NEPAL. 289 peace was concluded on the 28th November 1815. But the signature of the Rájá being withheld, it was determined to renew the war, and to strike a decisive blow directly at the capital of the country. Preparations for this arduous enterprise were made on a great scale, a force being assembled in Saran numbering about 13,000 troops, of whom 3000 were Europeans, besides a large body of irregulars, amounting in all to over 33,000 men. This formidable force took the field in the end of January 1816, and advanced from Bettia directly on Khatmandu. The greatest difficulties were encountered, from the ruggedness of the country, in marching along the dry beds of torrents, through ravines, and in the face of precipices. The Gúrkhas made a brave resistance, but they were defeated in several severe encounters; and the British force approached within three days' march of Khatmandu. Deeming all further resistance vain, an ambassador was sent to the British head-quarters, to sue for peace; and on March 4th, 1816, the unratified treaty of the year 1815 was accordingly received duly signed. By this treaty the Nepalese renounced all claims to the territory in dispute. They also ceded all the conquests they had made to the west of the Kálí. And these, with the exception of Kumaun, the Dehra Dún, and some other portions of territory annexed to the British dominions, were restored to the families of the chicfs who had reigned there prior to the Gurkha invasion, and who were now to rule as vassals of the British. In the course of this contest, the Nepalese had earnestly entreated the aid of the Chinese. Their application being transmitted by the Grand Láma to Pekin, an answer was received, in which the Emperor of China expressed his conviction that the Gúrkhas had themselves been the cause of the war by their unjust encroachments, and declined all interference. After peace was concluded with the British, the Chinese Emperor expressed deep offence against the rulers of Nepál, who, being nerely tributaries, had presumed to make war or peace with the British, without the sanction of their superior; and to back those lofty pretensions, a Chinese army of 15,000 men, commanded by five generals, and attended by functionaries of superior rank, usually stationed at Lhasa, advanced towards the Nepalese territories. At the request of the Nepál ministers, the British consented to act as mediators. But in the meantime they themselves despatched agents to the Chinese camp, who succeeded in bringing about the restoration of the previous relations between the two powers. In 1816, Amar Singh Thappa, one of the Gúrkha commanders who had so gallantly disputed the field with Sir David Ochterlony, died at the age of sixty-eight. To the last day of his life he was endeavouring, by every art of negotiation, to excite amongst the different States a spirit of hostility against the British, as the common VOL. X.
