and writers strutting about in uniform, calling
themselves colonels and captains for a few weeks, and then returning to
their ledgers. We have done with the Midfords and the Browns. Out of the
thirteen years he had served the Company, Clive had been a soldier for
eleven. He had definitely abandoned his civil position, and had embraced a
military career, and his merits had been recognized by the grant of a
Lieutenant-Colonel's commission from the King. The subordinate military
officers also had improved. The worst of them had been weeded out, and
many of them had learned their business under Lawrence in the Carnatic.
Though much unnecessary interference still went on in quarters, they were
left unfettered in the command of their men in the field.

A few hours after leaving Bombay, the expedition was overtaken by
despatches from Bourchier, with intelligence that the Mahrattas were
treating with Toolajee. On reaching Gheriah, they found the Mahratta army
encamped against it, and Ramajee Punt himself came off to tell the
commanders that, with a little patience, the fort would surrender without
firing a shot, as Toolajee was already in their hands and ready to treat.
Alarmed at the great armament coming against him, and cowed by recent
reverses, Toolajee had come as a suppliant into the Mahratta camp to try
if, by finesse and chicanery, he might escape utter destruction, while, in
Gheriah, he had left his brother-in-law with orders to defend it to the
last. The Peishwa's officers, on their side, were anxious to get the place
into their hands without admitting the English to any share of the booty;
a design that was at once seen through by Hough and Watson. Ramajee
promised to bring Toolajee with him the following day, to show that he was
not treating separately. Instead of doing so, he sent some subordinate
officers, together with some of Toolajee's relations, with excuses, to
keep Watson in play, while a large bribe was offered to Hough to i