e
fortress of Oomercote, an important stronghold in the desert, opened its
gates to the victorious British. By these events Scinde was subdued,
and the "Scindian population," says the conqueror, "everywhere expressed
their satisfaction at the change of masters." At a subsequent period
of the year Shere Mahomed and Shah Mahomed gathered each an army around
them, in order to recover their lost power; but the former was
defeated by a detachment under Captain Jacob, and the latter by another
detachment under Colonel Roberts. No further disturbance took place this
year in Scinde, and the governor-general was able to announce that
that country had become a part of our eastern dominions. The six fallen
Ameers were conveyed to Bombay; and although they were treated kindly,
they arrived there "the very pictures of unmingled grief and hopeless
despondency." It should be mentioned that Ali Moorad, the Ameer of
Khyrpore, remained faithful; and a portion of the territories of the
Koostum Khan and Nusseer Khan was transferred to him; but he seems to
have imagined that he ought to have had all that the British had taken
from the defeated Ameers. Shortly after the country was conquered Sir
Charles Napier was appointed governor of Scinde, and empowered to
take such measures as might appear best calculated to suppress the
slave-trade in every part of the country, and to abolish all duties of
transit in every part occupied by the British army. The gallant conduct
of Sir Charles Napier obtained the warmest praise of the people of
England.

During this year, also, the British troops gained two brilliant
victories over the Mahratta forces. The events which led to these
contests are briefly these. On the decease of the Maharaja, Jhunkojee
Rao Scindia, the British government acknowledged as his successor the
Maharaja Jyajee Rao Scindia, who was the nearest in blood to the late
Maharaja. During the minority of the new ruler of Mahratta the dignity
and power of regent were conferred upon the Mama Sahib. The widow of the
late Maharaja and the chiefs concurred in this adoption of a regent,
and the British government confirmed their choice. After a short time,
however, notwithstanding the remonstrance of the British resident,
Mama Sahib was violently compelled to quit the Gwalior state. On this
occurrence becoming-known, the British resident was instructed to
withdraw from Gwalior; and a British army was sent into Scindia, "not
as an enemy, but as