An Account of The Kingdom of Nepal: And of the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of GorkhaHamilton, Francis
History
An Account of The Kingdom of Nepal: And of the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of Gorkha
Hamilton, Francis
Nepal -- Description and travel; Nepal -- History
Soon after our arrival we learned, that the distressed princess, spouse
of Rana Bahadur, terrified at the thought of remaining in the unhealthy
forests during the rainy season, deprived of means to support her in the
Company’s territory, and probably encouraged by Damodar Pangre, intended
to come up to Nepal without leave; for the regent could not bear the
approach of her former mistress, and yet would not give her the
stipulated dower. People were therefore sent, who brought up all the
male attendants of the princess in irons; and it was hoped, I believe,
that she would perish in the woods. Necessity, however, added boldness
to her measures, and she advanced with ten or twelve female attendants to
Chisapani, a fortress commanding the entrance into Nepal. It was
evident, however, that the commiseration of the people was daily gaining
strength, and the timidity of the regent gave daily an increase of power
to the princess. An additional company of Seapoys was sent to Chisapani,
as if soldiers were the proper persons to stop the progress of a few
helpless women. The officer commanding had received positive orders to
refuse the princess admittance; but he contented himself by executing
merely the letter of his orders. He took in all his garrison, shut the
gates, and allowed the lady and her attendants to walk quietly round the
walls. Much anxiety was now evident at the capital, and another company
of Seapoys was dispatched to Chitlang, with positive orders to prevent
the princess from advancing farther; and, if the arrears of dower had
accompanied the officer, I do not believe that she would have made any
attempt; but the sordid dispositions of the regent and her favourite did
not suffer them to part with money. The officer commanding the company
met the poor princess and her attendants on the road, and, being a man of
true honour, with a good deal of difficulty mustered courage to disclose
his orders. When he had done so, the high-born lady, unmoved by fear,
pulled out a dagger, and saying, will you presume to oppose the lawful
wife of a Gorkhali Raja, while going to her own estate? she struck him on
the arm; on which, although wounded, he immediately retired, quite
ashamed of the service on which he had been employed; and his men
required no orders to follow his example. The princess that morning
entered the valley of Nepal, and halted about five miles from the
capital. No sooner was this known than she was joined by Damodar Pangre,
and all ranks flocked to pay their respects, and among them all the
officers of government, except the low favourite, who immediately fled
towards Thibet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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