Page:The Marquess of Hastings, K.G..djvu/144

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136
LORD HASTINGS

Division) to capture him, and reached a point near Handiá; but his good fortune soon deserted him, for his approach was discovered, and a detachment from that station came up in time and dispersed his band. Nor were Kárím and Wasil able to escape, for on the 13th they were completely surprised and destroyed by Adams.

Towards the end of January, then, all the organised bodies of Pindárís were annihilated, and judging that it was time to offer the few scattered remnants some inducement to return to a peaceable manner of existence, they were now invited to submit by a message sent them through the Nawáb of Bhopál, and were promised a settlement on lands remotely situated from the scenes of their former depredations. Kárím quickly responded, and obtained lands in Gorakhpur, where he remained with his family and followers, numbering six hundred persons[1]. His example was followed by many others; but Wasil flying to Sindhia remained at large, until that prince was obliged to surrender him, and he was then made a prisoner; he was detained at Gházípur, but some months afterwards on attempting to escape he failed to get away, and committed suicide. Chítu became a wanderer and was deserted by the best part of his band, but he disdained to surrender, and made his way to the Deccan, where he joined the remnants of the Maráthá forces that still maintained themselves in the field. A year later he met with a terrible fate; on being refused admittance into Asírgarh, he went alone into

  1. Wilson, viii. 297.