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diff --git a/18833-0.txt b/18833-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..26ac43a --- /dev/null +++ b/18833-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13279 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of With Clive in India, by G. A. Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: With Clive in India + Or, The Beginnings of an Empire + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Release Date: July 15, 2006 [eBook #18833] +[Most recently updated: February 17, 2022] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +Produced by: Martin Robb + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WITH CLIVE IN INDIA *** + + + + +WITH CLIVE IN INDIA: + +Or, The Beginnings of an Empire + +by + +G. A. HENTY + + + + + + + + Preface. +Chapter 1: Leaving Home. +Chapter 2: The Young Writer. +Chapter 3: A Brush With Privateers. +Chapter 4: The Pirates Of The Pacific. +Chapter 5: Madras. +Chapter 6: The Arrival Of Clive. +Chapter 7: The Siege Of Arcot. +Chapter 8: The Grand Assault. +Chapter 9: The Battle Of Kavaripak. +Chapter 10: The Fall Of Seringam. +Chapter 11: An Important Mission. +Chapter 12: A Murderous Attempt. +Chapter 13: An Attempt At Murder. +Chapter 14: The Siege Of Ambur. +Chapter 15: The Pirates' Hold. +Chapter 16: A Tiger Hunt. +Chapter 17: The Capture Of Gheriah. +Chapter 18: The "Black Hole" Of Calcutta. +Chapter 19: A Daring Escape. +Chapter 20: The Rescue Of The White Captive. +Chapter 21: The Battle Outside Calcutta. +Chapter 22: Plassey. +Chapter 23: Plassey. +Chapter 24: Mounted Infantry. +Chapter 25: Besieged In A Pagoda. +Chapter 26: The Siege Of Madras. +Chapter 27: Masulipatam. +Chapter 28: The Defeat Of Lally. +Chapter 29: The Siege Of Pondicherry. +Chapter 30: Home. + + + +Preface. + + +In the following pages I have endeavoured to give a vivid picture of +the wonderful events of the ten years, which at their commencement saw +Madras in the hands of the French--Calcutta at the mercy of the Nabob +of Bengal--and English influence apparently at the point of extinction +in India--and which ended in the final triumph of the English, both in +Bengal and Madras. There were yet great battles to be fought, great +efforts to be made, before the vast Empire of India fell altogether +into British hands; but these were but the sequel of the events I have +described. + +The historical details are, throughout the story, strictly accurate, +and for them I am indebted to the history of these events written by +Mr. Orme, who lived at that time, to the "Life of Lord Clive," +recently published by Lieutenant Colonel Malleson, and to other +standard authorities. In this book I have devoted a somewhat smaller +space to the personal adventures of my hero than in my other +historical tales, but the events themselves were of such a thrilling +and exciting nature that no fiction could surpass them. + +A word as to the orthography of the names and places. An entirely new +method of spelling Indian words has lately been invented by the Indian +authorities. This is no doubt more correct than the rough-and-ready +orthography of the early traders, and I have therefore adopted it for +all little-known places. But there are Indian names which have become +household words in England, and should never be changed; and as it +would be considered a gross piece of pedantry and affectation on the +part of a tourist on the Continent, who should, on his return, say he +had been to Genova, Firenze, and Wien, instead of Genoa, Florence, and +Vienna; it is, I consider, an even worse offence to transform Arcot, +Cawnpoor, and Lucknow, into Arkat, Kahnpur, and Laknao. I have tried, +therefore, so far as possible, to give the names of well-known +personages and places in the spelling familiar to Englishmen, while +the new orthography has been elsewhere adopted. + +G. A. Henty. + + + +Chapter 1: Leaving Home. + + +A lady in deep mourning was sitting, crying bitterly, by a fire in +small lodgings in the town of Yarmouth. Beside her stood a tall lad of +sixteen. He was slight in build, but his schoolfellows knew that +Charlie Marryat's muscles were as firm and hard as those of any boy in +the school. In all sports requiring activity and endurance, rather +than weight and strength, he was always conspicuous. Not one in the +school could compete with him in long-distance running, and when he +was one of the hares there was but little chance for the hounds. He +was a capital swimmer, and one of the best boxers in the school. He +had a reputation for being a leader in every mischievous prank; but he +was honorable and manly, would scorn to shelter himself under the +semblance of a lie, and was a prime favourite with his masters, as +well as his schoolfellows. His mother bewailed the frequency with +which he returned home with blackened eyes and bruised face; for +between Dr. Willet's school and the fisher lads of Yarmouth there was +a standing feud, whose origin dated so far back that none of those now +at school could trace it. Consequently, fierce fights often took place +in the narrow rows, and sometimes the fisher boys would be driven back +on to the broad quay shaded by trees, by the river, and there being +reinforced from the craft along the side, would reassume the offensive +and drive their opponents back into the main street. + +It was but six months since Charlie had lost his father, who was the +officer in command at the coast guard station, and his scanty pension +was now all that remained for the support of his widow and children. +His mother had talked his future prospects over, many times, with +Charlie. The latter was willing to do anything, but could suggest +nothing. His father had but little naval interest, and had for years +been employed on coast guard service. Charlie agreed that, although he +should have liked of all things to go to sea, it was useless to think +of it now, for he was past the age at which he could have entered as a +midshipman. + +The matter had been talked over four years before, with his father; +but the latter had pointed out that a life in the navy, without +interest, is in most cases a very hard one. If a chance of +distinguishing himself happened, promotion would follow; but if not, +he might be for years on shore, starving on half pay and waiting in +vain for an appointment, while officers with more luck and better +interest went over his head. + +Other professions had been discussed, but nothing determined upon, +when Lieutenant Marryat suddenly died. Charlie, although an only son, +was not an only child, as he had two sisters both younger than +himself. After a few months of effort, Mrs. Marryat found that the +utmost she could hope to do, with her scanty income, was to maintain +herself and daughters, and to educate them until they should reach an +age when they could earn their own living as governesses; but that +Charlie's keep and education were beyond her resources. She had, +therefore, very reluctantly written to an uncle, whom she had not seen +for many years, her family having objected very strongly to her +marriage with a penniless lieutenant in the navy. She informed him of +the loss of her husband, and that, although her income was sufficient +to maintain herself and her daughters, she was most anxious to start +her son, who was now sixteen, in life; and therefore begged him to use +his influence to obtain for him a situation of some sort. The letter +which she now held in her hand was the answer to the appeal. + +"My dear Niece," it began, "Since you, by your own foolish conduct and +opposition to all our wishes, separated yourself from your family, and +went your own way in life, I have heard little of you, as the death of +your parents so shortly afterwards deprived me of all sources of +information. I regret to hear of the loss which you have suffered. I +have already taken the necessary steps to carry out your wishes. I +yesterday dined with a friend, who is one of the directors of the +Honorable East India Company, and at my request he has kindly placed a +writership in the Company at your son's service. He will have to come +up to London to see the board, next week, and will probably have to +embark for India a fortnight later. I shall be glad if he will take up +his abode with me, during the intervening time. I shall be glad also +if you will favour me with a statement of your income and expenses, +with such details as you may think necessary. I inclose four +five-pound bank notes, in order that your son may obtain such garments +as may be immediately needful for his appearance before the board of +directors, and for his journey to London. I remain, my dear niece, +yours sincerely, + +"Joshua Tufton." + +"It is cruel," Mrs. Marryat sobbed, "cruel to take you away from us, +and send you to India, where you will most likely die of fever, or be +killed by a tiger, or stabbed by one of those horrid natives, in a +fortnight." + +"Not so bad as that, Mother, I hope," Charlie said sympathizingly, +although he could not repress a smile; "other people have managed to +live out there, and have come back safe." + +"Yes," Mrs. Marryat said, sobbing; "I know how you will come back. A +little, yellow, shrivelled up old man with no liver, and a dreadful +temper, and a black servant. I know what it will be." + +This time Charlie could not help laughing. + +"That's looking too far ahead altogether, Mother. You take the two +extremes. If I don't die in a fortnight, I am to live to be a +shrivelled old man. I'd rather take a happy medium, and look forward +to coming back before my liver is all gone, or my temper all +destroyed, with lots of money to make you and the girls comfortable. + +"There is only one thing. I wish it had been a cadetship, instead of a +writership." + +"That is my only comfort," Mrs. Marryat said. "If it had been a +cadetship, I should have written to say that I would not let you go. +It is bad enough as it is; but if you had had to fight, I could not +have borne it." + +Charlie did his best to console his mother, by telling her how +everyone who went to India made fortunes, and how he should be sure to +come back with plenty of money; and that, when the girls grew up, he +should be able to find rich husbands for them; and at last he +succeeded in getting her to look at matters in a less gloomy light. + +"And I'm sure, Mother," he said, "Uncle means most kindly. He sends +twenty pounds, you see, and says that that is for immediate +necessities; so I have no doubt he means to help to get my outfit, or +at any rate to advance money, which I can repay him out of my salary. +The letter is rather stiff and businesslike, of course, but I suppose +that's his way; and you see he asks about your income, so perhaps he +means to help for the girls' education. I should go away very happy, +if I knew that you would be able to get on comfortably. Of course it's +a long way off, Mother, and I should have liked to stay at home, to be +a help to you and the girls; but one can't have all one wishes. As far +as I am concerned, myself, I would rather go out as a writer there, +where I shall see strange sights and a strange country, than be stuck +all my life at a desk in London. + +"What is Uncle like?" + +"He is a short man, my dear, rather stiff and pompous, with a very +stiff cravat. He used to give me his finger to shake, when I was a +child, and I was always afraid of him. He married a most disagreeable +woman, only a year or two before I married, myself. But I heard she +died not very long afterwards;" and so Mrs. Marryat got talking of her +early days and relations, and was quite in good spirits again, by the +time her daughters returned from school; and she told them what she +was now coming to regard as the good fortune which had befallen their +brother. + +The girls were greatly affected. They adored their brother, and the +thought that he was going away for years was terrible to them. Nothing +that could be said pacified them in the slightest degree, and they did +nothing but cry, until they retired to bed. Charlie was much affected +by their sorrow; but when they had retired, he took his hat and went +out to tell the news of his approaching departure to some of his +chums. + +The next day, Mrs. Marryat wrote thanking her uncle for his kindness, +and saying that Charlie would go round to London by the packet which +sailed on the following Monday; and would, if the wind were fair and +all went well, reach London on the Wednesday. + +School was, of course, at once given up, and the girls also had a +holiday till their brother's departure. When the necessary clothes +were ordered, there was little more to do; and Charlie spent the time, +when his boy friends were in school, in walking with the girls along +the shore, talking to them of the future, of the presents he would +send them home, and of the life he should lead in India; while at +other times he went out with his favourite schoolfellows, and joined +in one last grand battle with the smack boys. + +On Monday morning, after a sad farewell to his family, Charlie +embarked on board the Yarmouth Belle, a packet which performed the +journey to and from London once a fortnight. She was a roomy lugger, +built for stowage rather than speed, and her hold was crammed and her +deck piled with packages of salted fish. There were five or six other +persons also bound for London, the journey to which was, in those +days, regarded as an arduous undertaking. + +As soon as the Yarmouth Belle issued from the mouth of the river, she +began to pitch heavily; and Charlie, who from frequently going out +with his father in the revenue cutter, was a good sailor, busied +himself in doing his best for his afflicted fellow passengers. Towards +evening the wind got up, and shifting ahead, the captain dropped +anchor off Lowestoft. The next morning was finer, and the Yarmouth +Belle continued her way. It was not, however, till Thursday afternoon +that she dropped anchor in the Pool. + +Charlie was soon on shore, and giving his trunk to a porter, desired +him to lead the way to Bread Street, in which his uncle resided; for +in the last century, such things as country villas were almost +unknown, and the merchants of London for the most part resided in the +houses where they carried on their business. Keeping close to the +porter, to see that he did not make off with his trunk, for Charlie +had received many warnings as to the extreme wickedness of London, he +followed him through the busy streets, and arrived safely at his +uncle's door. + +It was now dusk, and Charlie, on giving his name, was shown upstairs +to a large room, which was lighted by a fire blazing in the hearth. +Standing with his back to this was a gentleman whom he at once +recognized, from his mother's description, as her uncle, although he +was a good deal more portly than when she had seen him last. + +"So you are my grandnephew," he said, holding out what Charlie +considered to be a very limp and flabby hand towards him. + +"Yes, Uncle," Charlie said cheerfully; "and we are very much obliged +to you, Mamma and I, for your kindness." + +"Humph!" the old gentleman grunted. + +"And how is it," he asked severely, "that you were not here yesterday? +My niece's letter led me to expect that you would arrive yesterday." + +"We came as fast as we could, Uncle," Charlie laughed; "but of course +the time depends upon the wind. The captain tells me that he has been +as much as three weeks coming round." + +Mr. Tufton grunted again as if to signify that such unpunctuality was +altogether displeasing to him. + +"You are tall," he said, looking up at Charlie, who stood half a head +above him, "and thin, very thin. You have a loose way of standing, +which I don't approve of." + +"I'm sorry I'm loose, sir," Charlie said gravely, "if you do not +approve of it; but you see, running about and playing games make one +lissome. I suppose, now that's all over and I am going to spend my +time in writing, I shall get stiffer." + +"I hope so, I hope so," Mr. Tufton said encouragingly, and as if +stiffness were one of the most desirable things in life. "I like to +see young men with a sedate bearing. + +"And you left my niece and grandnieces well, I hope?" + +"Quite well, thank you, sir," Charlie said; "but, of course, a good +deal upset with parting from me." + +"Yes," Mr. Tufton said; "I suppose so. Women are so emotional. Now +there's nothing I object to more than emotion." + +As Charlie thought that this was probably the case, he was silent, +although the idea vaguely occurred to him that he should like to +excite a little emotion in his uncle, by the sudden insertion of a +pin, or some other such means. The silence continued for some little +time, and then Mr. Tufton said: + +"I always dine at two o'clock; but as probably you are hungry--I have +observed that boys always are hungry--some food will be served you in +the next room. I had already given my housekeeper orders. No doubt you +will find it prepared. After that, you may like to take a walk in the +streets. I have supper at nine, by which hour you will, of course, +have returned." + +Charlie, as he ate his meal, thought to himself that his uncle was a +pompous old gentleman, and that it would be very hard work getting on +with him, for the next three weeks. However, he consoled himself by +the thought: + +"Kind is as kind does after all, and I expect the old gentleman is not +as crusty as he looks." + +Charlie had handed to Mr. Tufton a letter which his mother had given +him, and when he returned from a ramble through the streets, he found +that gentleman sitting by the fire, with lights upon a small table +beside him. Upon this Mrs. Marryat's letter lay open. + +"So you have soon become tired of the streets of London, Grandnephew!" +he said. + +"There is not much to see, sir. The lamps do not burn very brightly, +and the fog is coming on. I thought that, if it grew thicker, I might +lose my way, and in that case I might not have been in at the hour you +named for supper." + +"Humph!" the other gentleman grunted. "So your mother has taught you +to be punctual to meals. But, no; boys' appetites teach them to be +punctual then, if never at any other time. + +"And why, sir?" he asked severely, "Did my niece not write to me +before?" + +"I don't know, sir," Charlie said. "I suppose she did not like--that +is, she didn't think--that is--" + +"Think, sir! Like, sir!" said his uncle. "What right had she either to +think or to like? Her duty clearly was to have made me acquainted, at +once, with all the circumstances. I suppose I had a right to say +whether I approved of my grandnieces going tramping about the world as +governesses, or not. It isn't because a woman chooses, by her folly, +to separate herself from her family, that they are to be deprived of +their rights in a matter of this kind. Eh, sir, what do you say to +that?" and Mr. Tufton looked very angry, indeed. + +"I don't know, sir," Charlie said. "I have never thought the matter +over." + +"Why, sir, suppose she had made you a tinker, sir, and you turned out +a thief, as likely as not you would have done, and you'd been hung, +sir, what then? Am I to have such discredit as this brought upon me, +without my having any option in the matter?" + +"I suppose not, sir," Charlie said. "I hope I shouldn't have turned +out a thief, even if I'd been a tinker; but perhaps it was because my +mother feared that this might be the case, that she did give you the +option." + +His uncle looked at him keenly; but Charlie, though with some +difficulty, maintained the gravest face. + +"It is well she did so," Mr. Tufton said; "very well. If she had not +done so, I should have known the reason why. And you, sir, do you like +the thought of going to India?" + +"Yes, Uncle, I like the thought very much, though I would rather, if I +may say so, have gone as a cadet." + +"I thought so," Mr. Tufton said, sarcastically. "I was sure of it. You +wanted to wear a red coat and a sword, and to swagger about the +streets of Calcutta, instead of making an honorable living and +acquiring a fortune." + +"I don't think, sir," Charlie said, "that the idea of the red coat and +sword entered into my mind; but it seemed to me the choice of a life +of activity and adventure, against one as a mere clerk." + +"Had you entered the military service of the Company, even if you +didn't get shot, you could only hope to rise to the command of a +regiment, ranking with a civilian very low down on the list. The +stupidity of boys is unaccountable. It's a splendid career, sir, that +I have opened to you; but if I'd known that you had no ambition, I +would have put you into my own counting house; though there, that +wouldn't have done either, for I know you would have blotted the +ledger, and turned all the accounts topsy-turvy. + +"And now, sir, supper is ready;" and the old gentleman led the way +into the next room. + +Upon the following day Charlie was introduced, by his uncle, to the +director who had given him his nomination, and was told by him that +the board would sit upon the following day, and that he must call at +the India House, at eleven o'clock. The ordeal was not a formidable +one. He was shown into a room where eight or ten elderly gentlemen +were sitting round a large table. Among these was his friend of the +day before. He was asked a question or two about his age, his father's +profession, and his place of education. Then the gentleman at the head +of the table nodded to him, and said he could go, and instructions +would be sent to him, and that he was to prepare to sail in the Lizzie +Anderson, which would leave the docks in ten days' time, and that he +would be, for the present, stationed at Madras. + +Much delighted at having got through the ordeal so easily, Charlie +returned to his uncle's. He did not venture to penetrate into the +latter's counting house, but awaited his coming upstairs to dinner, to +tell him the news. + +"Humph!" said his uncle; "it is lucky they did not find out what a +fool you were, at once. I was rather afraid that even the two minutes +would do it. After dinner, I will send my clerk round with you, to get +the few things which are necessary for your voyage. + +"I suppose you will want to, what you call amuse yourself, to see the +beasts at Exeter Change, and the playhouses. Here are two sovereigns. +Don't get into loose company, and don't get drinking, sir, or out of +the house you go." + +Charlie attempted to express his thanks, but his uncle stopped him +abruptly. + +"Hold your tongue, sir. I am doing what is right; a thing, sir, Joshua +Tufton always has done, and doesn't expect to be thanked for it. All I +ask you is, that if you rob the Company's till and are hung, don't +mention that you are related to me." + +After dinner was over, Charlie went out under the charge of an old +clerk, and visited tailors' and outfitters' shops, and found that his +uncle's idea of the few necessaries for a voyage differed very widely +from his own. The clerk, in each case, inquired from the tradesmen +what was the outfit which gentlemen going to India generally took with +them, and Charlie was absolutely appalled at the magnitude of the +orders. Four dozen shirts, ten dozen pairs of stockings, two dozen +suits of white cotton cloth, and everything else in proportion. +Charlie in vain remonstrated, and even implored the clerk to abstain +from ordering what appeared to him such a fabulous amount of things; +and begged him, at any rate, to wait until he had spoken to his uncle. +The clerk, however, replied that he had received instructions that the +full usual outfit was to be obtained, and that Mr. Tufton never +permitted his orders to be questioned. Charlie was forced to submit, +but he was absolutely oppressed with the magnitude of his outfit, to +carry which six huge trunks were required. + +"It is awful," Charlie said to himself, "positively awful. How much it +will all come to, goodness only knows; three or four hundred pounds, +at least." + +In those days, before steam was thought of, and the journey to India +was often of six months' duration, men never came home more than once +in seven years, and often remained in India from the day of their +arrival until they finally retired, without once revisiting England. +The outfits taken out were, therefore, necessarily much larger than at +the present time, when a run home to England can be accomplished in +three weeks, and there are plenty of shops, in every town in India, +where all European articles of necessity or luxury can be purchased. + +After separating from the clerk, Charlie felt altogether unable to +start out in search of amusement. He wandered about vaguely till +supper time, and then attempted to address his uncle on the subject. + +"My dear Uncle," he began, "you've been so awfully kind to me, that I +really do not like to trespass upon you. I am positively frightened at +the outfit your clerk has ordered. It is enormous. I'm sure I can't +want so many things, possibly, and I would really rather take a much +smaller outfit; and then, as I want them, I can have more things out +from England, and pay for them myself." + +"You don't suppose," Mr. Tufton said sternly, "that I'm going to have +my nephew go out to India with the outfit of a cabin boy. I ordered +that you were to have the proper outfit of a gentleman, and I +requested my clerk to order a considerable portion of the things to be +made of a size which will allow for your growing, for you look to me +as if you were likely enough to run up into a lanky giant, of six feet +high. I suppose he has done as I ordered him. Don't let me hear +another word on the subject." + + + +Chapter 2: The Young Writer. + + +For the next four days, Charlie followed his uncle's instructions and +amused himself. He visited Exeter Change, took a boat and rowed down +the river to Greenwich, and a coach and visited the palace of Hampton +Court. He went to see the coaches make their start, in the morning, +for all places in England, and marvelled at the perfection of the +turnouts. He went to the playhouses twice, in the evening, and saw Mr. +Garrick in his performance as Richard the Third. + +On the fifth day, a great surprise awaited him. His uncle, at +breakfast, had told him briefly that he did not wish him to go out +before dinner, as someone might want to see him; and Charlie, +supposing that a messenger might be coming down from the India House, +waited indoors; and an hour later he was astonished, when the door of +the room opened and his mother and sisters entered. + +With a shout of gladness and surprise, Charlie rushed into their arms. + +"My dear mother, my dear girls, this is an unexpected pleasure, +indeed! Why, what has brought you here?" + +"Didn't you know we were coming, Charlie? Didn't Uncle tell you?" they +exclaimed. + +"Not a word," Charlie said. "I never dreamt of such a thing. What, has +he called you up here to stay till I go?" + +"Oh, my dear, he has been so kind," his mother said; "and so funny! He +wrote me such a scolding letter, just as if I had been a very naughty +little girl. He said he wasn't going to allow me to bring disgrace +upon him, by living in wretched lodgings at Yarmouth, nor by his +grandnieces being sent out as governesses. So he ordered me at +once--ordered me Charlie, as if I had no will of my own--to give up +the lodgings, and to take our places in the coach, yesterday morning. +He said we were not to shame him by appearing here in rags, and he +sent me a hundred pounds, every penny of which, he said, was to be +laid out in clothes. As to the future, he said it would be his duty to +see that I brought no further disgrace upon the family." + +"Yes, and he's been just as kind to me, Mother. As I told you when I +wrote, he had ordered an enormous outfit, which will, I am sure, cost +hundreds of pounds. He makes me go to the playhouses, and all sorts of +amusements; and all the time he has been so kind he scolds, and +grumbles, and predicts that I shall be hanged." + +"I'm sure you won't," Kate, his youngest sister, said indignantly. +"How can he say such a thing?" + +"He doesn't mean it," Charlie laughed. "It's only his way. He will go +on just the same way with you, I have no doubt; but you mustn't mind, +you know, and mustn't laugh, but must look quite grave and serious. + +"Ah! Here he is. + +"Oh, Uncle, this is kind of you!" + +"Hold your tongue, sir," said his uncle, "and try and learn not to +speak to your elders, unless you are addressed. + +"Niece Mary," he said, kissing her upon the forehead, "I am glad to +see you again. You are not so much changed as I expected. + +"And these are my grandnieces, Elizabeth and Kate, though why Kate I +don't know. It is a fanciful name, and new to the family, and I am +surprised that you didn't call her Susanna, after your grandmother." + +Kate made a little face at the thought of being called Susanna. +However, a warning glance from Charlie closed her lips, just as she +was about to express her decided preference for her own name. Mr. +Tufton kissed them both, muttering to himself: + +"I suppose I ought to kiss them. Girls always expect to be kissed at +every opportunity. + +"What are you laughing at, grandniece?" + +"I don't think girls expect to be kissed, except by people they like," +Kate said; "but we do like kissing you, Uncle," throwing her arms +round his neck, and kissing him heartily; "because you have been so +kind to Charlie, and have brought us up to see him again." + +"You have disarranged my white tie, Niece," Mr. Tufton said, +extricating himself from Kate's embrace. + +"Niece Mary, I fear that you have not taught your daughters to +restrain their emotions, and there is nothing so dreadful as emotional +women." + +"Perhaps I have not taken so much pains with their education, in that +way, as in some others," Mrs. Marryat said, smiling. "But of course, +Uncle, if you object to be kissed, the girls will abstain from doing +so." + +"No," Mr. Tufton said, thoughtfully. "It is the duty of nieces to kiss +their uncles, in moderation--in moderation, mind--and it is the duty +of the uncles to receive those salutations, and I do not know that the +duty is altogether an unpleasant one. I am, myself, unaccustomed to be +kissed, but it is an operation to which I may accustom myself, in +time." + +"I never heard it called an operation, Uncle," Lizzie said demurely; +"but I now understand the meaning of the phrase of a man's undergoing +a painful operation. I used to think it meant cutting off a leg, or +something of that sort, but I see it's much worse." + +Her uncle looked at her steadily. + +"I am afraid, Grandniece, that you intend to be sarcastic. This is a +hateful habit in a man, worse in a woman. Cure yourself of it as +speedily as possible, or Heaven help the unhappy man who may some day +be your husband. + +"And now," he said, "ring the bell. The housekeeper will show you to +your rooms. My nephew will tell you what are the hours for meals. Of +course, you will want to be gadding about with him. You will +understand that there is no occasion to be in to meals; but if you are +not present when they are upon the table, you will have to wait for +the next. I cannot have my house turned upside down, by meals being +brought up at all sorts of hours. + +"You must not expect me, Niece, to be at your beck and call during the +day, as I have my business to attend to; but of an evening I shall, of +course, feel it my duty to accompany you to the playhouse. It will not +do for you to be going about with only the protection of a +hare-brained boy." + +The remainder of Charlie's stay in London passed most pleasantly. They +visited all the sights of town, Mr. Tufton performing what he called +his duty with an air of protest, but showing a general thoughtfulness +and desire to please his visitors, which was very apparent even when +he grunted and grumbled the most. + +On the evening before he started, he called Charlie down into his +counting house. + +"Tomorrow you are going to sail," he said, "and to start in life on +your own account, and I trust that you will, as far as possible, be +steady, and do your duty to your employers. You will understand that, +although the pay of a writer is not high, there are opportunities for +advancement. The Company have the monopoly of the trade of India, and +in addition to their great factories at Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras, +they have many other trading stations. Those who, by their good +conduct, attract the attention of their superiors, rise to positions +of trust and emolument. There are many who think that the Company +will, in time, enlarge its operations; and as they do so, superior +opportunities will offer themselves; and since the subject of India +has been prominently brought before my notice, I have examined the +question, and am determined to invest somewhat largely in the stock of +the Company, a step which will naturally give me some influence with +the board. That influence I shall, always supposing that your conduct +warrants it, exercise on your behalf. + +"As we are now at war with France, and it is possible that the vessel +in which you are proceeding may be attacked by the way, I have thought +it proper that you should be armed. You will, therefore, find in your +cabin a brace of pistols, a rifle, and a double-barrel shotgun: which +last, I am informed, is a useful weapon at close quarters. Should your +avocations in India permit your doing so, you will find them useful in +the pursuit of game. I hope that you will not be extravagant; but as a +matter of business I find that it is useful to be able to give +entertainments, to persons who may be in a position to benefit or +advance you. I have, therefore, arranged that you will draw from the +factor at Madras the sum of two hundred pounds, annually, in addition +to your pay. It is clearly my duty to see that my nephew has every +fair opportunity for making his way. + +"Now, go upstairs at once to your mother. I have letters to write, and +am too busy for talking." + +So saying, with a peremptory wave of his hand he dismissed his nephew. + +"Well, Mother," Charlie said, after telling her of his uncle's +generosity, "thank goodness you will be all right now, anyhow. No +doubt Uncle intends to do something for you and the girls, though he +has said nothing at present, beyond the fact that you are not to be in +wretched lodgings, and they are not to go out as governesses. But even +if he should change his mind, and I don't think he ever does that, I +shall be able to help you. + +"Oh, he is kind, isn't he?" + +The parting was far less sad than that which had taken place at +Yarmouth. Charlie was now assured that his mother and sisters would be +comfortable, and well cared for in his absence; while his mother, +happy in the lightening of her anxiety as to the future of her +daughters, and as to the prospects of her son, was able to bear with +better heart the thought of their long separation. + +Mrs. Marryat and the girls accompanied him on board ship. Mr. Tufton +declined to join the party, under the plea that, in the first place, +he was busy; and in the second, that he feared there would be an +emotional display. He sent, however, his head clerk with them, to +escort the ladies on their return from the docks. + +The Lizzie Anderson was a fine ship, of the largest size, and she was +almost as clean and trim as a man of war. She carried twelve cannon, +two of them thirty-two pounders, which were in those days considered +large pieces of ordnance. All the ships of the Company, and, indeed, +all ocean-going merchantmen of the day, were armed, as the sea swarmed +with privateers, and the black flag of the pirates was still +occasionally to be seen. + +The girls were delighted with all they saw, as, indeed, was Charlie; +for accustomed, as they were, only to the coasting vessels which +frequented the port of Yarmouth, this floating castle appeared to them +a vessel of stupendous size and power. + +This was Charlie's first visit, also, to the ship, for his uncle had +told him that all directions had been given, that the trunks with the +things necessary for the voyage would be found in his cabin, at the +time of starting, and the rest of the luggage in the hold. Everything +was in order, and Charlie found that his cabin companion was a doctor +in the service, returning to Madras. He was a pleasant man, of some +five or six and thirty, and assured Mrs. Marryat that he would soon +make her son at home on board ship, and would, moreover, put him up to +the ways of things upon his arrival in India. There were many visitors +on board, saying goodbye to their friends, and all sat down to lunch, +served in the saloon. + +When this was over, the bell rang for visitors to go ashore. There was +a short scene of parting, in which Charlie was not ashamed to use his +handkerchief as freely as did his mother and sisters. Five minutes +later, the great vessel passed through the dock gates. Charlie stood +at the stern, waving his handkerchief as long as he could catch a +glimpse of the figures of his family; and then as, with her sails +spread and the tide gaining strength every minute beneath her, the +vessel made her way down the river, he turned round to examine his +fellow passengers. + +These were some twenty in number, and for the most part men. Almost +all were, in some capacity or other, civil or military, in the service +of the Company; for at that time their monopoly was a rigid one, and +none outside its boundary were allowed to trade in India. The Company +was, indeed, solely a great mercantile house of business. They had +their own ships, their own establishments, and bought and sold goods +like other traders. They owned a small extent of country, round their +three great trading towns; and kept up a little army, composed of two +or three white regiments; and as many composed of natives, trained and +disciplined like Europeans, and known as Sepoys. Hence the clergyman, +the doctor, a member of the council of Madras, four or five military +officers, twice as many civilians, and three young writers, besides +Charlie, were all in the employment of the Company. + +"Well, youngster," a cheery voice said beside him, "take your last +look at the smoke of London, for it will be a good many years before +you see it again, my lad. You've blue skies and clear ones where +you're going, except when it rains, and when it does there is no +mistake about it." + +The speaker was the captain of the Lizzie Anderson, a fine sailor-like +man of some fifty years, of which near forty had been spent in the +service of the Company. + +"I'm not a Londoner," Charlie said, smiling, "and have no regret for +leaving its smoke. Do you think we shall make a quick voyage?" + +"I hope so," the captain said, "but it all depends upon the wind. A +finer ship never floated than the Lizzie Anderson; but the Company +don't build their vessels for speed, and it's no use trying to run, +when you meet a Frenchman. Those fellows understand how to build +ships, and if they could fight them as well as they build them, we +should not long be mistress of the sea." + +Most of the people on board appeared to know each other, and Charlie +felt rather lonely, till the doctor came up and began to chat with +him. He told him who most of his fellow passengers were: + +"That gentleman there, walking on the other side of the deck, as if +not only the ship but the river and banks on both sides belonged to +him, is one of the council. That is his wife over there, with a +companion holding her shawl for her. That pretty little woman, next to +her, is the wife of Captain Tibbets, the tall man leaning against the +bulwarks. Those two sisters are going out to keep house for their +uncle, one of the leading men in Madras; and, I suppose, to get +husbands, which they will most likely do before they have been there +many weeks. They look very nice girls. + +"But you soon get acquainted with them all. It is surprising how soon +people get friendly on board ship, though, as a rule, they quarrel +like cats and dogs before they get to the end of it." + +"What do they quarrel about?" Charlie asked, surprised. + +"Oh, about anything or nothing," the doctor said. "They all get +heartily sick of each other, and of the voyage, and they quarrel +because they have nothing else to do. You will see, we shall be as +happy a party as possible till we get about as far as the Cape. After +that, the rows will begin, and by the time we get to India, half the +people won't speak to each other. + +"Have you been down the river before? That's Gravesend. I see the +captain is getting ready to anchor. So, I suppose the tide has nearly +run out. If this wind holds, we shall be fairly out at sea when you +get up tomorrow. + +"You snore, I hope?" + +"No, sir, I don't think so," Charlie said. + +"I hoped you did," the doctor said, "because I'm told I do, sometimes. +However, as I usually smoke a cigar on deck, the last thing, I hope +you will be fairly asleep before I am. If at any time I get very bad, +and keep you awake, you must shake me." + +Charlie said it took a good deal to keep him awake, and that he should +probably get accustomed to it, ere long. + +"It's better to do that," he said with a laugh, "than to keep on +waking you, for the next four or five months." + +A week later, the Lizzie Anderson was running down the Spanish coast, +with all sail set. She was out of sight of land, and so far had seen +nothing likely to cause uneasiness. They had met many vessels, +homeward bound from the Mediterranean, and one or two big ships which +the captain pronounced to be Indiamen. That morning, however, a vessel +was seen coming out from the land. She seemed, to Charlie's eyes, +quite a small vessel, and he was surprised to see how often the +captain and officers turned their glasses towards her. + +"I fancy our friend over there is a French privateer," the doctor +remarked to him; "and I should not be surprised if we found ourselves +exchanging shots with her, before many hours are over." + +"But she's a little bit of a thing," Charlie said. "Surely she would +never venture to attack a ship like ours." + +"It's the size of the guns, not the size of the ship, that counts, my +boy. She has the advantage of being able to sail three feet to our +two; and probably, small as she is, she carries half as many men again +as we do. However, we carry heavy metal, and can give a good account +of ourselves. Those thirty-twos will astonish our friend, if she comes +within range." + +The stranger was a large schooner, and the tautness of the spars and +rigging showed that she was in beautiful order. She crossed the line +upon which the merchantman was sailing, some two miles in her rear; +and then, bearing up, followed in her wake. + +Charlie stood near the captain, who, instead of watching her, was +sweeping the horizon with his glass. Presently he paused, and gazed +intently at a distant object. + +"I thought so," he said to the first officer. "I fancied that fellow +wasn't alone. He would hardly have ventured to try his strength with +us, if he had been. Send a man up to the tops, and let him see what he +can make her out to be. I can only see her topmasts, but I can make +out no yards." + +Presently the lookout came down, and reported that the distant vessel +appeared to be a large fore-and-aft schooner, bearing down upon them. + +"She will not be up for two hours, yet," the captain said. "It will be +getting dark, then. It is not likely they will engage at night, but +they will keep close, and show their teeth at daybreak." + +It soon became known that the belief of the captain was that the +vessel in their wake, and that which could be seen approaching on the +beam, were French privateers; and soon all were preparing, in their +own way, for what might happen. The sailors cleared the decks, and +loosed the guns. The gentlemen went below, and shortly returned +bringing up rifles and fowling pieces. Small arms and cutlasses were +brought up, and piled round the masts. + +"Why don't you put on more sail, sir?" Mr. Ashmead, the member of the +council, said to the captain. "My wife, sir, objects to the sound of +firearms, and I must really beg that you will increase your speed. As +it is, we are losing rather than gaining upon that vessel behind. The +duty of the ships of the Company is to try not to fight." + +"If they can help it," the captain added quietly. "Not to fight, if +they can help it, Mr. Ashmead. But unfortunately, the choice upon the +present occasion lies with the gentlemen yonder, and not with us. It +is not of the slightest use adding to the sail we carry, for at our +very best speed, those schooners could sail round and round us. As +night comes on I intend to shorten sail, and put the ship into +fighting trim. In the morning I shall again increase it, but I shall +not make any attempt to escape a combat which it depends entirely on +those privateers to bring on, or not, as they choose. I am sorry that +Mrs. Ashmead should be exposed to the unpleasantness of listening to +the explosion of firearms, and that my other lady passengers should be +exposed to the danger which cannot but arise, more or less, from a +naval conflict. + +"However, I hope, sir, that there need be no great anxiety as to the +result. The Company has given us a heavy armament, and you may be sure +that we shall all do our best." + +Seeing the gentlemen go below for their guns, Charlie asked one of the +other young writers, a lad of about his own age, named Peters, with +whom he had become very friendly, to go below with him. He had not yet +examined the arms that his uncle had given him, for he had not thought +of them since he saw the gun cases under his berth, on his first +arrival on board ship. He found the doctor already in his cabin, +putting together a heavy double-barrelled gun. + +"Well, youngster," he said, "so we're likely to have a brush. I see +you have a couple of gun cases under your berth. You are a good deal +better provided than most lads who go out as writers. + +"Ah! That's a beautiful piece of yours," he said, as Charlie unlocked +one of the cases and took out a rifle, "a small bore and a heavy +barrel, and beautifully finished. With a greased patch and a heavy +charge, that ought to carry a bullet far and true. Have you had any +practice?" + +"Not with this gun, sir. I used, sometimes, to practise shooting at +gulls with a musket, on board the cutter my father commanded; and I +got to be a fair shot with it." + +"Then you ought to be able to do good work, with such a piece as that. +What is in the other case? + +"Ah! That's a beauty, too," he said, as he examined the +double-barrelled gun. "Made extra strong and heavy, I see, so as to +carry bullets. You'll find your shoulder ache, at first; but you'll +get accustomed to it, in time. I'm always in favour of heavy barrels. +They shoot stronger and straighter than your light guns, are not so +liable to get bent or bruised, if a stupid servant drops one across a +stone; and, after all, two or three pounds difference in weight does +not make any material difference, when you're accustomed to it. +Although, I grant, a heavy gun does not come quite so quickly up to +the shoulder, for a snap shot." + +"Now, Peters," Charlie said, "you take the double barrel. I will use +the rifle. Mine will come into play first, but, as my uncle said when +he gave it me, yours will do most execution at close quarters." + +At dusk the schooners, having exchanged some signals by flags, took up +their positions, one on each quarter of the ship, at a distance of +some two miles. + +"Do not you think," Charlie asked his friend the doctor, "that they +are likely to try and board us tonight?" + +"No," the doctor said. "These privateers generally depend upon their +long guns. They know that we shall be on the watch all night, and +that, in a hand-to-hand fight, they would lose a considerable number +of men; while by keeping at a distance, and maintaining a fire with +their long guns, they rely upon crippling their opponents; and then, +ranging up under their stern, pouring in a fire at close quarters +until they surrender. + +"Another thing is that they prefer daylight, as they can then see +whether any other vessel is approaching. Were one of our cruisers to +hear a cannonade in the night, she would come down and take them +unaware. No, I think you will see that at daylight, if the coast is +clear, they will begin." + +Such was evidently the captain's opinion also, as he ordered sail to +be still further shortened, and all, save the watch on deck, to turn +in at once. The lights were all extinguished, not that the captain had +any idea of evading his pursuers, but that he wished to avoid offering +them a mark for their fire, should they approach in the darkness. + + + +Chapter 3: A Brush With Privateers. + + +The night passed quietly. Once or twice lights were seen, as the +schooners showed a lantern for a moment to notify their exact position +to each other. + +As soon as dawn broke, every man on board the Lizzie Anderson was at +his post. The schooners had drawn up a little, but were still under +easy sail. The moment that the day grew clear enough for it to be +perceived that no other sail could be seen above the horizon, fresh +sail was spread upon the schooners, and they began rapidly to draw up. + +On the previous evening the four heavy guns had been brought aft, and +the Indiaman could have made a long running fight with her opponents, +had the captain been disposed. To this, however, he objected strongly, +as his vessel was sure to be hulled and knocked about severely, and +perhaps some of his masts cut down. He was confident in his power to +beat off the two privateers, and he therefore did not add a stitch of +canvas to the easy sail under which he had been holding on all night. + +Presently a puff of smoke shot out from the bow of the schooner from +the weather quarter, followed almost instantaneously by one from her +consort. Two round shot struck up the water, the one under the +Indiaman's stern, the other under her forefoot. + +"The rascals are well within range," the captain said quietly. "See, +they are taking off canvas again. They intend to keep at that +distance, and hammer away at us. Just what I thought would be their +tactics." + +Two more shots were fired by the schooners. One flew over the deck +between the masts, and plunged harmlessly in the sea beyond. The other +struck the hull with a dull crash. + +"It is lucky the ladies were sent into the hold," the captain said. +"That shot has gone right through their cabin. + +"Now, my lads, have you got the sights well upon them? Fire!" + +The four thirty-two pounders spoke out almost at the same moment, and +all gazed over the bulwarks anxiously to watch the effect, and a cheer +arose as it was seen how accurate had been the aim of the gunners. One +shot struck the schooner to windward in the bow, a foot or two above +the water level. Another went through her foresail, close to the mast. + +"A foot more, and you would have cut his foremast asunder." + +The vessel to leeward had been struck by only one shot, the other +passing under her stern. She was struck just above her deck line, the +shot passing through the bulwark, and, as they thought on board the +merchantman, narrowly missing if not actually striking the mainmast. + +"There is some damage done," Dr. Rae said, keeping his glass fixed on +the vessel. "There is a good deal of running about on deck there." + +It was evident that the display of the heavy metal carried by the +Indiaman was an unpleasant surprise to the privateers. Both lowered +sail and ceased firing, and there was then a rapid exchange of signals +between them. + +"They don't like it," the captain said, laughing. "They see that they +cannot play the game they expected, and that they've got to take as +well as to give. Now it depends upon the sort of stuff their captains +are made of, whether they give it up at once, or come straight up to +close quarters. + +"Ah! They mean fighting." + +As he spoke, a cloud of canvas was spread upon the schooners and, +sailing more than two feet to the merchantman's one, they ran quickly +down towards her, firing rapidly as they came. Only the merchantman's +heavy guns replied, but these worked steadily and coolly, and did +considerable damage. The bowsprit of one of their opponents was shot +away. The sails of both vessels were pierced in several places, and +several ragged holes were knocked in their hulls. + +"If it were not that I do not wish to sacrifice any of the lives on +board, unnecessarily," the captain said, "I would let them come +alongside and try boarding. We have a strong crew, and with the sixty +soldiers we should give them such a reception as they do not dream of. +However, I will keep them off, if I can. + +"Now, Mr. James," he said to the first officer, "I propose to give +that vessel to leeward a dose. They are keeping about abreast, and by +the course they are making will range alongside at about a cable's +length. When I give the word, pour a broadside with the guns to port +upon that weather schooner. + +"At that moment, gentlemen," he said, turning to the passengers, "I +shall rely upon you to pick off the steersman of the other vessel, and +to prevent another taking his place. She steers badly now, and the +moment her helm is free, she'll run up into the wind. As she does so, +I shall bear off, run across her bow, and rake her deck with grape as +we pass. + +"Will you, Mr. Barlow, order your men to be in readiness to open fire +with musketry upon her, as we pass?" + +The schooners were now running rapidly down upon the Indiaman. They +were only able to use the guns in their bows, and the fire of the +Indiaman from the heavy guns on her quarter was inflicting more damage +than she received. + +"Let all hands lie down on deck," the captain ordered. "They will open +with their broadside guns, as they come up. When I give the word, let +all the guns on the port side be trained at the foot of her mainmast, +and fire as you get the line. On the starboard side, lie down till I +give the word." + +It was a pretty sight as the schooners, throwing the water high up +from their sharp cut-waters, came running along, heeling over under +the breeze. As they ranged alongside, their topsails came down, and a +broadside from both was poured into the Indiaman. The great ship shook +as the shot crashed into her, and several sharp cries told of the +effect which had been produced. + +Then the captain gave the word, and a moment afterwards an irregular +broadside, as the captain of each gun brought his piece to bear, was +poured into the schooner from the guns on the port side. As the +privateer heeled over, her deck could be plainly seen, and the shot of +the Indiaman, all directed at one point, tore up a hole around the +foot of the mainmast. In an instant the spar tottered and, with a +crash, fell alongside. At the same moment, three of the passengers +took a steady aim over the bulwark at the helmsman of the other +privateer and, simultaneously with the reports of their pieces, the +man was seen to fall. Another sprang forward to take his place, but +again the rifles spoke out, and he fell beside his comrade. + +Freed from the strain which had counteracted the pressure of her +mainsail, the schooner flew up into the wind. The Indiaman held on her +course for another length, and then her helm was put up, and she swept +down across the bows of the privateer. Then the men leaped to their +feet, the soldiers lined the bulwarks, and as she passed along a few +yards only distant from her foe, each gun poured a storm of grape +along her crowded deck, while the troops and passengers kept up a +continuous fire of musketry. + +"That will do," the captain said, quietly. "Now we may keep her on her +course. They have had more than enough of it." + +There was no doubt of that, for the effect of the iron storm had been +terrible, and the decks of the schooner were strewn with dead and +dying. For a time after the merchantman had borne upon her course, the +sails of the schooner flapped wildly in the wind, and then the +foremast went suddenly over the side. + +"I should think you could take them both, Captain Thompson," one of +the passengers said. + +"They are as good as taken," the captain answered, "and would be +forced to haul down their flags, if I were to wear round and continue +the fight. But they would be worse than useless to me. I should not +know what to do with their crews, and should have to cripple myself by +putting very strong prize crews upon them, and so run the risk of +losing my own ship and cargo. + +"No, my business is to trade and not to fight. If any one meddle with +me, I am ready to take my own part; but the Company would not thank +me, if I were to risk the safety of this ship and her valuable cargo +for the sake of sending home a couple of prizes, which might be +recaptured as they crossed the bay, and would not fetch any great sum +if they got safely in port." + +An examination showed that the casualties on board the Lizzie Anderson +amounted to three killed and eight wounded. The former were sewn in +hammocks, with a round shot at their feet, and dropped overboard; the +clergyman reading the burial service. The wounded were carried below, +and attended to by the ship's surgeon and Doctor Rae. The ship's decks +were washed, and all traces of the conflict removed. The guns were +again lashed in their places, carpenters were lowered over the side to +repair damages; and when the ladies came on deck an hour after the +conflict was over, two or three ragged holes in the bulwarks, and a +half dozen in the sails, were the sole signs that the ship had been in +action; save that some miles astern could be seen the two crippled +privateers, with all sails lowered, at work to repair damages. + +Two or three days afterwards, Charlie Marryat and his friend Peters +were sitting beside Doctor Rae, when the latter said: + +"I hope that we sha'n't find the French in Madras, when we get there." + +"The French in Madras!" Charlie exclaimed in surprise. "Why, sir, +there's no chance of that, is there?" + +"A very great chance," the doctor said. "Don't you know that they +captured the place three years ago?" + +"No, sir; I'm ashamed to say that I know nothing at all about India, +except that the Company have trading stations at Bombay, Madras, and +Calcutta." + +"I will tell you about it," the doctor said. "It is as well that you +should understand the position of affairs, at the place to which you +are going. You must know that the Company hold the town of Madras, and +a few square miles of land around it, as tenants of the Nawab of the +Carnatic, which is the name of that part of India. The French have a +station at Pondicherry, eighty-six miles to the sou'west of Madras. +This is a larger and more important town than Madras, and of course +the greatest rivalry prevails between the English and French. + +"The French are much more powerful than the English, and exercise a +predominating influence throughout the Carnatic. The French governor, +Monsieur Dupleix, is a man of very great ability, and far-seeing +views. He has a considerable force of French soldiers at his command, +and by the aid which he has given to the nawab, upon various +occasions, he has obtained a predominating influence in his councils. + +"When war was declared between England and France, in the year '44, +the English squadron under Commodore Barnet was upon the coast, and +the Company sent out orders to Mr. Morse, the governor of Madras, to +use every effort to destroy the French settlement, of whose rising +power they felt the greatest jealousy. Dupleix, seeing the force that +could be brought against him, and having no French ships on the +station, although he was aware that a fleet under Admiral La +Bourdonnais was fitting out and would arrive shortly, dreaded the +contest, and proposed to Mr. Morse that the Indian colonies of the two +nations should remain neutral, and take no part in the struggle in +which their respective countries were engaged. Mr. Morse, however, in +view of the orders he had received from the Company, was unable to +agree to this. + +"Dupleix then applied to the nawab who, at his request, forbade his +European tenants to make war on land with each other, an order which +they were obliged to obey. + +"In July, 1746, La Bourdonnais arrived with his fleet, and chased the +small English squadron from the Indian seas. Dupleix now changed his +tactics, and regardless of the injunction which he himself had +obtained from the nawab, he determined to crush the English at Madras. +He supplied the fleet with men and money, and ordered the admiral to +sail for Madras. The fleet arrived before the town on the 14th of +September; landed a portion of its troops, six hundred in number, with +two guns, a short distance along the coast; and on the following day +disembarked the rest, consisting of a thousand French troops, four +hundred Sepoys, and three hundred African troops, and summoned Madras +to surrender. + +"Madras was in no position to offer any effectual resistance. The fort +was weak and indefensible. The English inhabitants consisted only of a +hundred civilians, and two hundred soldiers. Governor Morse +endeavoured to obtain, from the nawab, the protection which he had +before granted to Dupleix, a demand which the nawab at once refused. + +"I was there at the time, and quite agreed with the governor that it +was useless to attempt resistance to the force brought against us. The +governor, therefore, surrendered on the 21st. The garrison, and all +the civilians in the place not in the service of the Company, were to +become prisoners of war; while those in the regular service of the +Company were free to depart, engaging only not to carry arms against +the French until exchanged. These were the official conditions; but La +Bourdonnais, influenced by jealousy of Dupleix, and by the promise of +a bribe of forty thousand pounds, made a secret condition with Mr. +Morse, by which he bound himself to restore Madras in the future, upon +the payment of a large sum of money. This agreement Dupleix, whose +heart was set upon the total expulsion of the English, refused to +ratify. + +"A good many of us considered that, by this breach of the agreement, +we were released from our parole not to carry arms against the French; +and a dozen or so of us, in various disguises, escaped from Madras and +made our way to Fort Saint David, a small English settlement twelve +miles south of Pondicherry. I made the journey with a young fellow +named Clive, who had come out as a writer about two years before. He +was a fine young fellow; as unfitted as you are, I should think, +Marryat, for the dull life of a writer, but full of energy and +courage. + +"At Fort Saint David we found two hundred English soldiers, and a +hundred Sepoys, and a number of us, having nothing to do at our own +work, volunteered to aid in the defence. + +"After Dupleix had conquered Madras, the nawab awoke to the fact of +the danger of allowing the French to become all-powerful, by the +destruction of the English, and ordered Dupleix to restore the place. +Dupleix refused, and the nawab sent his son Maphuz Khan to invest the +town. Dupleix at once despatched a detachment of two hundred and +thirty French, and seven hundred Sepoys, commanded by an engineer +officer named Paradis, to raise the siege. + +"On the 2nd of November, the garrison of Madras sallied out and drove +away the cavalry of Maphuz Khan; and on the 4th, Paradis attacked his +army, and totally defeated it. + +"This, lads, was a memorable battle. It is the first time that +European and Indian soldiers have come into contest, and it shows how +immense is the superiority of Europeans. What Paradis did then opens +all sorts of possibilities for the future; and it may be that either +we or the French are destined to rise, from mere trading companies, to +be rulers of Indian states. + +"Such, I know, is the opinion of young Clive, who is a very +long-headed and ambitious young fellow. I remember his saying to me +one night, when we were, with difficulty, holding our own in the +trenches, that if we had but a man of energy and intelligence at the +head of our affairs in Southern India, we might, ere many years +passed, be masters of the Carnatic. I own that it appears to me more +likely that the French will be in that position, and that we shall not +have a single establishment left there; but time will show. + +"Having defeated Maphuz Khan, Dupleix resolved to make a great effort +to expel us from Fort Saint David, our sole footing left in Southern +India; and he despatched an army of nine hundred Frenchmen, six +hundred Sepoys, and a hundred Africans, with six guns and mortars, +against us. They were four to one against us, and we had hot work, I +can tell you. Four times they tried to storm the place, and each time +we drove them back; till at last they gave it up in disgust, at the +end of June, having besieged us for six months. + +"Soon after this Admiral Boscawen, with a great fleet and an army, +arrived from England; and on 19th of August besieged Pondicherry. The +besieging army was six thousand strong; of whom three thousand, seven +hundred and twenty were English. But Pondicherry resisted bravely, and +after two months the besiegers were forced to retire, having lost, in +attacks or by fever, one thousand and sixty-five men. + +"At the end of the siege, in which I had served as a medical officer, +I returned to England. A few months after I left, peace was made +between England and France, and by its terms Dupleix had to restore +Madras to the English. I hear that fighting has been going on ever +since, the English and French engaging as auxiliaries to rival native +princes; and especially that there was some hot fighting round +Devikota. However, we shall hear about that when we get there." + +"And what do you think will be the result of it all, Doctor Rae?" + +"I think that undoubtedly, sooner or later, either the French or +ourselves will be driven out. Which it will be remains to be seen. If +we are expelled, the effect of our defeat is likely to operate +disastrously at Calcutta, if not at Bombay. The French will be +regarded as a powerful people, whom it is necessary to conciliate, +while we shall be treated as a nation of whom they need have no fear, +and whom they can oppress accordingly. + +"If we are successful, and absolutely obtain possession of the +Carnatic, our trade will vastly increase, fresh posts and commands of +all sorts will be established, and there will be a fine career open to +you young fellows, in the service of the Company." + +After rounding the Cape of Good Hope, the ship encountered a series of +very heavy gales, which drove her far out of her course up the eastern +coast of Africa. In the last gale her foremast was carried away, and +she put in to a small island to refit. She had also sprung a leak, and +a number of stores were landed, to enable her to be taken up into +shallow water and heeled over, in order that the leak might be got at. + +The captain hurried on the work with all speed. + +"Had it not been for this," Charlie heard him say to Mr. Ashmead, "I +would have rigged a jury-mast and proceeded; but I can't stop the leak +from the inside, without shifting a great portion of the cargo, and +our hold is so full that this would be difficult in the extreme. But I +own that I do not like delaying a day longer than necessary, here. The +natives have a very bad reputation, besides which it is suspected that +one, if not more, pirates have their rendezvous in these seas. Several +of our merchantmen have mysteriously disappeared, without any gale +having taken place which would account for their loss. + +"The captain of a ship which reached England, two or three days before +we sailed, brought news that when she was within a fortnight's sail of +the Cape, the sound of guns was heard one night, and that afterwards a +ship was seen on fire, low down on the horizon. He reached the spot +soon after daybreak, and found charred spars and other wreckage; but +though he cruised about all day, he could find no signs of any boats. +Complaints have been made to government, and I hear that there is an +intention of sending two or three sloops out here to hunt the pirates +up. But that will be of no use to us." + +Upon the day of their arrival at the island, a native sailing boat was +seen to pass across the mouth of the bay. When half across, she +suddenly tacked round and sailed back in the direction from which she +had come. + +Before proceeding to lighten the ship, the captain had taken steps to +put himself in a position of defence. For some distance along the +centre of the bay the ground rose abruptly, at a distance of some +thirty yards from the shore, forming a sort of natural terrace. Behind +this a steep hill rose. The terrace, which was forty feet above the +water level, extended for about a hundred yards, when the ground on +either side of the plateau dropped away, as steeply as in front. + +The guns were the first things taken out of the ship, and, regardless +of the remonstrances of the passengers at what they considered to be a +waste of time, Captain Thompson had the whole of them taken up on the +terrace. A small battery was thrown up by the sailors, at the two +corners, and in each of these two of the thirty-two pounders were +placed. The broadside guns were ranged in line along the centre of the +terrace. + +"Now," the captain said when, at the end of the second day, the +preparations were completed by the transport of a quantity of +ammunition from the ship's magazine to the terrace, "I feel +comfortable. We can defend ourselves here against all the pirates of +the South Seas. If they don't come, we shall only have lost our two +days' work, and shall have easy minds for the remainder of our stay +here; which we should not have had, if we had been at the mercy of the +first of those scoundrels who happened to hear of our being laid up." + +The next morning the work of unloading the ship began, the bales and +packages being lowered from the ship, as they were brought up from the +hold, into boats alongside; and then taken to the shore, and piled +there at the foot of the slope. This occupied three days, and at the +end of that time the greater portion of the cargo had been removed. +The ship, now several feet lighter in the water than before, was +brought broadside to shore until her keel touched the ground. Then the +remaining cargo was shifted, and by the additional aid of tackle and +purchases on shore fastened to her masts, she was heeled over until +her keel nearly reached the level of the water. + +It was late one evening when this work was finished, and the following +morning the crew were to begin to scrape her bottom, and the +carpenters were to repair the leak, and the whole of the seams +underwater were to be corked and repitched. Hitherto all had remained +on board; but previous to the ship being heeled over, tents +constructed of the sails were erected on the terrace, beds and other +articles of necessity landed, and the passengers, troops, and crew +took up their temporary abode there. + + + +Chapter 4: The Pirates Of The Pacific. + + +A regular watch was set, both on the plateau and on board ship. +Towards morning, one of the watch on board hailed the officer above: + +"I have fancied, sir, for some time, that I heard noises. It seems to +me like the splash of a very large number of oars." + +"I have heard nothing," the officer said; "but you might hear sounds +down there, coming along on the water, before I do. I will go down to +the water's edge, and listen." + +He did so, and was at once convinced that the man's ears had not +deceived him. Although the night was perfectly still, and not a breath +of wind was stirring, he heard a low rustling sound, like that of the +wind passing through the dried leaves of a forest, in autumn. + +"You are right, Johnson, there is something going on out at sea, +beyond the mouth of the bay. I will call the captain, at once." + +Captain Thompson, on being aroused, also went down to the waterside to +listen; and at once ordered the whole party to get under arms. He +requested Mr. Barlow, the young lieutenant in charge of the troops, to +place half his men across each end of the plateau. The back was +defended by a cliff, which rose almost perpendicularly from it to a +height of some hundred feet; the plateau being some thirty yards, in +depth, from the sea face to its foot. The male passengers were +requested to divide themselves into two parties, and to join the +soldiers in defending the position against flank attacks. The guns +were all loaded, and the sailors then set to work dragging up bales of +goods from below, and placing them so as to form a sort of breastwork +before the guns along the sea face. + +The noise at sea had, by this time, greatly increased; and although it +was still too dark to see what was passing, Captain Thompson said that +he had no doubt, whatever, that the boats had one or more large ships +in tow. + +"Had it not been for that," he said, "they would long ago have been +here. I expect that they hoped to catch us napping, but the wind fell +and delayed them. They little dream how well we are prepared. Did they +know of our fort here, I question whether they would have ventured +upon attacking us at all, but would have waited till we were well at +sea, and then our chance would have been a slight one. + +"Well, gentlemen, you will allow that the two days were not wasted. I +think, now, the pirates are well inside the bay. In half an hour we +shall have light enough to see them. + +"There, listen! There's the splash of their anchors. There, again! I +fancy there are two ships moored broadside on, stem and stern." + +All this time, the work on shore had been conducted in absolute +silence, and the pirates could have had no intimation that their +presence was discovered. Presently, against the faintly dawning light +in the east, the masts of two vessels could be seen. One was a large +ship, the other a brig. Almost at the same time the rough sound of +boats' keels grounding on the shore could be heard. + +"Just as I thought," the captain whispered. "They have guessed that +some of us will be ashore, and will make a rush upon us here, when the +ships open fire." + +The word was passed along the guns that every one was to be double +shotted, and that their fire was at first to be directed at the brig. +They were to aim between wind and water, and strive to sink her as +speedily as possible. + +As the light gradually grew brighter, the party on the plateau +anxiously watched for the moment when the hull of the Indiaman +becoming plain to the enemy. These would open fire upon it, and so +give the signal for the fight. At the first alarm the tents had all +been levelled; and a thick barricade of bales erected, round a slight +depression of the plateau at the foot of the cliff in its rear. Here +the ladies were placed, for shelter. + +As the light increased, it could be seen that in addition to the two +ships were a large number of native dhows. Presently, from the black +side of the ship, a jet of fire shot out; and at the signal a +broadside was poured into the Indiaman by the two vessels. At the same +moment, with a hideous yell, hundreds of black figures leaped to their +feet on the beach, and rushed towards the, as yet, unseen position of +the English. + +The captain shouted "Fire!" and the twenty guns on the plateau poured +their fire simultaneously into the side of the brig. The captain then +gave orders that two of the light guns should be run along the +terrace, to take position on the flanks, and aid the soldiers against +the attacks. + +This time Charlie had lent his rifle to Peters, and was himself armed +with his double-barrel gun. + +"Steady, boys," Mr. Hallam, the ensign who commanded the soldiers at +the side where Charlie was stationed, cried; "don't fire a shot till I +give the word, and then aim low." + +With terrific yells the throng of natives, waving curved swords, +spears, and clubs, rushed forward. The steep ascent checked them, but +they rushed up until within ten yards of the line of soldiers on its +brow. Then Mr. Hallam gave the word to fire, and the soldiers and +passengers poured a withering volley into them. + +At so short a distance, the effect was tremendous. Completely swept +away, the leading rank fell down among their comrades; and these, for +a moment, recoiled. Then gathering themselves together they again +rushed forward, while those in their rear discharged volleys of arrows +over their heads. + +Among the defenders, every man now fought for himself, loading and +firing as rapidly as possible. Sometimes the natives nearly gained a +footing on the crest; but each time the defenders, with clubbed +muskets, beat them back again. + +The combat was, however, doubtful, for their assailants were many +hundred strong; when the defenders were gladdened with a shout of +"Make way, my hearties. Let us come to the front, and give them a +dose." In a moment two ship's guns, loaded to the muzzle with bullets, +were run forward, and poured their contents among the crowded masses +below. + +The effect was decisive. The natives, shaken by the resistance they +had already experienced, and appalled by the destruction wrought by +the cannon, turned and fled along the shore, followed by the shots of +the defenders, and by two more rounds of grape, which the sailors +poured into them before they could reach their boats. + +Similar success had attended the defenders of the other flank of the +position, and all hands now aided in swinging round the guns, which +had done such good service, to enable them to bear their share in the +fight with the ships. In the middle of the fight, the party had heard +a great cheer from those working the seaward guns, and they now saw +its cause. The brig had disappeared below the water, and the sailors +were now engaged in a contest with the ship. + +The pirates fought their guns well, but they were altogether over +matched by the twenty guns playing upon them from a commanding +position. Already the dhows were hoisting their sails, and one of the +cables of the ship suddenly disappeared in the water, while a number +of men sprang upon the ratlines. + +"Fire at the masts," Captain Thompson shouted. "Cripple her if you +can. Let all with muskets and rifles try to keep men out of the +rigging." + +The ship was anchored within three hundred yards of the shore, and +although the distance was too great for anything like accurate fire, +several of the men dropped as they ran up the shroud. The sailors +worked their guns with redoubled vigour, and a great shout arose as +the mainmast, wounded in several places, fell over the side. + +"Sweep her decks with grape," the captain shouted, "and she's ours. + +"Mr. James, take all the men that can be spared from the guns, man the +boats, and make a dash for the ship at once. I see the men are leaving +her. They're crowding over the side into their boats. Most likely +they'll set fire to her. Set all your strength putting it out. We will +attend to the other boats." + +It was evident, now, that the pirates were deserting the ship. They +had fallen into a complete trap, and instead of the easy prey on which +they calculated, found themselves crushed by the fire of a heavy +battery in a commanding position. Captain Thompson, seeing that the +guns of the ship were silent, and that all resistance had ceased, now +ordered the sailors to turn their guns on the dhows and sink as many +as possible. These, crowded together in their efforts to escape, +offered an easy mark for the gunners, whose shot tore through their +sides, smashing and sinking them in all directions. + +In ten minutes the last of those that floated had gained the mouth of +the bay and, accompanied by the boats, crowded with the crews of the +two pirate vessels, made off; followed by the shot of the thirty-two +pounders, until they had turned the low promontory which formed the +head of the bay. Long ere this Mr. James and the boats' crews had +gained the vessel, and were engaged in combating the fire, which had +broken out in three places. + +The boats were sent back to shore, and returned with Captain Thompson +and the rest of the sailors, and this reinforcement soon enabled them +to get the mastery of the flames. The ship was found to be the Dover +Castle, a new and very fast ship of the Company's service, of which +all traces had been lost since she left Bombay two years before. She +was now painted entirely black, and a snake had been added for her +figurehead. The original name, however, still remained upon the +binnacle and ship's bell. Her former armament had been increased and +she now carried thirty guns, of which ten were thirty-two pounders. + +A subsequent search showed that her hold was stored with valuable +goods; which had, by the marks upon the bales, evidently belonged to +several ships; which she had, no doubt, taken and sunk after removing +the pick of their cargoes. The prize was a most valuable one, and the +captain felt that the board of directors would be highly delighted at +the recovery of their ship, and still more by the destruction of the +two bands of pirates. + +The deck of the ship was thickly strewn with dead. Among them was the +body of a man who, by his dress, was evidently the captain. From some +of the pirates who still lived, Captain Thompson learned that the brig +was the original pirate, that she had captured the Dover Castle, that +from her and subsequent prizes they had obtained sufficient hands to +man both ships, all who refused to join being compelled to walk the +plank. These were the only two pirate ships in those seas, so far as +the men knew. Their rendezvous was at a large native town on the +mainland, at the mouth of a river three days' sail distant. + +The news of the Indiaman being laid up, refitting at the island, was +brought by the native craft they had seen on the day after their +arrival; and upon its being known, the natives had insisted in joining +in the attack. The pirate captain, whose interest it was to keep well +with them, could not refuse to allow them to join, although he would +gladly have dispensed with their aid, believing his own force to be +far more than sufficient to capture the vessel, which he supposed to +be lying an easy prize at his hands. + +Another ten days were spent in getting the cargo and guns on board the +Lizzie Anderson, and in fitting out both ships for sea. Then, Mr. +James and a portion of the crew being placed on board the prize, they +sailed together for India. The Dover Castle proved to be much the +faster sailer, but Captain Thompson ordered her to reduce sail, and to +keep about a mile in his wake, as she could at any time close up when +necessary; and the two, together, would be able to oppose a determined +front, even to a French frigate, should they meet with one on their +way. + +The voyage passed without incident save that, when rounding the +southern point of Ceylon, a sudden squall from the land struck them. +The vessel heeled over suddenly, and a young soldier, who was sitting +on the bulwarks to leeward, was jerked backwards and fell into the +water. + +Charlie Marryat was on the quarterdeck, leaning against the rail, +watching a shoal of flying fish passing at a short distance. In the +noise and confusion, caused by the sudden squall, the creaking of +cordage, the flapping of sails, and the shouts of the officer to let +go the sheets, the fall of the soldier was unnoticed; and Charlie was +startled by perceiving, in the water below him, the figure of a +struggling man. + +He saw, at once, that he was unable to swim. Without an instant's +hesitation Charlie threw off his coat, and kicked off his shoes, and +with a loud shout of "Man overboard!" sprang from the taffrail and, +with a few vigorous strokes, was alongside the drowning man. He seized +him by the collar, and held him at a distance. + +"Now," he said, "don't struggle, else I'll let you go. Keep quiet, and +I can hold you up till we're picked up." + +In spite of the injunction, the man strove to grasp him; but Charlie +at once let go his hold, and swam a pace back as the man sunk. When he +came up he seized him again, and again shouted: + +"Keep quite quiet, else I'll leave go." + +This time the soldier obeyed him and, turning him on his back, and +keeping his face above water, Charlie looked around at the vessel he +had left. + +The Indiaman was still in confusion. The squall had been sudden and +strong. The sheets had been let go, the canvas was flapping in the +wind, and the hands were aloft reducing sail. She was already some +distance away from him. The sky was bright and clear, and Charlie, who +was surprised at seeing no attempt to lower a boat, saw a signal run +up to the masthead. + +Looking the other way, he saw at once why no boat had been lowered. +The Dover Castle was but a quarter of a mile astern. Carrying less +sail than her consort, she had been better prepared for the squall, +and was running down upon him at a great rate. + +A moment later a boat was swung out on davits, and several men climbed +into it. The vessel kept on her course, until scarcely more than her +own length away. Then she suddenly rounded up into the wind, and the +boat was let fall, and rowed rapidly towards him. + +All this time, Charlie had made no effort beyond what was necessary to +keep his own head, and his companion's face, above the water. He now +lifted the soldier's head up, and shouted to him that aid was at hand. +In another minute they were dragged into the boat. This was soon +alongside the ship, and three minutes later the Dover Castle was +pursuing her course, in the track of the Lizzie Anderson, having +signalled that the pair had been rescued. + +Charlie found that the soldier was an Irish lad, of some nineteen +years old. His name, he said, was Tim Kelly, and as soon as he had +recovered himself sufficiently to speak, he was profuse in his +professions of gratitude to his preserver. Tim, like the majority of +the recruits in the Company's service, had been enlisted while in a +state of drunkenness; had been hurried on board a guard ship, where, +when he recovered, he found a number of other unfortunates like +himself. He had not been permitted to communicate with his friends on +shore, but had been kept in close confinement, until he had been put +in uniform and conveyed on board the Lizzie Anderson, half an hour +before she sailed. + +The Company's service was not a popular one. There was no fighting in +India, and neither honor, glory, nor promotion to be won. The climate +was unsuited to Europeans, and few, indeed, of those who sailed from +England as soldiers in the Company's service ever returned. The +Company, then, were driven to all sorts of straits to keep up even the +small force which they then maintained in India, and their recruiting +agents were, by no means, particular as to the means they employed to +make up the tale of recruits. + +The vessels did not again communicate until they came to anchor in +Madras roads, as the wind was fair and Captain Thompson anxious to +arrive at his destination. During these few days, Tim Kelly had +followed Charlie about like a shadow. Having no duties to perform on +board, he asked leave to act as Charlie's servant; and Charlie was +touched by the efforts which the grateful fellow made to be of service +to him. + +Upon their arrival they saw, to their satisfaction, that the British +flag was waving over the low line of earthworks, which constitute the +British fort. Not far from this, near the water's edge, stood the +white houses and stores of the Company's factors; and behind these, +again, were the low hovels of the black town. The prospect was not an +inviting one, and Charlie wondered how on earth a landing was to be +effected, through the tremendous surf which broke upon the shore. + +He soon found that, until the wind went down and the surf moderated +somewhat, no communication could be effected. The next morning, +however, the wind lulled, and a crowd of curious native boats were +seen putting off from the shore. + +Charlie had, after the vessel anchored, rejoined his ship with Tim +Kelly, and he now bade goodbye to all on board; for only the doctor, +two civilians, and the troops were destined for Madras; all the rest +going on in the ship to Calcutta, after she had discharged that +portion of her cargo intended for Madras. Charlie had, during the last +twelve hours, been made a great deal of, on account of the gallantry +he had displayed in risking his life for that of the soldier. Peters +and one of the other young writers were also to land; and, taking his +seat with these in a native boat, paddled by twelve canoe men, he +started for the shore. + +As they approached the line of surf, Charlie fairly held his breath; +for it seemed impossible that the boat could live through it. The +boatmen, however, ceased rowing outside the line of broken water, and +lay on their paddles for three or four minutes. + +At last a wave, larger than any of its predecessors, was seen +approaching. As it passed under them, the steersman gave a shout. In +an instant the rowers struck their paddles into the water, and the +boat dashed along, with the speed of a racehorse, on the crest of the +wave. There was a crash. For a moment the boat seemed, to the lads, +engulfed in white foam; and then she ran high up upon the beach. The +rowers seized the boys and, leaping out, carried them beyond the reach +of the water, before the next wave broke upon them; and then +triumphantly demanded a present, for their skilful management. This +the lads were glad to give, for they considered that their escape had +been something miraculous. + +For a while they stood on the shore, watching other boats, with the +soldiers and baggage, coming ashore; and then, being accosted by a +gentleman in the employment of the Company, followed him to the +residence of the chief factor. Here they were told that rooms would be +given them, in one of the houses erected by the Company for the use of +its employees; that they would mess with the other clerks residing in +the same house; and that, at nine o'clock in the morning, they would +report themselves as ready for work. + +Charlie and his friends amused themselves by sauntering about in the +native town, greatly surprised by the sights and scenes which met +their eyes; for in those days very little was known of India, in +England. They were, however, greatly disappointed. Visions of oriental +splendour, of palaces and temples, of superbly dressed chiefs with +bands of gorgeous retainers, had floated before their mind's eye. +Instead of this they saw squalid huts, men dressed merely with a rag +of cotton around them, everywhere signs of squalor and poverty. + +Madras, however, they were told that evening, was not to be taken as a +sample of India. It was a mere collection of huts, which had sprung up +round the English factories. But when they went to a real Indian city, +they would see a very different state of things. + + + +Chapter 5: Madras. + + +After the young writers had seen the native town, they returned to the +beach, and spent the afternoon watching the progress of landing the +cargo of the Lizzie Anderson. They were pleased to see their own +luggage safely ashore; as it would have been greatly damaged, had the +boat containing it been swamped; a misfortune which happened to +several of the boats laden with cargo. It was very amusing, each time +that one of these boats arrived, to see a crowd of natives rush down +into the water, waist deep, seize it, and drag it up beyond the next +wave. Many of them would be knocked down, and some swept out by the +retreating wave, only to return on the next roller. All could swim +like fish, and any of these events were greeted with shouts of +laughter by the rest. + +When the packages were landed a rope was put round them, and through +this a long bamboo pole was inserted, which would be lifted on to the +shoulders of two, four, or six porters, according to its weight; and +these would go off, at a hobbling sort of trot, with their burden to +the factory. + +Their own baggage was taken up to the quarters allotted to them, and +at the hour named for dinner the newcomers met, for the first time, +those with whom they were to be associated. All were dressed in white +suits, and Charlie was struck with the pallor of their faces, and the +listless air of most of them. The gentleman to whom they had first +been introduced made them acquainted with the others. + +"How refreshingly healthy and well you look!" a young man of some six +and twenty years old, named Johnson, said. "I was something like that, +when I first came out here, though you'd hardly think it now. Eight +years of stewing, in this horrible hole, takes the life and spirits +out of anyone. + +"However, there's one consolation. After eight or ten years of quill +driving in a stuffy room, one becomes a little more one's own master, +and one's duties begin to be a little more varied and pleasant. One +gets a chance of being sent up, occasionally, with goods; or on some +message or other to one of the native princes, and then one gets +treated like a prince, and sees that India is not necessarily so +detestable as we have contrived to make it here. The only bearable +time of one's life is the few hours after dinner, when one can sit in +a chair in the veranda, and smoke and look at the sea. Some of the +fellows play billiards and cards; but if you will take my advice, you +won't go in for that sort of thing. It takes a lot out of one, and +fellows that do it are, between you and me, in the bad books of the +bigwigs. Besides, they lose money, get into debt, and all sorts of +mischief comes of it." + +The speaker was sitting between Charlie and Peters, and was talking in +a tone of voice which would not be overheard by the others. + +"Thank you," Charlie said. "I, for one, will certainly take your +advice. I suppose one can buy ponies here. I should think a good ride +every morning early, before work, would do one good." + +"Yes, it is not a bad thing," Johnson said. "A good many fellows do +it, when they first come out here. But after a time they lose their +energy, you see, though some do keep it up. + +"What appetites you fellows have! It does one good to see you eat." + +"I have not the least idea what we are eating," Charlie said, +laughing; "but it's really very nice, whatever it is. But there seems +an immense quantity of pepper, or hot stuff of some kind or other; +which one would have thought, in this tremendous heat, would have made +one hotter instead of cooler." + +"Yes," their new friend answered. "No doubt all this pepper and curry +do heat the blood; but you see, it is done to tempt the appetite. Meat +here is fearfully coarse and tasteless. Our appetites are poor, and +were it not for these hot sauces, we should eat next to nothing. + +"Will you have some bananas?" + +"They are nice and cool," Peters said as, having peeled the long fruit +as he saw his companion doing, he took a bite of one; "but they have +very little taste." + +"Most of our fruit is tasteless," Johnson said, "except, indeed, the +mango and mangostine. They are equal to any English fruit in flavour, +but I would give them all for a good English apple. Its sharpness +would be delicious here. + +"And now, as you have done, if you will come and sit in the veranda of +my room, we will smoke a cigar and have something cool to drink; and I +will answer, as well as I can, the questions you've asked me about the +state of things here." + +When they had seated themselves in the extremely comfortable cane +chairs, in a veranda facing the sea, and had lit their cigars, their +friend began: + +"Madras isn't much of a place, now; but you should have seen it before +the French had it. Our chiefs think of nothing but trade, and care +nothing how squalid and miserable is the place in which they make +money. The French have larger ideas. They transformed this place; +cleared away that portion of the native town which surrounded the +factory and fort, made wide roads, formed an esplanade, improved and +strengthened the fortifications, forbade the natives to throw all +their rubbish and offal on the beach; and made, in fact, a decent +place of it. We hardly knew it when we came back, and whatever the +Company may have thought, we were thoroughly grateful for the French +occupation. + +"One good result, too, is that our quarters have been greatly +improved; for not only did the French build several new houses, but at +present all the big men, the council and so on, are still living at +Fort Saint David, which is still the seat of administration. So you +see, we have got better quarters; we are rid of the stenches and +nuisances of the native town; the plague of flies which made our life +a burden is abated; and we can sit here and enjoy the cool sea breeze, +without its being poisoned before it reaches us by the heaped up filth +on the beach. + +"It must have wrung Dupleix's heart to give up the place over which +they expended so much pains, and after all it didn't do away with the +fighting. In April we sent a force from Fort Saint David--before we +came back here--four hundred and thirty white soldiers and a thousand +Sepoys, under the command of Captain Cope, to aid a fellow who had +been turned out of the Rajahship of Tanjore. I believe he was a great +blackguard, and the man who had taken his place was an able ruler +liked by the people." + +"Then why should we interfere on behalf of the other?" Charlie asked. + +"My dear Marryat," their host said compassionately, "you are very +young yet, and quite new to India. You will see, after a time, that +right has nothing at all to do with the dealings of the Company, in +their relations to the native princes. We are, at present, little +people living here on sufferance, among a lot of princes and powers +who are enemies and rivals of each other. We have, moreover, as +neighbours, another European colony considerably stronger than we are. +The consequence is, the question of right cannot enter into the +considerations of the Company. It may be said that, for every petty +kingdom in Southern India, there are at least two pretenders, very +often half a dozen. So far we have not meddled much in their quarrels, +but the French have been much more active that way. They always side +with one or other of these pretenders, and when they get the man they +support into power, of course he repays them for their assistance. In +this manner, as I shall explain to you presently, they have virtually +made themselves masters of the Carnatic, outside the walls of Fort +Saint David and this place. + +"Well, our people thought to take a leaf out of the French book, and +as the ex-rajah offered us, in payment for our aid, the possession of +Devikota, a town at the mouth of the river Kolrun, a place likely to +be of great use to us, we agreed to assist him. Cope, with the land +forces, had marched to the border of the Tanjore territory, and the +guns and heavy baggage were to go by sea. + +"But, unfortunately, we had a tremendous gale just after they sailed. +The admiral's flagship, the Namur, of seventy-four guns; the Pembroke, +of sixty; and the hospital ship, Apollo, were totally lost; and the +rest of the fleet scattered in all directions. Cope entered the +Tanjore territory, but found the whole population attached to the new +rajah. It was useless for him, therefore, to march upon Tanjore, which +is a really strong town, so he marched down to Devikota, where he +hoped to find some of the fleet. Not a ship, however, was to be seen, +and as without guns Cope could do nothing, he returned here, as we had +just taken possession again. + +"Then he went to Fort Saint David, and there was a great discussion +among the bigwigs. It was clear, from what Cope said, that our man had +not a friend in his own country. Still, as he pointed out, Devikota +was a most important place for us. Neither Madras nor Fort Saint David +has a harbour; and Devikota, therefore, where the largest ships could +run up the river and anchor, would be of immense utility to us. + +"As this was really the reason for which we had gone into the affair, +it was decided to repeat the attempt. By this time Major Lawrence, who +commands the whole of the Company's forces in India, and who had been +taken a prisoner in one of the French sorties at the siege of +Pondicherry, had been released. So he was put at the head of the +expedition; and the whole of the Company's English troops, eight +hundred in all, including the artillery; and fifteen hundred Sepoys, +started on board ship for Devikota. I must tell you that Lawrence is a +first-rate fellow, the only really good officer we have out here, and +the affair couldn't have been in the hands of a better man. + +"The ships arrived safely at the mouth of the Kolrun, and the troops +were landed on the bank of the river opposite the town, where Lawrence +intended to erect his batteries; as, in the first place, the shore +behind the town was swampy, and in the second the Rajah of Tanjore, +who had got news of our coming, had his army encamped there to support +the place. Lawrence got his guns in position and fired away, across +the river, at the earthen wall of the town. In three days he had a +breach. The enemy didn't return our fire, but occupied themselves in +throwing up an entrenchment across the side of the fort. + +"We made a raft and crossed the river, but the enemy's matchlock men +peppered us so severely that we lost thirty English and fifty Sepoys +in getting over. The enemy's entrenchment was not finished, but in +front of it was a deep rivulet, which had to be crossed. + +"Lawrence gave the command of the storming party to Clive. He is one +of our fellows; a queer, restless sort of chap, who was really no good +here, for he hated his work and always seemed to think himself a +martyr. He was not a favourite among us, for he was often gloomy and +discontented, though he had his good points. He was straightforward +and manly, and he put down two or three fellows here, who had been +given to bully the young ones, in a way that astonished them. + +"He would never have made a good servant of the Company, for he so +hated his work that, when he had been out here about a year, he tried +to blow out his brains. He snapped the pistol twice at his head, but +it didn't go off, though it was loaded all right. Strange, wasn't it? +So he came to the conclusion that he wasn't meant to kill himself, and +went on living till something should turn up." + +"Yes," Charlie said; "Doctor Rae spoke to us about him during the +voyage. He knew him at the siege of Fort Saint David, and +Pondicherry." + +"Yes," Johnson said. "He came out there quite in a new light. He got +transferred into the military service, and was always in the middle of +the fighting. Major Lawrence had a very high opinion of him, and so +selected him to lead the storming party. It really seems almost as if +he had a charmed life. Lawrence gave him thirty-three English +soldiers, and seven hundred Sepoys. The rest of the force were to +follow as soon as Clive's party gained the entrenchments. Clive led +the way with his Europeans, with the Sepoys supporting behind, and got +across the rivulet with a loss of only four men. He waited on the +other bank till he saw the Sepoys climbing up, and then again led the +English on in advance towards the unfinished part of the entrenchment. + +"The Sepoys, however, did not move, but remained waiting for the main +body to come up. The enemy let Clive and his twenty-nine men get on +some distance in advance, and then their cavalry, who had been hidden +by a projection of the fort, charged suddenly down on him. They were +upon our men before they had time to form, and in a minute twenty-six +of them were cut to pieces. Clive and the other three managed to get +through the Tanjore horsemen and rejoin the Sepoys. That was almost as +narrow a shave for his life as with the pistol. + +"Lawrence now crossed with his main body and advanced. Again the +Tanjore horsemen charged; but this time we were prepared, and Lawrence +let them come on till within a few yards, and then gave them a volley +which killed fourteen and sent the rest scampering away. Lawrence +pushed forward. The garrison, panic stricken at the defeat of their +cavalry, abandoned the breach and escaped to the opposite side of the +town, and Devikota was ours. + +"A few days later we captured the fortified temple of Uchipuran. A +hundred men were left there, and these were afterwards attacked by the +Rajah of Tanjore, with five thousand men; but they held their own, and +beat them off. A very gallant business, that! + +"These affairs showed the rajah that the English could fight; a point +which, hitherto, the natives had been somewhat sceptical about. They +were afraid of the French, but they looked upon us as mere traders. He +had, too, other things to trouble him as to the state of the Carnatic, +and so hastened to make peace. He agreed to pay the expenses of the +war, and to cede us Devikota and some territory round it; and to allow +the wretched ex-rajah, in whose cause we had pretended to fight, a +pension of four hundred a year, on condition that we kept him shut up +in one of our forts. + +"Not a very nice business on our side, was it? Still, we had gained +our point, and, with the exception of the ex-rajah, who was a bad lot +after all, no one was discontented. + +"When the peace was signed, our force returned to Fort Saint David. +While they had been away, there had been a revolution in the Carnatic. +Now this was rather a complicated business; but as the whole situation +at present turns upon it; and it will, not improbably, cause our +expulsion from Southern India; I will explain it to you as well as I +can. + +"Now you must know that all Southern India, with the exception of a +strip along the west coast, is governed by a viceroy, appointed by the +emperor at Delhi. He was called the Subadar of the Deccan. Up till the +end of 'forty-eight, Nizam Ul-Mulk was viceroy. About that time he +died, and the emperor appointed his grandson, Muzaffar Jung, who was +the son of a daughter of his, to succeed him. But the subadar had left +five sons. Four of these lived at Delhi, and were content to enjoy +their life there. The second son, however, Nazir Jung, was an +ambitious man, who had rebelled even against his father. Naturally, he +rebelled against his nephew. + +"He was on the spot when his father died, while the new subadar was +absent. Nazir, therefore, seized the reins of government, and all the +resources of the state. The emperor has troubles enough of his own at +Delhi, and Muzaffar had no hope of aid from him. He therefore went to +Satarah, the court of the Mahrattas, to ask for their assistance. + +"There he met Chunda Sahib. This man was the nephew of the last nawab +of the Carnatic, Dost Ali. Dost Ali had been killed in a battle with +them, in 1739; and they afterwards captured Trichinopoli, and took +Chunda Sahib, who commanded there, prisoner; and had since kept him at +Satarah. Had he been at liberty he would, no doubt, have succeeded his +uncle, whose only son had been murdered; but as he was at Satarah, the +Subadar of the Deccan bestowed the government of the Carnatic upon +Anwarud-din. + +"Chunda Sahib and Muzaffar Jung put their heads together, and agreed +to act in concert. Muzaffar, of course, desired the subadarship of the +Deccan, to which he had been appointed by the court of Delhi. Chunda +Sahib wanted the nawabship of the Carnatic, and advised his ally to +abandon his intention of asking for Mahratta aid, and to ally himself +with the French. A correspondence ensued with Dupleix, who, seeing the +immense advantage it would be to him to gain what would virtually be +the position of patron and protector of the Subadar of the Deccan, and +the Nawab of the Carnatic, at once agreed to join them. + +"Muzaffar raised thirty thousand men, and Chunda Sahib six +thousand--it is always easy, in India, to raise an army; with a +certain amount of money, and lavish promises--marched down and joined +a French force of four hundred strong, commanded by D'Auteuil. + +"The nawab advanced against them, but was utterly defeated at Ambur, +the French doing pretty well the whole of the work. The nawab was +killed, and one of his sons, Maphuz Khan, taken prisoner. The other, +Muhammud Ali, bolted at the beginning of the fight. Arcot, the capital +of the Carnatic, surrendered next day. + +"Muzaffar Jung proclaimed himself Subadar of the Deccan, and appointed +Chunda Sahib Nawab of the Carnatic. Muzaffar Jung conferred upon +Dupleix the sovereignty of eighty-one villages adjoining the French +territory. Muzaffar, after paying a visit to Pondicherry, remained in +the camp with his army, twenty miles distant from that place. Chunda +Sahib remained, as the guest of Dupleix, at Pondicherry. + +"On the receipt of the news of the battle of Ambur, Mr. Floyer, who is +governor at Fort Saint David, sent at once to Chunda Sahib to +acknowledge him as nawab; which, in the opinion of everyone here, was +a very foolish step. Muhammud Ali had fled to Trichinopoli, and sent +word to Mr. Floyer that he could hold the place, and even reconquer +the Carnatic, if the English would assist him. I know that Admiral +Boscawen, who was with the fleet at Fort Saint David, urged Mr. Floyer +to do so, as it was clear that Chunda Sahib would be a mere tool in +the hands of the French. + +"When Chunda Sahib delayed week after week at Pondicherry, Mr. Floyer +began to hesitate, but he could not make up his mind, and Admiral +Boscawen, who had received orders to return home, could no longer act +in contravention to them, and was obliged to sail. + +"The instant the fleet had left, and we remained virtually +defenceless, Chunda Sahib, supplied with troops and money by Dupleix, +marched out from Pondicherry and joined Muzaffar Jung, with the avowed +intention of marching upon Trichinopoli. Had he done this at once, he +must have taken the place, and it was a question of weeks and days +only of our being turned altogether out of Southern India. Nothing, +indeed, could have saved us. + +"Muzaffar Jung and Chunda Sahib, however, disregarding the plan which +Dupleix had marked out for them, resolved, before marching on +Trichinopoli, to conquer Tanjore, which is the richest city in +Southern India. The rajah had, only a few weeks before, made peace +with us; and he now sent messengers to Nazir Jung, Muzaffar's rival in +the Deccan, and to the English, imploring their assistance. Both +parties resolved at once to grant it, for alone both must have been +overwhelmed by the alliance between the two Indian princes and the +French; and their only hope of a successful resistance to this +combination was in saving Trichinopoli. + +"The march of these allies upon Tanjore opened the road to +Trichinopoli; and Captain Cope, with a hundred and twenty men, were at +once despatched to reinforce Muhammud Ali's garrison. Of this little +force, he sent off twenty men to the aid of the Rajah of Tanjore, and +these, under cover of the night, passed through the lines of the +besiegers and into the city, which was strongly fortified and able to +stand a long siege. + +"The English at once entered into a treaty with Nazir Jung, promising +him six hundred English troops; to assist him in maintaining his +sovereignty of the Deccan, and in aiding to place Muhammud Ali in the +nawabship of the Carnatic. + +"Tanjore held out bravely. For some weeks the rajah had thrown dust in +the eyes of Chunda Sahib, by pretending to negotiate. Then, when the +allies attacked, he defended the city for fifty-two days, at the end +of which one of the gates of the town had been captured, and the city +was virtually at the mercy of the besiegers. He again delayed them by +entering into negotiations for surrender. In vain Dupleix continued to +urge Chunda Sahib to act energetically, and to enter Tanjore. + +"Chunda Sahib, however, although he has a good head for planning, is +irresolute in action. His troops were discontented at the want of pay. +The French contingent also was demoralized, from the same cause. The +troops feared to engage in a desperate struggle, in the streets of a +town abounding with palaces, each of which was virtually a fortress; +especially as it was known that Nazir Jung was marching, with all +speed, to fall upon their rear. So at last the siege was broken up, +and the army fell back upon Pondicherry. + +"Meanwhile Cope's detachment of a hundred men, with six thousand +native horsemen, escorted Muhammud Ali to join Nazir Jung at Valdaur, +fifteen miles from Pondicherry. Lawrence was busy at work at Fort +Saint David, organizing a force to go to his aid. Dupleix saw that it +was necessary to aid his allies energetically. The army, on its return +from the siege of Tanjore, was reorganized; the French contingent +increased to two thousand men; and a supply of money furnished, from +his private means. + +"The army set out to attack Nazir Jung and his ally at Valdaur. When +the battle began, however, the French contingent mutinied and refused +to fight; and the natives, panic stricken by the desertion of their +allies, fell back on Pondicherry. Chunda Sahib accompanied his men. +Muzaffar Jung surrendered to his uncle, the usurper. + +"In three or four days the discipline of the French army was restored, +and on the 13th of April it attacked and defeated a detachment of +Nazir Jung's army; and a few days later captured the strong temple of +Tiruvadi, sixteen miles from Fort Saint David. + +"Some months passed before the French were completely prepared; but on +September the first, D'Auteuil, who commanded the French, and Chunda +Sahib attacked the army of the native princes, twenty thousand strong, +and defeated it utterly, the French not losing a single man. Muhammud +Ali, with only two attendants, fled to Arcot, and the victory rendered +Chunda Sahib virtual master of the Carnatic. + +"Muzaffar Jung, after his surrender to his uncle, had been loaded with +chains, and remained a prisoner in the camp; where, however, he +managed to win over several of the leaders of his uncle's army. Gingee +was stormed by a small French force, and the French officer there +entered into a correspondence with the conspirators, and it was +arranged that, when the French army attacked Nazir Jung, these should +declare against him. + +"On the 15th December the French commander, with eight hundred +Europeans, three thousand Sepoys, and ten guns, marched against Nazir +Jung, whose army of twenty-five thousand men opposed him. These, +however, he defeated easily. While the battle was going on, the +conspirators murdered Nazir Jung, released Muzaffar Jung, and saluted +him as subadar. His escape was a fortunate one, for his uncle had +ordered him to be executed that very day. + +"Muzaffar Jung proceeded to Pondicherry, where he was received with +great honors. He nominated Dupleix Nawab of the Carnatic and +neighbouring countries, with Chunda Sahib as his deputy, conferred the +highest dignities upon him, and granted the French possession of all +the lands and forts they had conquered. He arranged with Dupleix a +plan for common action, and agreed that a body of French troops should +remain permanently at his capital." + + + +Chapter 6: The Arrival Of Clive. + + +"I have nearly brought down the story to the present time," Mr. +Johnson said. "One event has taken place, however, which was of +importance. Muzaffar Jung set out for Hyderabad, accompanied by a +French contingent under Bussy. On the way, the chiefs who had +conspired against Nazir Jung mutinied against his successor. Muzaffar +charged them with his cavalry. Two of the three chief conspirators +were killed and, while pursuing the third, Muzaffar was himself +killed. + +"Bussy at once released from confinement a son of Nazir Jung, +proclaimed him Subadar of the Deccan, escorted him to Hyderabad, and +received from him the cession of considerable fresh grants of +territory to the French. The latter were now everywhere triumphant, +and Trichinopoli and Tanjore were, with the three towns held by the +English, the sole places which resisted their authority. Muhammud Ali, +deeming further resistance hopeless, had already opened negotiations +with Dupleix for the surrender of Trichinopoli. Dupleix agreed to his +conditions; but when Muhammud Ali found that Count Bussy, with the +flower of the French force, had been despatched to Hyderabad, he +gained time by raising fresh demands, which would require the +ratification of the subadar. + +"Luckily for us Mr. Floyer had been recalled, and his place taken by +Mr. Saunders; who is, everyone says, a man of common sense and +determination. Muhammud Ali urged upon him the necessity for the +English to make common cause with him against the enemy, for if +Trichinopoli fell, it would be absolutely impossible for the English +to resist the French and their allies. Early this year, then, Mr. +Saunders assured him that he should be assisted with all our strength, +and Muhammud Ali thereupon broke off the negotiations with the French. + +"Most unfortunately for us, Major Lawrence had gone home to England on +sick leave. Captain Gingen, who now commands our troops, is a wretched +substitute for him. Captain Cope is no better. + +"Early this year Mr. Saunders sent Cope, with two hundred and eighty +English and three hundred Sepoys, to Trichinopoli. Benefiting by the +delay which was caused before Dupleix, owing to the absence of his +best troops at Hyderabad, could collect an army, Cope laid siege to +Madura, but was defeated and had to abandon his guns. Three thousand +of Muhammud Ali's native troops thereupon deserted to the enemy. + +"The cause of the English now appeared lost. Dupleix planted the white +flags, emblems of the authority of France, in the fields within sight +of Fort Saint David. With immense efforts, Mr. Saunders put into the +field five hundred English troops, a thousand Sepoys, a hundred +Africans, and eight guns; under the command of Captain Gingen, whose +orders were to follow the movements of the army with which D'Auteuil +and Chunda Sahib were marching against Trichinopoli. + +"Luckily Chunda Sahib, instead of doing so at once, moved northwards +to confirm his authority in the towns of North and South Arcot, and to +raise additional levies. Great delay was caused by this. On arriving +before the important fortress of Valkonda, Chunda Sahib found before +it the troops of Captain Gingen, who had been reinforced by sixteen +hundred troops from Trichinopoli. The governor of the place, not +knowing which party was the stronger, refused to yield to either; and +for a fortnight the armies lay at a short distance from each other, +near the fortress, with whose governor both continued their +negotiations. + +"Gingen then lost patience and attacked the place, but was repulsed, +and the governor at once admitted the French within the fortress. The +next day the main body of the French attacked us, the guns of the +fortress opening fire upon us at the same time. Our men, a great +portion of whom were recruits just joined from England, fell into a +panic and bolted, abandoning their allies and leaving their guns, +ammunition, and stores in the hands of the enemy. + +"Luckily, D'Auteuil was laid up with gout. If he had pressed on, there +remained only the two or three hundred men under Cope to offer the +slightest resistance. Trichinopoli must have fallen at once; and we, +without a hundred soldiers here, should have had nothing to do but +pack up and go. As it was, Gingen's beaten men were allowed to retreat +quietly towards Trichinopoli. + +"The next day D'Auteuil was better, and followed in pursuit, and +Gingen had the greatest difficulty in reaching Trichinopoli. There, at +the present moment, we lie shut up, a portion of our force only +remaining outside the walls. + +"The place itself is strong. The town lies round a lofty rock, on +which stands the fortress, which commands the country for some +distance round. Still, there is no question that the French could take +it, if they attacked it. Our men are utterly dispirited with defeat. +Cope and Gingen have neither enterprise nor talent. + +"At present the enemy, who are now under the command of Colonel Law, +who has succeeded D'Auteuil, are contenting themselves with +beleaguering the place. But as we have no troops whatever to send to +its rescue, and Muhammud Ali has no friends elsewhere to whom to look +for aid, it is a matter of absolute certainty that the place must +fall, and then Dupleix will only have to request us to leave, and we +shall have nothing else to do but to go at once. So I should advise +you not to trouble yourself to unpack your luggage, for in all +probability another fortnight will see us on board ship. + +"There, that's a tremendous long yarn I've been telling you, and not a +pleasant one. It's a history of defeat, loss of prestige and position. +We have been out fought and out diplomatized, and have made a mess of +everything we put our hand to. I should think you must be tired of it. +I am. I haven't done so much talking, for years." + +Charlie and Peters thanked their new acquaintance, warmly, for the +pains he had taken in explaining the various circumstances and events +which had led to the present unfortunate position; and Charlie asked, +as they stood up to say goodnight to Mr. Johnson, "What has become of +Clive, all this time?" + +"After the conquest of Devikota," Mr. Johnson said, "the civilians in +the service were called back to their posts; but to show that they +recognized his services, the authorities allowed Clive to attain the +rank of captain, which would have been bestowed upon him had he +remained in the military service, and they appointed him commissary to +the army, a post which would take him away from the office work he +hated. Almost directly afterwards, he got a bad attack of fever, and +was forced to take a cruise in the Bay of Bengal. He came back in time +to go with Gingen's force; but after the defeat of Valkonda he +resigned his office, I suppose in disgust, and returned to Fort Saint +David. In July, some of the Company's ships came in with some +reinforcements. There were no military officers left at Fort Saint +David, so Mr. Pigot, a member of the council, started with a large +convoy of stores, escorted by eighty English and three hundred Sepoys. +Clive volunteered to accompany them. They had to march thirty or forty +miles to Verdachelam, a town close to the frontier of Tanjore, through +which the convoy to Trichinopoli would be able to pass unopposed, but +the intervening country was hostile to the English. + +"However, the convoy passed unmolested, and after seeing it safely to +that point, Pigot and Clive set out to return, with an escort of +twelve Sepoys. They were at once attacked, and for miles a heavy fire +was kept up on them. Seven of the escort were killed, the rest reached +Fort Saint David in safety. Pigot's report of Clive's conduct, +strengthened by that previously made by Major Lawrence, induced the +authorities to transfer him permanently to the army. He received a +commission as captain and was sent off, with a small detachment +remaining at Saint David's, to Devikota. + +"There he placed himself under Captain Clarke, who commanded; and the +whole body, numbering altogether a hundred English, fifty Sepoys, with +a small field piece, marched up to Trichinopoli, and I hear managed to +make its way in safety. He got in about a month ago." + +"And what force have we altogether, here and at Saint David's, in case +Trichinopoli falls?" + +"What with the detachment that came with you, and two others which +arrived about ten days back, we have altogether about three hundred +and fifty men. What on earth could these do against all the force of +the nawab, the subadar, and three or four thousand French troops?" + +The prospect certainly seemed gloomy in the extreme, and the young +writers retired to their beds, on this, the first night of their +arrival in India, with the conviction that circumstances were in a +desperate position. + +The next day they set to work, and at its end agreed that they should +bear the loss of their situations, and their expulsion from the +country, with more than resignation. It was now August, the heat was +terrible, and as they sat in their shirtsleeves at their desks, bathed +in perspiration, at their work of copying invoices, they felt that any +possible change of circumstances would be for the better. + +The next day, and the next, still further confirmed these ideas. The +nights were nearly as hot as the days. Tormented by mosquitoes, they +tossed restlessly in their beds for hours, dozing off towards morning +and awaking unrefreshed and worn out. When released from work at the +end of the third day, Charlie and Peters strolled down together to the +beach, and bewailed their hard fate. + +"There are two ships coming from the south," Charlie said presently. +"I wonder whether they're from England, or Fort Saint David?" + +"Which do you hope they will be?" Peters said. + +"I hope they're from Saint David's," Charlie answered. "Even if they +made a quick voyage, they couldn't have left England many weeks after +us; and although I should be glad to get news from home, I am still +more anxious, just at present, for news from Saint David's. Between +ourselves, I long to hear of the fall of Trichinopoli. Everyone says +it is certain to take place before long, and the sooner it does, the +sooner we shall be out of this frightful place." + +After dinner they again went down to the beach, and were joined by +Doctor Rae, who chatted with them as to the ships, which were now just +anchoring. These had already signalled that they were from Saint +David's, and that they had on board Mr. Saunders, the governor, and a +detachment of troops. Already the soldiers from the Lizzie Anderson, +aided by a number of natives, were at work pitching tents in the fort +for the reception of the newcomers, and conjecture was busy on shore, +among the civilians, as to the object of bringing troops from Saint +David's to Madras, that is, directly away from the scene of action. + +"It is one of two things," Doctor Rae said: "Either Trichinopoli has +surrendered and they are evacuating Fort Saint David, or they have +news that the nawab is marching to attack us here. I should think it +to be the latter, for Fort Saint David is a great deal stronger than +this place, though the French did strengthen it during their stay +here. If, then, the authorities have determined to abandon one of the +two towns, and to concentrate all their force for the defence of the +other, I should have thought they would have held on to Saint David's. + +"There is a boat being lowered from one of the ships, so we shall soon +have news." + +A signal from the ship announced that the governor was about to land, +and the principal persons at the factory assembled on the beach to +receive him. Doctor Rae and the two young writers stood, a short +distance from the party. As the boat was beached, Mr. Saunders sprang +out and, surrounded by those assembled to meet him, walked at once +towards the factory. An officer got out from the boat and +superintended the debarkation of the baggage, which a number of +coolies at once placed on their heads and carried away. + +The officer was following them, when his eye fell upon Doctor Rae. + +"Ah! Doctor," he said, "how are you? When did you get out again from +England?" + +"Only three or four days since, Captain Clive. I did not recognize +you, at first. I am glad to see you again." + +"Yes, I have cast my slough," Captain Clive said, laughing, "and have, +thank God, exchanged my pen for a sword, for good." + +"You were able to fight, though, as a civilian," Doctor Rae said, +laughing. + +"Yes, we had some tough fighting behind the ramparts of Saint David's, +and in the trenches before Pondicherry; but we shall have sharper +work, still before us, or I am mistaken." + +"What! Are they going to attack us here?" Doctor Rae exclaimed. + +"Oh no, just the other way," Captain Clive said. "We are going to +carry the war into their quarters. It is a secret yet, and must not go +farther." + +And he included the two writers in his look. + +"These are two fresh comers, Captain Clive. They came out in the same +ship with me. This is Mr. Marryat, this Mr. Peters. They are both +brave young gentlemen, and had an opportunity of proving it on the way +out, for we were twice engaged; the first time with privateers; the +second, a very sharp affair, with pirates. That ship lying off there +is a pirate we captured." + +"Aha!" Captain Clive said, looking keenly at the lads. "Well, young +gentlemen, and how do you like what you have seen of your life here?" + +"We hate it, sir," Charlie said. "We would, both of us, a thousand +times rather enlist under you as private soldiers. Oh, sir, if there +is any expedition going to take place, do you think there is a chance +of our being allowed to go as volunteers?" + +"I will see about it," Captain Clive said, smiling. "Trade must be +dull enough here, at present, and we want every hand that can hold a +sword or a musket in the field. + +"You are sure you can recommend them?" he said, turning to Doctor Rae +with a smile. + +"Most warmly," the doctor said. "They both showed great coolness and +courage, in the affairs I spoke of. Have you any surgeons with you, +Captain Clive? If not, I hope that I shall go with any expedition that +will take place. The doctor here is just recovering from an attack of +fever and will not be fit, for weeks, for the fatigues of active +service. + +"May I ask who is to command the expedition?" + +"I am," Clive said quietly. "You may well look surprised that an +officer who has but just joined should have been selected; but in +fact, there is no one else. Cope and Gingen are both at Trichinopoli, +and even if they were not--" he paused, and a shrug of the shoulders +expressed his meaning clearly. "Mr. Saunders is good enough to feel +some confidence in my capacity, and I trust that I shall not +disappoint him. + +"We are going--but this, mind, is a profound secret till the day we +march--to attack Arcot. It is the only possible way of relieving +Trichinopoli." + +"To attack Arcot?" Doctor Rae said, astonished. "That does indeed +appear a desperate enterprise, with such a small body as you have at +your command, and these, entirely new recruits. But I recognize the +importance of the enterprise. If you should succeed, it will draw off +Chunda Sahib from Trichinopoli. It's a grand idea, Captain Clive, a +grand idea, though I own it seems to me a desperate one." + +"In desperate times we must take desperate measures, Doctor," Captain +Clive said. "Now I must be going on after the governor. I shall see +you tomorrow. + +"I will not forget you, young gentlemen." + +So saying, he proceeded to the factory. + +It was afterwards known that the proposal, to effect a diversion by an +expedition against Arcot, was the proposal of Clive himself. Upon +arriving at Trichinopoli, he had at once seen that all was lost, +there. The soldiers were utterly dispirited and demoralized. They had +lost all confidence in themselves and their officers, who had also +lost confidence in themselves. At Trichinopoli nothing was to be done, +and it must be either starved out, or fall an easy prey should the +enemy advance to the assault. Clive had, then, after a few days' stay, +made his way out from the town, and proceeded to Fort Saint David, +where he had laid before the governor the proposal, which he believed +to be the only possible measure which could save the English in India. + +The responsibility thus set before Mr. Saunders was a grave one. Upon +the one hand, he was asked to detach half of the already inadequate +garrisons of Fort Saint David and Madras upon an enterprise which, if +unsuccessful, must be followed by the loss of the British possessions, +of which he was governor. He would have to take this great risk, not +upon the advice of a tried veteran like Lawrence, but on that of a +young man, only a month or two back a civilian; and it was to this +young man, untried in command, that the leadership of this desperate +enterprise must be intrusted. + +Upon the other hand, if he refused to take this responsibility the +fall of Trichinopoli, followed by the loss of the three English ports, +was certain. But for this no blame or responsibility could rest upon +him. Many men would have chosen the second alternative; but Mr. +Saunders had, since Clive's return, seen a good deal of him, and had +been impressed with a strong sense of his capacity, energy, and good +sense. Mr. Pigot, who had seen Clive under the most trying +circumstances, was also his warm supporter; and Mr. Saunders at last +determined to adopt Clive's plan, and to stake the fortunes of the +English in India on this desperate venture. + +Accordingly, leaving a hundred men only at Fort Saint David, he +decided to carry the remainder to Madras; and that Clive, leaving only +fifty behind as a garrison there, should, with the whole available +force, march upon Arcot. + +The next morning as Charlie and Peters were at breakfast, a native +entered with a letter from the chief factor, to the effect that their +services in the office would be dispensed with, and that they were, in +accordance with their request, to report themselves to Captain Clive +as volunteers. No words can express the joy of the two lads, at +receiving the intelligence, and they created so much noise, in the +exuberance of their delight, that Mr. Johnson came in from the next +room to see what was the matter. + +"Ah!" he said, when he heard the cause of the uproar; "when I first +came out here, I should have done the same, and should have regarded +the certainty of being knocked on the head as cheerfully as you do. +Eight years out here takes the enthusiasm out of a man, and I shall +wait quietly to see whether we are to be transferred to Calcutta, or +shipped back to England." + +A quarter of an hour later, Charlie and Peters joined Captain Clive in +the camp. + +"Ah!" he said, "My young friends, I'm glad to see you. There is plenty +for you to do, at once. We shall march tomorrow, and all preparations +have to be made. You will both have the rank of ensign, while you +serve with me. I have only six other officers, two of whom are +civilians who, like yourselves, volunteered at Saint David's. They are +of four or five year's standing and, as they speak the language, they +will serve with the Sepoys under one of my military officers. Another +officer, who is also an ensign, will take the command of the three +guns. The Europeans are divided into two companies. One of you will be +attached to each. The remaining officer commands both." + +During the day the lads had not a moment to themselves, and were +occupied until late at night in superintending the packing of stores +and tents; and the following morning, the 26th of August, 1751, the +force marched from Madras. It consisted of two hundred of the +Company's English troops, three hundred Sepoys, and three small guns. +They were led, as has been said, by eight European officers, of whom +only Clive and another had ever heard a shot fired in action, four of +the eight being young men in the civil service, who had volunteered. + +Charlie was glad to find that among the company to which he was +appointed was the detachment which had come out with him on board +ship; and the moment these heard that he was to accompany them, as +their officer, Tim Kelly pressed forward and begged that he might be +allowed to act as Charlie's servant, a request which the lad readily +complied with. + +The march the first day was eighteen miles, a distance which, in such +a climate, was sufficient to try to the utmost the powers of the young +recruits. The tents were soon erected, each officer having two or +three native servants, that number being indispensable in India. +Charlie and Peters had one tent between them, which was shared by two +other officers, as the column had moved in the lightest order possible +in India. + +"Sure, Mr. Marryat," Tim Kelly said to him confidentially, "that black +hathen of a cook is going to pison ye. I have been watching him, and +there he is putting all sorts of outlandish things into the mate. He's +been pounding them up on stones, for all the world like an apothecary, +and even if he manes no mischief, the food isn't fit to set before a +dog, let alone a Christian and a gintleman like yourself. If you give +the word, sir, I knock him over with the butt end of my musket, and do +the cooking for you, meself." + +"I'm afraid the other officers wouldn't agree to that, Tim," Charlie +said, laughing. "The food isn't so bad as it looks, and I don't think +an apprenticeship among the Irish bogs is likely to have turned you +out a first rate cook, Tim; except, of course, for potatoes." + +"Sure, now, yer honor, I can fry a rasher of bacon with any man." + +"Perhaps you might do that, Tim, but as we've no bacon here, that +won't help us. No, we must put up with the cook, and I don't think any +of us will be the worse for the dinner." + +On the morning of the 29th Clive reached Conjeveram, a town of some +size, forty-two miles from Madras. Here Clive gained the first +trustworthy intelligence as to Arcot. He found the garrison +outnumbered his own force by two to one; and that, although the +defences were not in a position to resist an attack by heavy guns, +they were capable of being defended against any force not so provided. +Clive at once despatched a messenger to Madras, begging that two +eighteen-pounders might be sent after him; and then, without awaiting +their coming he marched forward against Arcot. + + + +Chapter 7: The Siege Of Arcot. + + +From Conjeveram to Arcot is twenty-seven miles, and the troops, in +spite of a delay caused by a tremendous storm of thunder and +lightning, reached the town in two days. The garrison, struck with +panic at the sudden coming of a foe, when they deemed themselves in +absolute security, at once abandoned the fort, which they might easily +have maintained until Chunda Sahib was able to send a force to relieve +it. The city was incapable of defence after the fort had been +abandoned, and Clive took possession of both, without firing a shot. + +He at once set to work to store up provisions in the fort, in which he +found eight guns and an abundance of ammunition, as he foresaw the +likelihood of his having to stand a siege there; and then, leaving a +garrison to defend it in his absence, marched on the 4th of September +with the rest of his forces against the enemy, who had retired from +the town to the mud fort of Timari, six miles south of Arcot. After a +few discharges with their cannon they retired hastily, and Clive +marched back to Arcot. + +Two days later, however, he found that they had been reinforced, and +as their position threatened his line of communications, he again +advanced towards them. He found the enemy about two thousand strong, +drawn up in a grove under cover of the guns of the fort. The grove was +inclosed by a bank and ditch, and some fifty yards away was a dry +tank, inclosed by a bank higher than that which surrounded the grove. +In this the enemy could retire, when dislodged from their first +position. + +Charlie's heart beat fast when he heard the order given to advance. +The enemy outnumbered them by five to one, and were in a strong +position. As the English advanced, the enemy's two field pieces opened +upon them. Only three men were killed, and, led by their officers, the +men went at the grove at the double. The enemy at once evacuated it, +and took refuge in the tank, from behind whose high bank they opened +fire upon the English. + +Clive at once divided his men into two columns, and sent them round to +attack the tank upon two sides. The movement was completely +successful. At the same moment the men went with a rush at the banks, +and upon reaching the top opened a heavy fire upon the crowded mass +within. These at once fled in disorder. + +Clive then summoned the fort to surrender; but the commander, seeing +that Clive had no battering train, refused to do so; and Clive fell +back upon Arcot again, until his eighteen-pounders should arrive. + +For the next eight days, the troops were engaged in throwing up +defences, and strengthening and victualling the fort. The enemy, +gaining confidence, gathered to the number of three thousand, and +encamped three miles from the town, proclaiming that they were about +to besiege; and at midnight on the 14th Clive sallied out, took them +by surprise, and dispersed them. + +The two eighteen-pounders, for which Clive had sent to Madras, were +now well upon the road, under the protection of a small body of +Sepoys, and were approaching Conjeveram. The enemy sent a considerable +body of troops to cut off the guns, and Clive found that the small +number which he had sent out, to meet the approaching party, would not +be sufficient. He therefore resolved to take the whole force, leaving +only sufficient to garrison the fort. + +The post which the enemy occupied was a temple near Conjeveram, and as +this was twenty-seven miles distant, the force would be obliged to be +absent for at least two days. As it would probably be attacked, and +might have to fight hard, he decided on leaving only thirty Europeans +and fifty Sepoys within the fort. He appointed Doctor Rae to the +command of the post during his absence, and placed Charlie and Peters +under his orders. + +"I wonder whether they will have any fighting," Charlie said, as the +three officers looked from the walls of the fort after the departing +force. + +"I wish we had gone with them," Peters put in; "but it will be a long +march, in the heat." + +"I should think," Doctor Rae said, "that they are sure to have +fighting. I only hope they may not be attacked at night. The men are +very young and inexperienced, and there is nothing tries new soldiers +so much as a night attack. However, from what I hear of their own +wars, I believe that night attacks are rare among them. I don't know +that they have any superstition on the subject, as some African people +have, on the ground that evil spirits are about at night; but the +natives are certainly not brisk, after nightfall. They are extremely +susceptible to any fall of temperature, and as you have, of course, +noticed, sleep with their heads covered completely up. However, we +must keep a sharp lookout here, tonight." + +"You don't think that we are likely to be attacked, sir, do you?" + +"It is possible we may be," the doctor said. "They will know that +Captain Clive has set out from here, with the main body, and has left +only a small garrison. Of course they have spies, and will know that +there are only eighty men here, a number insufficient to defend one +side of this fort, to say nothing of the whole circle of the walls. +They have already found out that the English can fight in the open, +and their experience at Timari will make them shy of meeting us again. +Therefore, it is just possible that they may be marching in this +direction today, while Clive is going in the other, and that they may +intend carrying it with a rush. + +"I should say, today let the men repose as much as possible; keep the +sentries on the gates and walls, but otherwise let them all have +absolute quiet. You can tell the whites, and I will let the Sepoys +know, that they will have to be in readiness all night, and that they +had better, therefore, sleep as much as possible today. We will take +it by turns to be on duty, one going round the walls and seeing that +the sentries are vigilant, while the others sit in the shade and doze +off, if they can. We must all three keep on the alert, during the +night." + +Doctor Rae said that he, himself, would see that all went well for the +first four hours, after which Charlie should go on duty; and the two +subalterns accordingly made themselves as comfortable as they could in +their quarters, which were high up in the fort, and possessed a window +looking over the surrounding country. + +"Well, Tim, what is the matter with you?" they asked that soldier, as +he came in with an earthenware jar of water, which he placed to cool +in the window. "You look pale." + +"And it's pale I feel, your honor, with the life frightened fairly out +of me, a dozen times a day. It was bad enough on the march, but this +place just swarms with horrible reptiles. Shure an' it's a pity that +the holy Saint Patrick didn't find time to pay a visit to India. If +he'd driven the varmint into the sea for them, as he did in Ireland, +the whole population would have become Christians, out of pure +gratitude. Why, yer honor, in the cracks and crevices of the stones of +this ould place there are bushels and bushels of 'em. There are things +they call centipades, with a million legs on each side of them, and +horns big enough to frighten ye; of all sizes up to as long as my hand +and as thick as my finger; and they say that a bite from one of them +will put a man in a raging fever, and maybe kill him. Then there are +scorpions, the savagest looking little bastes ye ever saw, for all the +world like a little lobster with his tail turned over his back, and a +sting at the end of it. Then there's spiders, some of 'em nigh as big +as a cat." + +"Oh, nonsense, Tim!" Charlie said; "I don't think, from what I've +heard, that there's a spider in India whose body is as big as a +mouse." + +"It isn't their body, yer honor. It's their legs. They're just cruel +to look at. It was one of 'em that gave me a turn, a while ago. I was +just lying on my bed smoking my pipe, when I saw one of the creatures +(as big as a saucer, I'll take my oath) walking towards me with his +wicked eye fixed full on me. I jumped off the bed and on to a bench +that stood handy. + +"'What are ye yelling about, Tim Kelly?' said Corporal Jones to me. + +"'Here's a riotous baste here, corporal,' says I, 'that's meditating +an attack on me.' + +"'Put your foot on it, man,' says he. + +"'It's mighty fine,' says I, 'and I in my bare feet.' + +"So the corporal tells Pat Murphy, my right-hand man, to tackle the +baste. I could see Pat didn't like the job ayther, yer honor, but he's +not the boy to shrink from his duty; so he comes and he takes post on +the form by my side, and just when the cratur is making up his mind to +charge us both, Pat jumps down upon him and squelched it. + +"Shure, yer honor, the sight of such bastes is enough to turn a +Christian man's blood." + +"The spider had no idea of attacking you, Kelly," Peters said, +laughing. "It might possibly bite you in the night, though I do not +think it would do so; or if you took it up in your fingers." + +"The saints defind us, yer honor! I'd as soon think of taking a tiger +by the tail. The corporal, he's an Englishman, and lives in a country +where they've got snakes and reptiles; but it's hard on an Irish boy, +dacently brought up within ten miles of Cork's own town, to be exposed +to the like. + +"And do ye know, yer honor, when I went out into the town yesterday, +what should I see but a man sitting down against a wall, with a little +bit of a flute in his hand, and a basket by his side. Well, yer honor, +I thought maybe he was going to play a tune, when he lifts up the top +of the basket and then began to play. Ye may call it music, yer honor, +but there was nayther tune nor music in it. + +"Then all of a suddint two sarpents in the basket lifts up their +heads, with a great ear hanging down on each side, and began to wave +themselves about." + +"Well, Tim, what happened then?" Charlie asked, struggling with his +laughter. + +"Shure it's little I know what happened after, for I just took to my +heels, and I never drew breath till I was inside the gates." + +"There was nothing to be frightened at, Tim," Charlie said. "It was a +snake charmer. I have never seen one yet, but there are numbers of +them all over India. Those were not ears you saw, but the hood. The +snakes like the music, and wave their heads about in time to it. I +believe that, although they are a very poisonous snake and their bite +is certain death, there is no need to be afraid of them, as the +charmers draw out their poison fangs when they catch them." + +"Do they, now?" Tim said, in admiration. "I wonder what the regimental +barber would say to a job like that, now. He well nigh broke Dan +Sullivan's jaw, yesterday, in getting out a big tooth; and then swore +at the poor boy, for having such a powerful strong jaw. I should like +to see his face, if he was asked to pull out a tooth from one of them +dancing sarpents. + +"I brought ye in some fruits, yer honors. I don't know what they are, +but you may trust me, they're not poison. I stopped for half an hour +beside the stall, till I saw some of the people of the country buying +and ating them. So then I judged that they were safe for yer honors." + +"Now, Tim, you'd better go and lie down and get a sleep, if the +spiders will let you, for you will have to be under arms all night, as +it is possible that we may be attacked." + +The first part of the night passed quietly. Double sentries were +placed at each of the angles of the walls. The cannons were loaded, +and all ready for instant action. Doctor Rae and his two subalterns +were upon the alert, visiting the posts every quarter of an hour to +see that the men were vigilant. + +Towards two o'clock a dull sound was heard and, although nothing could +be seen, the men were at once called to arms, and took up the posts to +which they had already been told off on the walls. The noise +continued. It was slight and confused, but the natives are so quiet in +their movements, that the doctor did not doubt that a considerable +body of men were surrounding the place, and that he was about to be +attacked. + +Presently one of the sentries over the gateway perceived something +approaching. He challenged, and immediately afterwards fired. The +sound of his gun seemed to serve as the signal for an assault, and a +large body of men rushed forward at the gate, while at two other +points a force ran up to the foot of the walls, and endeavoured to +plant ladders. + +The garrison at once collected at the points of attack, a few sentries +only being left at intervals on the wall, to give notice should any +attempt be made elsewhere. From the walls, a heavy fire of musketry +was poured upon the masses below; while from the windows of all the +houses around, answering flashes of fire shot out, a rain of bullets +being directed at the battlements. Doctor Rae himself commanded at the +gate; one of the subalterns at each of the other points assailed. + +The enemy fought with great determination. Several times the ladders +were planted and the men swarmed up them, but as often these were +hurled back upon the crowd below. At the gate the assailants +endeavoured to hew their way, with axes, through it; but so steady was +the fire directed, from the loopholes which commanded it, upon those +so engaged, that they were, each time, forced to recoil with great +slaughter. It was not until nearly daybreak that the attack ceased, +and the assailants, finding that they could not carry the place by a +coup de main, fell back. + +The next day, the main body of the British force returned with the +convoy. News arrived, the following day, that the enemy were +approaching to lay siege to the place. + +The news of the capture of Arcot had produced the effect which Clive +had anticipated from it. It alarmed and irritated the besiegers of +Trichinopoli, and inspired the besieged with hope and exultation. The +Mahratta chief of Gutti and the Rajah of Mysore, with whom Muhammud +Ali had for some time been negotiating, at once declared in his +favour. The Rajah of Tanjore and the chief of Pudicota, adjoining that +state, who had hitherto remained strictly neutral, now threw in their +fortunes with the English, and thereby secured the communications +between Trichinopoli and the coast. + +Chunda Sahib determined to lose not a moment in recovering Arcot, +knowing that its recapture would at once cool the ardour of the new +native allies of the English; and that, with its capture, the last +hope of the besieged in Trichinopoli would be at an end. Continuing +the siege, he despatched three thousand of his best troops, with a +hundred and fifty Frenchmen, to reinforce the two thousand men already +near Arcot, under the command of his son Riza Sahib. Thus the force +about to attack Arcot amounted to five thousand men; while the +garrison under Clive's orders had, by the losses in the defence of the +fort, by fever and disease, been reduced to one hundred and twenty +Europeans, and two hundred Sepoys; while four out of the eight +officers were hors de combat. + +The fort which this handful of men had to defend was in no way capable +of offering a prolonged resistance. Its walls were more than a mile in +circumference, and were in a very bad state of repair. The rampart was +narrow and the parapet low, and the ditch, in many places, dry. The +fort had two gates. These were in towers standing beyond the ditch, +and connected with the interior by a causeway across it. The houses in +the town in many places came close up to the walls, and from their +roofs the ramparts of the forts were commanded. + +On the 23rd September Riza Sahib, with his army, took up his position +before Arcot. Their guns had not, however, arrived, with the exception +of four mortars; but they at once occupied all the houses near the +fort, and from the walls and upper windows kept up a heavy fire on the +besieged. + +Clive determined to make an effort, at once, to drive them from this +position, and he accordingly, on the same afternoon, made a sortie. So +deadly a fire, however, was poured into the troops as they advanced, +that they were unable to make any way, and were forced to retreat into +the fort again, after suffering heavy loss. + +On the night of the 24th, Charlie Marryat, with twenty men carrying +powder, was lowered from the walls; and an attempt was made to blow up +the houses nearest to them; but little damage was done, for the enemy +were on the alert, and they were unable to place the powder in +effective positions, and with a loss of ten of their number the +survivors with difficulty regained the fort. + +For the next three weeks the position remained unchanged. So heavy was +the fire which the enemy, from their commanding position, maintained, +that no one could show his head for a moment, without running the risk +of being shot. Only a few sentinels were kept upon the walls, to +prevent the risk of surprise, and these had to remain stooping below +the parapet. Every day added to the losses. + +Captain Clive had a series of wonderful escapes, and indeed the men +began to regard him with a sort of superstitious reverence, believing +that he had a charmed life. One of his three remaining officers, +seeing an enemy taking deliberate aim at him through a window, +endeavoured to pull him aside. The native changed his aim, and the +officer fell dead. On three other occasions sergeants, who accompanied +him on his rounds, were shot dead by his side. Yet no ball touched +him. + +Provisions had been stored in the fort, before the commencement of the +siege, sufficient for sixty days; and of this a third was already +exhausted when, on the 14th of October, the French troops serving with +Riza Sahib received two eighteen-pounders, and seven smaller pieces of +artillery. Hitherto the besiegers had contented themselves with +harassing the garrison night and day, abstaining from any attack which +would cost them lives, until the arrival of their guns. Upon receiving +these, they at once placed them in a battery which they had prepared +on the northwest of the fort, and opened fire. + +So well was this battery placed, and so accurate the aim of its gunner, +that the very first shot dismounted one of the eighteen-pounders in the +fort. The second again struck the gun and completely disabled it. The +besieged mounted their second heavy gun in its place, and were preparing +to open fire on the French battery, when a shot struck it also and +dismounted it. It was useless to attempt to replace it, and it was, +during the night, removed to a portion of the walls not exposed to the +fire of the enemy's battery. The besiegers continued their fire, and in +six days had demolished the wall facing their battery, making a breach +of fifty feet wide. + +Clive, who had now only the two young subalterns serving under him, +worked indefatigably. His coolness and confidence of bearing kept up +the courage of his little garrison, and every night, when darkness hid +them from the view of the enemy's sharpshooters, the men laboured to +prepare for the impending attack. Works were thrown up inside the +fort, to command the breach. Two deep trenches were dug, one behind +the other; the one close to the wall, the other some distance farther +back. These trenches were filled with sharp iron three-pointed spikes, +and palisades erected extending from the ends of the ditches to the +ramparts, and a house pulled down in the rear to the height of a +breastwork, behind which the garrison could fire at the assailants, as +they endeavoured to cross the ditches. + +One of the three field pieces Clive had brought with him he mounted on +a tower, flanking the breach outside. Two he held in reserve, and +placed two small guns, which he had found in the fort when he took it, +on the flat roof of a house in the fort commanding the inside of the +breach. + +From the roofs of some of the houses around the fort the besiegers +beheld the progress of these defences; and Riza Sahib feared, in spite +of his enormously superior numbers, to run the risk of a repulse. He +knew that the amount of provisions which Clive had stored was not +large, and thinking that famine would inevitably compel his surrender, +shrank from incurring the risk of disheartening his army, by the +slaughter which an unsuccessful attempt to carry the place must +entail. He determined, at any rate, to increase the probability of +success, and utilize his superior forces, by making an assault at two +points, simultaneously. He therefore erected a battery on the +southwest, and began to effect a breach on that side, also. + +Clive, on his part, had been busy endeavouring to obtain assistance. +His native emissaries, penetrating the enemy's lines, carried the news +of the situation of affairs in the fort to Madras, Fort Saint David, +and Trichinopoli. At Madras a few fresh troops had arrived from +England, and Mr. Saunders, feeling that Clive must be relieved at all +cost, however defenceless the state of Madras might be, despatched, on +the 20th of October, a hundred Europeans and a hundred Sepoys, under +Lieutenant Innis. These, after three days' marching, arrived at +Trivatoor, twenty-two miles from Arcot. + +Riza Sahib had heard of his approach; and sent a large body of troops, +with two guns, to attack him. The contest was too unequal. Had the +British force been provided with field pieces, they might have gained +the day; but, after fighting with great bravery, they were forced to +fall back; with a loss of twenty English and two officers killed and +many more wounded, while the Sepoys suffered equally severely. + +One of Clive's messengers reached Murari Reo, the Mahratta chief of +Gutti. This man was a ferocious free-booting chief, daring and brave +himself, and admiring those qualities in others. Hitherto, his +alliance with Muhammud Ali was little more than nominal, for he had +dreaded bringing upon himself the vengeance of Chunda Sahib and the +French, whose ultimate success in the strife appeared certain. Clive's +march upon Arcot, and the heroic defence which the handful of men +there were opposing to overwhelming numbers, excited his highest +admiration. As he afterwards said, he had never before believed that +the English could fight, and when Clive's messenger reached him, he at +once sent back a promise of assistance. + +Riza Sahib learned, almost as soon as Clive himself, that the +Mahrattas were on the move. The prospects of his communications being +harassed, by these daring horsemen, filled him with anxiety. Murari +Reo was encamped, with six thousand men, at a spot thirty miles to the +west of Arcot; and he might, at any moment, swoop down upon the +besiegers. Although, therefore, Riza Sahib had for six days been at +work effecting a new breach, which was now nearly open to assault, he +sent on the 30th of October a flag of truce, with an offer to Clive of +terms, if he would surrender Arcot. + +The garrison were to be allowed to march out with their arms and +baggage, while to Clive himself he offered a large sum of money. In +case of refusal, he threatened to storm the fort, and put all its +defenders to the sword. Clive returned a defiant refusal, and the guns +again opened on the second breach. + +On the 9th of November, the Mahrattas began to show themselves in the +neighbourhood of the besieging army. The force under Lieutenant Innis +had been reinforced, and was now under the command of Captain +Kilpatrick, who had a hundred and fifty English troops, with four +field guns. This was now advancing. + +Four days later the new breach had attained a width of thirty yards, +but Clive had prepared defences in the rear, similar to those at the +other breach; and the difficulties of the besiegers would here be much +greater, as the ditch was not fordable. + +The fifty days which the siege had lasted had been terrible ones for +the garrison. Never daring to expose themselves unnecessarily during +the day, yet ever on the alert to repel an attack; labouring at night +at the defences, with their numbers daily dwindling, and the prospect +of an assault becoming more and more imminent, the work of the little +garrison was terrible; and it is to the defences of Lucknow and +Cawnpore, a hundred years later, that we must look to find a parallel, +in English warfare, for their endurance and bravery. + +Both Charlie Marryat and Peters had been wounded, but in neither case +were the injuries severe enough to prevent their continuing on duty. +Tim Kelly had his arm broken by a ball, while another bullet cut a +deep seam along his cheek, and carried away a portion of his ear. With +his arm in splints and a sling, and the side of his face covered with +strappings and plaster, he still went about his business. + +"Ah! Yer honors," he said one day to his masters; "I've often been out +catching rabbits, with ferrits to drive 'em out of their holes, and +sticks to knock 'em on the head, as soon as they showed themselves; +and it's a divarshun I was always mightily fond of, but I never quite +intered into the feelings of the rabbits. Now I understand them +complately, for ain't we rabbits ourselves? The officers, saving your +presence, are the ferrits who turn us out of our holes on duty; and +the niggers yonder, with their muskets and their matchlocks, are the +men with sticks, ready to knock us on head, directly we show +ourselves. If it plase Heaven that I ever return to the ould country +again, I'll niver lend a hand at rabbiting, to my dying day." + + + +Chapter 8: The Grand Assault. + + +The 14th of November was a Mohammedan festival, and Riza Sahib +determined to utilize the enthusiasm and fanatic zeal, which such an +occasion always excites among the followers of the Prophet, to make +his grand assault upon Arcot, and to attack at three o'clock in the +morning. Every preparation was made on the preceding day, and four +strong columns told off for the assault. Two of these were to attack +by the breaches, the other two at the gates. Rafts were prepared to +enable the party attacking by the new breach to cross the moat, while +the columns advancing against the gates were to be preceded by +elephants, who, with iron plates on their foreheads, were to charge +and batter down the gates. + +Clive's spies brought him news of the intended assault, and at +midnight he learned full particulars as to the disposition of the +enemy. His force was now reduced to eighty Europeans, and a hundred +and twenty Sepoys. Every man was told off to his post, and then, +sentries being posted to arouse them at the approach of the enemy, the +little garrison lay down in their places, to get two or three hours' +sleep before the expected attack. + +At three o'clock, the firing of three shells from the mortars into the +fort gave the signal for assault. The men leaped up and stood to their +arms, full of confidence in their ability to resist the attack. Soon +the shouts of the advancing columns testified to the equal confidence +and ardour of the assailants. + +Not a sound was heard within the walls of the fort, until the +elephants advanced towards the gates. Then suddenly a stream of fire +leaped out from loophole and battlement. So well directed and +continuous was the fire, that the elephants, dismayed at the outburst +of fire and noise, and smarting from innumerable wounds, turned and +dashed away, trampling in their flight multitudes of men in the dense +columns packed behind them. These, deprived of the means upon which +they had relied to break in the gates, turned and retreated rapidly. + +Scarcely less prolonged was the struggle at the breaches. At the first +breach, a very strong force of the enemy marched resolutely forward. +They were permitted, without a shot being fired at them, to cross the +dry ditch, mount the shattered debris of the wall, and pour into the +interior of the fort. Forward they advanced until, without a check, +they reached the first trench bristling with spikes. + +Then, as they paused for a moment, from the breastwork in front of +them, from the ramparts, and every spot which commanded the trench, a +storm of musketry was poured on them; while the gunners swept the +crowded mass with grape, and bags of bullets. The effect was +tremendous. Mowed down in heaps, the assailants recoiled; and then, +without a moment's hesitation, turned and fled. Three times, strongly +reinforced, they advanced to the attack; but were each time repulsed, +with severe slaughter. + +Still less successful were those at the other breach. A great raft, +capable of carrying seventy, conveyed the head of the storming party +across the ditch; and they had just reached the foot of the breach, +when Clive, who was himself at this point, turned two field pieces +upon them, with deadly effect. The raft was upset and smashed, and the +column, deprived of its intended means of crossing the ditch, desisted +from the attack. + +Among those who had fallen, at the great breach, was the commander of +the storming party; a man of great valour. Four hundred of his +followers had also been killed, and Riza Sahib, utterly disheartened +at his repulse at all points, decided not to renew the attack. He had +still more than twenty men to each of the defenders; but the obstinacy +of their resistance, and the moral effect produced by it upon his +troops; the knowledge that the Mahratta horse were hovering in his +rear, and that Kilpatrick's little column was close at hand; +determined him to raise the siege. + +After the repulse of the assault, the heavy musketry fire from the +houses around the fort was continued. At two in the afternoon he asked +for two hours' truce, to bury the dead. This was granted, and on its +conclusion the musketry fire was resumed, and continued until two in +the morning. Then suddenly, it ceased. Under cover of the fire, Riza +Sahib had raised the siege, and retired with his army to Vellore. + +On the morning of the 15th, Clive discovered that the enemy had +disappeared. The joy of the garrison was immense. Every man felt +proud, and happy in the thought that he had taken his share in a +siege, which would not only be memorable in English history till the +end of time, but which had literally saved India to us. The little +band made the fort re-echo with their cheers, when the news came in. +Caps were thrown high in the air, and the men indulged in every +demonstration of delight. + +Clive was not a man to lose time. The men were at once formed up, and +marched into the abandoned camp of the enemy; where they found four +guns, four mortars, and a great quantity of ammunition. A cloud of +dust was seen approaching, and soon a mounted officer, riding forward, +announced the arrival of Captain Kilpatrick's detachment. + +Not a moment was lost, for Clive felt the importance of, at once, +following up the blow inflicted by the repulse of the enemy. Three +days were spent, in continuous labour, in putting the fort of Arcot +again in a position of defence; and, leaving Kilpatrick in charge +there, he marched out with two hundred Europeans, seven hundred +Sepoys, and three guns, and attacked and took Timari, the little fort +which before baffled him. + +This done, he returned towards Arcot to await the arrival of a +thousand Mahratta horse, which Murari Reo had promised him. When these +arrived, however, they proved unwilling to accompany him. Upon their +way, they had fallen in with a portion of Riza Sahib's retreating +force, and had been worsted in the attack; and as the chance of +plunder seemed small, while the prospect of hard blows was certain, +the free-booting horsemen refused, absolutely, to join in the pursuit +of the retreating enemy. + +Just at this moment, the news came in that reinforcements from +Pondicherry were marching to meet Riza Sahib at Arni, a place +seventeen miles south of Arcot, twenty south of Vellore. It was stated +that, with these reinforcements, a large sum of money was being +brought, for the use of Riza Sahib's army. When the Mahrattas heard +the news, the chance of booty at once altered their intentions, and +they declared themselves ready to follow Clive. The greater portion of +them, however, had dispersed, plundering over the country, and great +delay was caused before they could be collected. When six hundred of +them had been brought together, Clive determined to wait no longer, +but started at once for Arni. + +The delay enabled Riza Sahib, marching down from Vellore, to meet his +reinforcements; and when Clive, after a forced march of twenty miles, +approached Arni, he found the enemy, composed of three hundred French +troops, two thousand five hundred Sepoys, and two thousand horsemen, +with four guns, drawn up before it. Seeing their immense superiority +in numbers, these advanced to the attack. + +Clive determined to await them where he stood. The position was an +advantageous one. He occupied a space of open ground, some three +hundred yards in width. On his right flank was a village, on the left +a grove of palm trees. In front of the ground he occupied were rice +fields, which, it being the wet season, were very swampy, and +altogether impracticable for guns. These fields were crossed by a +causeway which led to the village, but as it ran at an angle across +them, those advancing upon it were exposed to the fire of the English +front. Clive posted the Sepoys in the village, the Mahratta horsemen +in the grove, and the two hundred English, with the guns, on the +ground between them. + +The enemy advanced at once. His native cavalry, with some infantry, +marched against the grove; while the French troops, with about fifteen +hundred infantry, moved along the causeway against the village. + +The fight began on the English left. There the Mahratta cavalry fought +bravely. Issuing from the palm grove, they made repeated charges +against the greatly superior forces of the enemy. But numbers told, +and the Mahrattas, fighting fiercely, were driven back into the palm +grove; where they, with difficulty, maintained themselves. + +In the meantime, the fight was going on at the centre. Clive opened +fire with his guns on the long column marching, almost across his +front, to attack the village. The enemy, finding themselves exposed to +a fire which they were powerless to answer, quitted the causeway, and +formed up in the rice fields fronting the English position. The guns, +protected only by a few Frenchmen and natives, remained on the +causeway. + +Clive now despatched two of his guns, and fifty English, to aid the +hard-pressed Mahrattas in the grove; and fifty others to the village, +with orders to join the Sepoys there, to dash forward on to the +causeway, and charge the enemy's guns. + +As the column issued from the village along the causeway, at a rapid +pace, the French limbered up their guns and retired at a gallop. The +infantry, dispirited at their disappearance, fell back across the rice +fields; an example which their horsemen on their right, already +dispirited by the loss which they were suffering, from the +newly-arrived English musketry and the discharges of the field pieces, +followed without delay. + +Clive at once ordered a pursuit. The Mahrattas were despatched after +the enemy's cavalry, while he himself, with his infantry, advanced +across the causeway and pressed upon the main body. Three times the +enemy made a stand, but each time failed to resist the impetuosity of +the pursuers, and the night alone put a stop to the pursuit, by which +time the enemy were completely routed. + +The material loss had not been heavy, for but fifty French and a +hundred and fifty natives were killed or wounded; but the army was +broken up, the morale of the enemy completely destroyed; and it was +proved to all Southern India, which was anxiously watching the +struggle, that the English were, in the field of battle, superior to +their European rivals. This assurance alone had an immense effect. It +confirmed, in their alliance with the English, many of the chiefs +whose friendship had hitherto been lukewarm; and brought over many +waverers to our side. + +In the fight, eight Sepoys and fifty of the Mahratta cavalry were +killed or disabled. The English did not lose a single man. Many of +Riza Sahib's soldiers came in, during the next few days, and enlisted +in the British force. The Mahrattas captured the treasure, the +prospect of which had induced them to join in the fight, and the +governor of Arni agreed to hold the town for Muhammud Ali. + +Clive moved on at once to Conjeveram, where thirty French troops and +three hundred Sepoys occupied the temple, a very strong building. +Clive brought up two eighteen-pounders from Madras, and pounded the +walls; and the enemy, seeing that the place must fall, evacuated it in +the night, and retired to Pondicherry. North Arcot being now +completely in the power of the English, Clive returned to Madras; and +then sailed to Fort Saint David, to concert measures with Mr. Saunders +for the relief of Trichinopoli. This place still held out, thanks +rather to the feebleness and indecision of Colonel Law, who commanded +the besiegers, than to any effort on the part of the defenders. + +Governor Dupleix, at Pondicherry, had seen with surprise the result of +Clive's dash upon Arcot. He had, however, perceived that the +operations there were wholly secondary, and that Trichinopoli was +still the all-important point. The fall of that place would more than +neutralize Clive's successes at Arcot; and he, therefore, did not +suffer Clive's operations to distract his attention here. Strong +reinforcements and a battering train were sent forward to the +besiegers; and, by repeated messages, he endeavoured to impress upon +Law and Chunda Sahib the necessity of pressing forward the capture of +Trichinopoli. + +But Dupleix was unfortunate in his instruments. Law was always +hesitating and doubting. Chunda Sahib, although clever to plan, was +weak in action; indecisive, at moments when it was most necessary that +he should be firm. So then, in spite of the entreaties of Dupleix, he +had detached a considerable force to besiege Clive. Dupleix, seeing +this, and hoping that Clive might be detained at Arcot long enough to +allow of the siege of Trichinopoli being brought to a conclusion, had +sent the three hundred French soldiers to strengthen the force of Riza +Sahib. + +He had still an overpowering force at Trichinopoli, Law having nine +hundred trained French soldiers, a park of fifty guns, two thousand +Sepoys, and the army of Chunda Sahib, twenty thousand strong. Inside +Trichinopoli were a few English soldiers under Captain Cope, and a +small body of troops of Muhammud Ali; while outside the walls, between +them and the besiegers, was the English force under Gingen, the men +utterly dispirited, the officer without talent, resolution, or +confidence. + +Before leaving the troops with which he had won the battle of Arni, +Clive had expressed, to the two young writers, his high appreciation +of their conduct during the siege of Arcot; and promised them that he +would make it a personal request, to the authorities at Fort Saint +David, that they might be permanently transferred from the civil to +the military branch of the service; and such a request, made by him, +was certain to be complied with. He strongly advised them to spend +every available moment of their time in the study of the native +language; as, without that, they would be useless if appointed to +command a body of Sepoys. + +Delighted at the prospect, now open to them, of a permanent relief +from the drudgery of a clerk's life in Madras, the young fellows were +in the highest spirits; and Tim Kelly was scarcely less pleased, when +he heard that Charlie was now likely to be always employed with him. +The boys lost not a moment in sending down to Madras, to engage the +services of a native "moonshee" or teacher. They wrote to their friend +Johnson, asking him to arrange terms with the man who understood most +English, and to engage him to remain with them some time. + +A few days later, Tim Kelly came in. + +"Plase, yer honors, there's a little shrivelled atomy of a man +outside, as wants to spake wid ye. He looks for all the world like a +monkey, wrapped up in white clothes, but he spakes English after a +fashion, and has brought this letter for you. The cratur scarce looks +like a human being, and I misdoubt me whether you had better let him +in." + +"Nonsense, Tim," Charlie said, opening the letter; "it's the moonshee +we are expecting, from Madras. He has come to teach us the native +language." + +"Moonshine, is it! By jabers, and it's a mighty poor compliment to the +moon to call him so. And is it the language you're going to larn now? +Shure, Mr. Charles, I wouldn't demane myself by larning the lingo of +these black hathens. Isn't for them to larn the English, and mighty +pleased they ought to be, to get themselves to spake like Christians." + +"But who's going to teach them, Tim?" + +"Oh, they larn fast enough," said Tim. "You've only got to point to a +bottle of water, or to the fire, or whatever else you want, and swear +at them, and they understand directly. I've tried it myself, over and +over again." + +"There, Tim, it's no use standing talking any longer. Bring in the +moonshee." + +From that moment, the little man had his permanent post in a corner of +the boys' room; and, when they were not on duty, they were constantly +engaged in studying the language, writing down the names of every +object they came across and getting it by heart, and learning every +sentence, question, and answer which occurred to them as likely to be +useful. + +As for Tim, he quite lost patience at this devotion to study on the +part of his master; who, he declared to his comrades, went on just as +if he intended to become a nigger and a hathen himself. + +"It's just awful to hear him, Corporal M'Bean, jabbering away in that +foreign talk, with that little black monkey moonshine. The little +cratur a-twisting his shrivelled fingers about, that looks as if the +bones were coming through the skin. I wonder what the good father at +Blarney, where I come from, you know, Corporal, would say to sich +goings on. Faith, then, and if he were here, I'd buy a bottle of holy +water, and sprinkle it over the little hathen. I suspict he'd fly +straight up the chimney, when it touched him." + +"My opinion of you, Tim Kelly," the corporal, who was a grave +Scotchman, said; "is that you're just a fule. Your master is a brave +young gentleman, and is a deal more sensible than most of them, who +spend all their time in drinking wine and playing cards. A knowledge +of the language is most useful. What would you do, yourself, if you +were to marry a native woman, and couldn't speak to her afterwards." + +"The saints defind us!" Tim exclaimed; "and what put such an idea in +yer head, Corporal? It's nayther more nor less than an insult to +suppose that I, a dacent boy, and brought up under the teaching of +Father O'Shea, should marry a hathen black woman; and if you weren't +my suparior officer, corporal, I'd tach ye better manners." + +Fortunately, at this moment Charlie's voice was heard, shouting for +his servant; and Tim was therefore saved from the breach of the peace, +which his indignation showed that he meditated. + +December passed quietly; and then, in January, 1752, an insurrection +planned by Dupleix broke out. The governor of Pondicherry had been +suffering keenly from disappointments; which, as time went on, and his +entreaties and commands to Law to attack Trichinopoli were answered +only by excuses and reasons for delay, grew to despair; and he +resolved upon making another effort to occupy the attention of the man +in whom he already recognized a great rival, and to prevent his taking +steps for the relief of Trichinopoli. Law had over and over again +assured him that, in the course of a very few weeks, that place would +be driven by famine to surrender; and, as soon as Clive arrived at +Fort Saint David, Dupleix set about taking steps which would again +necessitate his return to the north, and so give to Law the time which +he asked for. + +Supplies of money were sent to Riza Sahib, together with four hundred +French soldiers. These marched suddenly upon Punemalli and captured +it, seized again the fortified temple of Conjeveram, and from this +point threatened both Madras and Arcot. + +Had this force possessed an active and determined commander, it could +undoubtedly have carried out Dupleix's instructions, captured Madras, +and inflicted a terrible blow upon the English. Fortunately, it had no +such head. It marched indeed against Madras, plundered and burnt the +factories, levied contributions, and obtained possession of everything +but the fort; where the civilians, and the few men who constituted the +garrison, daily expected to be attacked, in which case the place must +have fallen. This, however, the enemy never even attempted, contenting +themselves with ravaging the place outside the walls of the fort. + +The little garrison of Arcot, two hundred men in all, were astonished +at the news; that the province, which they had thought completely +conquered, was again in flames; that the road to Madras was cut, by +the occupation of Conjeveram by the French; and that Madras itself +was, save the fort, in the hands of the enemy. The fort itself, they +knew, might easily be taken, as they were aware that it was defended +by only eighty men. + +The change in the position was at once manifest, in the altered +attitude of the fickle population. The main body of the inhabitants of +Southern India were Hindoos, who had for centuries been ruled by +foreign masters. The Mohammedans from the north had been their +conquerors, and the countless wars which had taken place, to them +signified merely whether one family or another were to reign over +them. The sole desire was for peace and protection; and they, +therefore, ever inclined towards the side which seemed strongest. +Their sympathies were no stronger with their Mohammedan rulers than +with the French or English, and they only hoped that whatever power +was strongest might conquer; and that, after the hostilities were +over, their daily work might be conducted in peace, and their property +and possessions be enjoyed in security. The capture and defence of +Arcot, and the battle of Arni, had brought them to regard the English +as their final victors; and the signs of deep and even servile +respect, which greeted the conquerors wherever they went, and which +absolutely disgusted Charlie Marryat and his friend, were really +sincere marks of the welcome to masters who seemed able and willing to +maintain their rule over them. + +With the news of the successes of Riza Sahib, all this changed. The +natives no longer bent to the ground, as the English passed them in +the streets. The country people, who had flocked in with their +products to the markets, absented themselves altogether, and the whole +population prepared to welcome the French as their new masters. + +In the fort, the utmost vigilance was observed. The garrison laboured +to mend the breaches, and complete the preparations for defence. +Provisions were again stored up, and they awaited anxiously news from +Clive. + +That enterprising officer was at Fort Saint David, busy in making his +preparations for a decisive campaign against the enemy round +Trichinopoli, when the news of the rising reached him. He was +expecting a considerable number of fresh troops from England, as it +was in January that the majority of the reinforcements despatched by +the Company arrived in India; and Mr. Saunders had written to +Calcutta, begging that a hundred men might be sent thence. These were +now, with the eighty men at Madras, and the two hundred at Arcot, all +the force that could be at his disposal, for at Fort Saint David there +was not a single available man. + +With all the efforts that Clive, aided by the authorities, could make, +it was not until the middle of February that he had completed his +arrangements. On the 9th, the hundred men arrived from Bengal, and, +without the loss of a day, Clive started from Madras to form a +junction with the garrison from Arcot, who, leaving only a small force +to hold the fort, had moved down to meet him. + + + +Chapter 9: The Battle Of Kavaripak. + + +The troops from Arcot had already moved some distance on their way to +Madras, and Clive, therefore, with the new levies, joined them on the +day after his leaving Madras. The French and Riza Sahib let slip the +opportunity of attacking these bodies, before they united. They were +well aware of their movements, and had resolved upon tactics, +calculated in the first place to puzzle the English commander, to wear +out his troops, and to enable them finally to surprise and take him +entirely at a disadvantage. + +The junction with the Arcot garrison raised the force under Clive's +orders to three hundred and eighty English, thirteen hundred Sepoys, +and six field guns, while the enemy at Vendalur, a place twenty-five +miles south of Madras, where they had a fortified camp, had four +hundred French troops, two thousand Sepoys, two thousand five hundred +cavalry, and twelve guns. + +Hoping to surprise them there, Clive marched all night. When the force +approached the town they heard that the enemy had disappeared, and +that they had started, apparently, in several directions. + +The force was halted for a few hours, and then the news was obtained +that the enemy had united their forces at Conjeveram, and that they +had marched away from that place in a westerly direction. Doubting not +that they were about to attack Arcot, which, weakened by the departure +of the greater portion of its garrison, would be in no position to +defend itself against a sudden coup de main by a strong force, Clive +set his troops again in motion. The French, indeed, had already bribed +some of the native soldiers within the fort; who were to reply to a +signal made without, if they were in a position to open the gates. +However, by good fortune their treachery had been discovered, and when +the French arrived they received no reply to their signal; and as +Arcot would be sure to fall if they defeated Clive, they marched away +without attacking it, to take up the position which they had agreed +upon beforehand. + +It was at nine in the evening that Clive, at Vendalur, obtained +intelligence that the enemy had assembled at Conjeveram. The troops +had already marched twenty-five miles, but they had had a rest of five +hours, and Clive started with them at once, and reached Conjeveram, +twenty miles distant, at four in the morning. Finding that the enemy +had again disappeared, he ordered the troops to halt for a few hours. +They had already marched forty-five miles in twenty-four hours, a +great feat when it is remembered that only the Arcot garrison were in +any way accustomed to fatigue, the others being newly raised levies. +The greater portion of the Sepoys had been enlisted within the +fortnight preceding. + +"I don't know, Mr. Marryat, whether the French call this fighting. I +call it playing hide and seek," Tim Kelly said. "Shure we've bin +marching, with only a halt of two or three hours, since yisterday +morning; and my poor feet are that sore that I daren't take my boots +off me, for I'm shure I'd never git 'em on agin. If the French want to +fight us, why don't they do it square and honest, not be racing and +chasing about like a lot of wild sheep." + +"Have you seen the moonshee, Tim? He is with the baggage." + +"Shure and I saw him," Tim said. "The cart come in just now, and there +was he, perched up on the top of it like a dried monkey. You don't +want him tonight, shure, yer honor." + +"Oh no, I don't want him, Tim. You'd better go now, and get to sleep +at once, if you can. We may be off again, at any minute." + +Arcot is twenty-seven miles from Conjeveram. Clive felt certain that +the enemy had gone on to that place; but, anxious as he was for its +safety, it was absolutely necessary that the troops should have a rest +before starting on such a march. They were, therefore, allowed to rest +until twelve o'clock; when, refreshed by their eight hours' halt and +breakfast, they started upon their long march towards Arcot, making +sure that they should not find the enemy until they reached that +place. + +Had Clive possessed a body of cavalry, however small, he would have +been able to scour the country, and to make himself acquainted with +the real position of the French. Cavalry are to a general what eyes +are to a man, and without these he is liable to tumble into a pitfall. +Such was the case on the present occasion. Having no doubt that the +enemy were engaged in attacking Arcot, the troops were plodding along +carelessly and in loose order; when, to their astonishment, after a +sixteen-mile march, as they approached the town of Kavaripak just as +the sun was setting, a fire of artillery opened upon them from a grove +upon the right of the road, but two hundred and fifty yards distant. +Nothing is more confusing than a surprise of this kind, especially to +young troops, and when no enemy is thought to be near. + +The French general's plans had been well laid. He had reached +Kavaripak that morning, and allowed his troops to rest all day, and he +expected to obtain an easy victory over the tired men who would, +unsuspicious of danger, be pressing on to the relief of Arcot. So far +his calculations had been correct, and the English marched +unsuspiciously into the trap laid for them. + +The twelve French guns were placed in a grove, round whose sides, +facing the point from which Clive was approaching, ran a deep ditch +with a high bank forming a regular battery. A body of French infantry +were placed in support of the guns, with some Sepoys in reserve behind +the grove. Parallel with the road on the left ran a deep watercourse, +now empty, and in this the rest of the infantry were stationed, at a +point near the town of Kavaripak, and about a quarter of a mile +further back than the grove. On either side of this watercourse the +enemy had placed his powerful cavalry force. + +For a moment, when the guns opened, there was confusion and panic +among the British troops. Clive, however, ever cool and confident in +danger, and well seconded by his officers, rallied them at once. The +position was one of extreme danger. It was possible, indeed, to +retreat, but in the face of an enemy superior in infantry and guns, +and possessing so powerful a body of cavalry, the operation would have +been a very dangerous one. Even if accomplished, it would entail an +immense loss of morale and prestige to his troops. Hitherto, under his +leading, they had been always successful; and a belief in his own +superiority adds immensely to the fighting power of a soldier. Even +should the remnant of the force fight its way back to Madras, the +campaign would have been a lost one, and all hope of saving +Trichinopoli would have been at an end. + +"Steady, lads, steady," he shouted. "Form up quietly and steadily. We +have beaten the enemy before, you know, and we will do so again." + +While the troops, in spite of the artillery fire, fell into line, +Clive rapidly surveyed the ground. He saw the enemy's infantry +advancing up the watercourse, and so sheltered by it as to be out of +the fire of his troops. He saw their cavalry sweeping down on the +other side of the watercourse, menacing his left and threatening his +baggage. The guns were at once brought up from the rear, but before +these arrived the men were falling fast. + +Three of the guns he placed to answer the French battery, two of them +he hurried to his left, with a small body of English and two hundred +Sepoys, to check the advance of the enemy's cavalry. The main body of +his infantry he ordered into the watercourse, which afforded them a +shelter from the enemy's artillery. The baggage carts and baggage he +sent half a mile to the rear, under the protection of forty Sepoys and +a gun. + +While this was being done the enemy's fire was continuing, but his +infantry advanced but slowly, and had not reached a point abreast of +the grove when the British force in the watercourse met them. It would +not seem to be a very important matter, at what point in the +watercourse the infantry of the two opposing parties came into +collision, but matters apparently trifling in themselves often decide +the fate of battles; and, in fact, had the French artillery retained +their fire until their infantry were abreast of the grove, the battle +of Kavaripak would have been won by them, and the British power in +Southern India would have been destroyed. + +Clive moved confidently and resolutely among his men, keeping up their +courage by cheerful words, and he was well seconded by his officers. + +"Now, lads," Charlie Marryat cried to the company of which he was in +command, "stick to it. You ought to be very thankful to the French, +for saving you the trouble of having to march another twelve miles +before giving you an opportunity of thrashing them." + +The men laughed, and redoubled their fire on the French infantry, who +were facing them in the watercourse at a distance of eighty yards. +Neither party liked to charge. The French commander knew that he had +only to hold his position to win the day. His guns were mowing down +the English artillerymen. The English party on the left of the +watercourse, with difficulty, held their own against the charges of +his horsemen, and were rapidly dwindling away under the artillery +fire, while other bodies of his cavalry had surrounded the baggage, +and were attacking the little force told off to guard it. He knew, +too, that any attempt the English might make to attack the battery, +with its strong defences, must inevitably fail. + +The situation was becoming desperate. It was now ten o'clock. The +fight had gone on for four hours. No advantage had been gained, the +men were losing confidence, and the position grew more and more +desperate. Clive saw that there was but one chance of victory. The +grove could not be carried in the front, but it was just possible that +it might be open in the rear. + +Choosing a sergeant who spoke the native language well, he bade him +leave the party in the watercourse, and make his way round to the rear +of the grove, and discover whether it was strongly guarded there or +not. In twenty minutes, the sergeant returned with the news that there +was no strong force there. + +Clive at once took two hundred of his English infantry, the men who +had fought at Arcot, and quietly left the watercourse and made his way +round towards the rear of the grove. Before he had gone far the main +body in the watercourse, surprised at the sudden withdrawal of the +greater portion of the English force, and missing the presence of +Clive himself, began to lose heart. They no longer replied +energetically to the fire of the French infantry. A movement of +retreat began, the fire ceased, and in a minute or two they would have +broken in flight. + +At this moment, Clive returned. As he moved forward, he had marked the +dying away of the English fire, and guessing what had happened, had +given over the command of the column to Lieutenant Keene, the senior +officer, and hurried back to the watercourse. He arrived there just as +the troops had commenced to run away. + +Throwing himself among them, with shouts and exhortations, he +succeeded in arresting their flight; and, by assurances that the +battle was as good as won elsewhere, and that they had only to hold +their ground for a few minutes longer to ensure victory, he got them +to advance to their former position; and to reopen fire on the French, +who had, fortunately, remained inactive instead of advancing and +taking advantage of the cessation of the English fire. + +In the meantime, Lieutenant Keene led his detachment, making a long +circuit, to a point three hundred yards immediately behind the grove. +He then sent forward one of his officers, Ensign Symmonds, who spoke +French perfectly, to reconnoitre the grove. Symmonds had proceeded but +a little way, when he came upon a large number of French Sepoys, who +were covering the rear of the grove; but who, as their services were +not required, were sheltering themselves there from the random bullets +which were flying about. They at once challenged; but Symmonds +answering them in French they, being unable to see his uniform in the +darkness, and supposing him to be a French officer, allowed him to +advance. + +He passed boldly forward into the grove. He proceeded nearly through +it, until he came within sight of the guns, which were still keeping +up their fire upon those of the English; while a hundred French +infantry, who were in support, were all occupied in watching what was +going on in front of them. Symmonds returned to the detachment, by a +path to the right of that by which he had entered, and passed out +without seeing a soul. + +Lieutenant Keene gave the word to advance and, following the guidance +of Mr. Symmonds, entered the grove. He advanced, unobserved, until +within thirty yards of the enemy. Here he halted, and poured a volley +into them. + +The effect was instantaneous. Many of the French fell, and the rest, +astounded at this sudden and unexpected attack, left their guns and +fled. Sixty of them rushed for shelter into a building at the end of +the grove, where the English surrounded them and forced them to +surrender. + +By this sudden stroke, the battle of Kavaripak was won. The sound of +the musketry fire, and the immediate cessation of that of the enemy's +guns, told Clive that the grove was captured. A few minutes later +fugitives, arriving from the grove, informed the commander of the +enemy's main body of infantry of the misfortune which had befallen +them. The French fire at once ceased, and the troops withdrew. + +In the darkness, it was impossible for Clive to attempt a pursuit. He +was in ignorance of the direction the enemy had taken; his troops had +already marched sixty miles in two days; and he would, moreover, have +been exposed to sudden dashes of the enemy's cavalry. Clive, +therefore, united his troops, joined his baggage, which the little +guard had gallantly defended against the attacks of the enemy's +cavalry, and waited for morning. + +At daybreak, not an enemy was to be seen. Fifty Frenchmen lay dead on +the field, and sixty were captives. Three hundred French Sepoys had +fallen. There were, besides, many wounded. The enemy's artillery had +been all captured. The British loss was forty English and thirty +Sepoys killed, and a great number of both wounded. + +The moral effect of the victory was immense. It was the first time +that French and English soldiers had fought in the field against each +other, in India. The French had proved to the natives that they were +enormously their superiors in fighting power. Hitherto the English had +not done so. The defence of Arcot had proved that they could fight +behind walls; but the natives had, themselves, many examples of +gallant defences of this kind. The English troops, under Gingen and +Cope, had suffered themselves to be cooped up in Trichinopoli, and had +not struck a blow in its defence. + +At Kavaripak, the natives discovered that the English could fight as +well, or better than the French. The latter were somewhat stronger, +numerically, than their rivals. They had double the force of +artillery, were half as strong again in Sepoys, and had two thousand +five hundred cavalry, while the English had not a single horseman. +They had all the advantages of surprise and position; and yet, they +had been entirely defeated. + +Thenceforth the natives of India regarded the English as a people to +be feared and respected; and, for the first time, considered their +ultimate triumph over the French to be a possibility. As the policy of +the native princes had ever been to side with the strongest, the +advantage thus gained to the English cause, by the victory of +Kavaripak, was enormous. + +On the following day, the English took possession of the fort of +Kavaripak, and marched to Arcot. Scarcely had they arrived there when +Clive received a despatch from Fort Saint David; ordering him to +return there at once, with all his troops; to march to the relief of +Trichinopoli, where the garrison was reported to be in the sorest +straits, from want of provisions. + +The force reached Fort Saint David on the 11th of March. Here +preparations were hurried forward for the advance to Trichinopoli; +and, in three days, Clive was ready to start. Just as he was about to +set out, a ship arrived from England, having on board some more +troops, together with Major Lawrence and several officers, some of +whom were captains senior to Clive. + +Major Lawrence, who had already proved his capacity and energy, of +course took command of the expedition; and treated Clive, who had +served under him at the siege of Pondicherry, and whose successes in +the field had attracted his high admiration, as second in command, +somewhat to the discontent of the officers senior to him in rank. + +The force consisted of four hundred Europeans, eleven hundred Sepoys, +and eight guns, and escorted a large train of provisions and stores. +During these months which the diversion, caused by the attack of Riza +Sahib and the French upon Madras, had given to the besiegers of +Trichinopoli, they should have long since captured the town. In spite +of all the orders of Dupleix, Law could not bring himself to attack +the town; and the French governor of Pondicherry saw, with dismay, +that the two months and a half, which his efforts and energy had +gained for the besiegers, had been entirely wasted; and that it was +probable the whole fruits of his labours would be thrown away. + +He now directed Law to leave only a small force in front of +Trichinopoli, and to march with the whole of his army, and that of +Chunda Sahib, and crush the force advancing under Lawrence to the +relief of Trichinopoli. Law, however, disobeyed orders; and, indeed, +acted in direct contradiction to them. He maintained six hundred +French troops and many thousands of native before Trichinopoli, and +sent but two hundred and fifty French, and about three hundred and +fifty natives--a force altogether inferior in numbers to that which it +was sent to oppose--to arrest the progress of Lawrence's advancing +column. + +The position which this French force was directed to occupy was the +fort of Koiladi, an admirable position. As the two branches of the +Kavari were, here, but half a mile apart, had Law concentrated all his +force here he could, no doubt, have successfully opposed the English. + +Lawrence, however, when the guns of the fort opened upon him, replied +to them by the fire of his artillery; and, as the French force was +insufficient to enable its commander to fight him in the open, he was +enabled to take his troops and convoy in safety past the fort. When +Law heard this, he marched out and took his position round a lofty +and almost inaccessible rock called Elmiseram, and prepared to give +battle. + +Lawrence, however, after passing Koiladi, had been joined by a hundred +English and fifty dragoons, from Trichinopoli. These acted as guides, +and led him by a route by which he avoided the French position; and +effected a junction with two hundred Europeans, and four hundred +Sepoys from Trichinopoli; and with a body of Mahratta cavalry, under +Murari Reo. + +Law, having failed to attack the English force upon its march, now, +when its strength was nearly doubled, suddenly decided to give battle, +and advanced against the force which, wearied with its long march, had +just begun to prepare their breakfast. The French artillery at once +put the Mahratta cavalry to flight. + +Lawrence called the men again under arms, and sent Clive forward to +reconnoitre. He found the French infantry drawn up, with twenty-two +guns, with large bodies of cavalry on either flank. Opposite to the +centre of their position was a large caravansary, or native inn, with +stone buildings attached. It was nearer to their position than to that +occupied by the English, and Clive saw at once that, if seized and +held by the enemy's artillery, it would sweep the whole ground over +which the English would have to advance. + +He galloped back at full speed to Major Lawrence, and asked leave at +once to occupy the building. Obtaining permission, he advanced with +all speed to the caravansary, with some guns and infantry. + +The negligence of the French, in allowing this movement to be carried +out, was fatal to them. The English artillery opened upon them from +the cover of the inn and buildings, and to this fire the French in the +open could reply only at a great disadvantage. After a cannonade +lasting half an hour, the French, having lost forty European and three +hundred native soldiers, fell back; the English having lost only +twenty-one. + +Disheartened at this result, utterly disappointed at the failure which +had attended his long operations against Trichinopoli, without energy +or decision, Law at once raised the siege of the town, abandoning a +great portion of his baggage; and, destroying great stores of +ammunition and supplies, crossed an arm of the Kavari and took post in +the great fortified temple of Seringam. + +The delight of the troops; so long besieged in Trichinopoli; inactive, +dispirited, and hopeless, was extreme; and the exultation of Muhammud +Ali and his native allies was no less. + +Captain Cope, towards the end of the siege, had been killed, in one of +the little skirmishes which occasionally took place with the French. + +Charlie Marryat and Peters had, owing to some of the officers senior +to them being killed or invalided, and to large numbers of fresh +recruits being raised, received a step in rank. They were now +lieutenants, and each commanded a body of Sepoys, two hundred strong. +At Charlie's request, Tim Kelly was detached from his company, and +allowed to remain with him as soldier servant. After the retreat of +the French, and the settling down of the English force in the lines +they had occupied, Charlie and his friend entered Trichinopoli, and +were surprised at the temples and palaces there. Although very +inferior to Tanjore, and in no way even comparable to the cities of +the northwest of India, Trichinopoli was a far more important city +than any they had hitherto seen. They ascended the lofty rock, and +visited the fort on its summit, which looked as if, in the hands of a +resolute garrison, it should be impregnable to attack. + +The manner in which this rock, as well as that of Elmiseram and others +lying in sight, rose sheer up from the plain, filled them with +surprise; for, although these natural rock fortresses are common +enough in India, they are almost without an example in Europe. After +visiting the fort they rambled through the town, and were amused at +the scene of bustle in its streets; and at the gay shops, full of +articles new and curious to them, in the bazaars. + +"They are wonderfully clever and ingenious," Charlie said. "Look what +rough tools that man is working with, and what delicate and intricate +work he is turning out. If these fellows could but fight as well as +they work, and were but united among themselves, not only should we be +unable to set a foot in India, but the emperor, with the enormous +armies which he would be able to raise, would be able to threaten +Europe. I suppose they never have been really good fighting men. +Alexander, a couple of thousand years ago, defeated them; and since +then the Afghans, and other northern peoples, have been always +overrunning and conquering them. + +"I can't make it out. These Sepoys, after only a few weeks' training, +fight almost as well as our own men. I wonder how it is that, when +commanded by their own countrymen, they are able to make so poor a +fight of it. + +"We had better be going back to camp again, Peters. At any moment, +there may be orders for us to do something. With Major Lawrence and +Clive together, we are not likely to stop here long, inactive." + + + +Chapter 10: The Fall Of Seringam. + + +Although called an island, Seringam is in fact a long narrow tongue of +land, running between the two branches of the river Kavari. In some +places these arms are but a few hundred yards apart, and the island +can therefore be defended against an attack along the land. But the +retreat of the French by this line was equally difficult, as we held +the narrowest part of the neck, two miles from Koiladi. + +Upon the south, our forces at Trichinopoli faced the French across the +river. Upon the other side of the Kolrun, as the northern arm of the +Kavari is called, the French could cross the river and make their +retreat, if necessary, in any direction. The two principal roads, +however, led from Paichandah, a strong fortified position on the bank +of the river, facing the temple of Seringam. + +Clive saw that a force crossing the river, and taking up its position +on the north, would entirely cut off Law's army in the island; would +intercept any reinforcements sent by Dupleix to its rescue; and might +compel the surrender of the whole French army. The attempt would, of +course, be a dangerous one. The French force was considerably stronger +than the English, and were the latter divided into two portions, +entirely cut off from each other, the central point between them being +occupied by the French, the latter would have an opportunity of +throwing his whole force upon one after the other. + +This danger would have been so great that, had the French been +commanded by an able and active officer, the attempt would never have +been made. Law, however, had shown amply that he had neither energy +nor intelligence, and Major Lawrence therefore accepted Clive's +proposal. + +But to be successful, it was necessary that both portions of the +English force should be well commanded. Major Lawrence felt confident +in his own capacity to withstand Law upon the southern bank, and in +case of necessity he could fall back under the guns of Trichinopoli. +He felt sure that he could, with equal certainty, confide the command +of the other party to Captain Clive. There was, however, the +difficulty that he was the junior captain present; and that already +great jealousy had been excited, among his seniors, by the rank which +he occupied in the councils of Lawrence. + +Fortunately, the difficulty was settled by the native allies. Major +Lawrence laid his plans before Muhammud Ali and his allies, whose +cooperation and assistance were absolutely necessary. These, after +hearing the proposal, agreed to give their assistance, but only upon +the condition that Clive should be placed in command of the +expeditionary party. They had already seen the paralysing effects of +the incapacity of some English officers. Clive's defence of Arcot, and +the victories of Arni and Kavaripak, had excited their intense +admiration, and caused them to place unbounded confidence in him. +Therefore they said: + +"If Captain Clive commands, we will go--unless he commands, we do +not." + +Major Lawrence was glad that the pressure thus placed upon him enabled +him, without incurring a charge of favouritism, to place the command +in the hands of the officer upon whom he most relied. + +On the night of the 6th of April Clive set out; with a force composed +of four hundred English, seven hundred Sepoys, three thousand Mahratta +cavalry, a thousand Tanjore cavalry, six light guns and two heavy +ones. Descending the river, he crossed the island at a point three +miles to the east of Law's camping ground, and marched to Samieaveram, +a town nine miles north of the island, and commanding the roads from +the north and east. + +The movement was just made in time. Dupleix, utterly disgusted with +Law, had resolved to displace him. D'Auteuil, the only officer he had +of sufficient high rank to take his place, had not, when previously +employed, betrayed any great energy or capacity. It appeared, +nevertheless, that he was at any rate superior to Law. On the 10th of +April, therefore, he despatched D'Auteuil, with a hundred and twenty +French, and five hundred Sepoys, with four guns and a large convoy, to +Seringam, where he was to take the command. When he arrived within +fifteen miles of Samieaveram, he learned that Clive had possession of +that village, and he determined upon a circuitous route, by which he +might avoid him. He therefore sent a messenger to Law, to acquaint him +with his plans, in order that he might aid him by making a diversion. + +Clive, in the meantime, had been at work. On the day after his arrival +at Samieaveram, he attacked and captured the temple of Mansurpet, +halfway between the village and the island. The temple was lofty, and +stood on rising ground, and commanded a range of the country for many +miles round. + +On its top, Clive established a signal station. Upon the following day +he carried the mud fort of Lalgudi, which was situated on the north +bank of the river, two miles to the east of Paichandah, which now +remained Law's only place of exit from the island. + +D'Auteuil, after sending word to Law of his intentions, marched from +Utatua, where he was lying, by a road to the west which would enable +him to move round Samieaveram to Paichandah. Clive captured one of the +messengers, and set off with his force to intercept him. D'Auteuil, +however, received information by his spies of Clive's movement, and +not wishing to fight a battle in the open, with a superior force, fell +back to Utatua, while Clive returned to Samieaveram. + +Law, too, had received news of Clive's movement. Here was a chance of +retrieving the misfortunes of the campaign. Paichandah being still in +his hands, he could sally out with his whole force and that of Chunda +Sahib, seize Samieaveram in Clive's absence, and extend his hand to +D'Auteuil, or fall upon Clive's rear. Instead of this, he repeated the +mistake he had made before Trichinopoli; and, instead of marching out +with his whole force, he sent only eighty Europeans, of whom forty +were deserters from the English army, and seven hundred Sepoys. + +The English returned from their march against D'Auteuil. The greater +portion of the troops were housed in two temples, a quarter of a mile +apart, known as the Large and Small Pagoda. Clive, with several of his +officers, was in a caravansary close to the Small Pagoda. + +Charlie's company were on guard, and after paying a visit to the +sentries, and seeing that all were on the alert, he returned to the +caravansary. The day had been a long one, and the march under the heat +of the sun very fatiguing. There was therefore but little +conversation, and Charlie, finding, on his return from visiting the +sentries, that his leader and the other officers had already wrapped +themselves in their cloaks and lain down to rest, imitated their +example. + +Half an hour later, the French column arrived at Samieaveram. The +officer in command was a daring and determined man. Before reaching +the place, he had heard that the English had returned; and, finding +that he had been forestalled, he might well have returned to Law. He +determined, however, to attempt to surprise the camp. He placed his +deserters in front, and when the column, arriving near the Sepoy +sentinel, was challenged, the officer in command of the deserters, an +Irishman, stepped forward, and said that he had been sent by Major +Lawrence to the support of Captain Clive. As the other English-speaking +soldiers now came up, the sentry and native officer with him were +completely deceived, and the latter sent a soldier to guide the column +to the English quarter of the camp. + +Without interruption, the column marched on through lines of sleeping +Sepoys and Mahrattas until they reached the heart of the village. Here +they were again challenged. They replied with a volley of musketry +into the caravansary, and another into the pagoda. Then they rushed +into the pagoda, bayoneting all they found there. + +Charlie, who had just dropped off to sleep, sprang to his feet, as did +the other officers. While, confused by the noise and suddenness of the +attack, others scarcely understood what was happening, Clive's clear +head and ready judgment grasped the situation at once. + +"Gentlemen," he said calmly, "there is no firing going on in the +direction of the Great Pagoda. Follow me there at once." + +Snatching up their arms, the officers followed him at a run. The whole +village was a scene of wild confusion. The firing round the pagoda and +caravansary were continuous. The Mahratta horsemen were climbing into +their saddles, and riding away out into the plain; the Sepoys were +running hither and thither. + +At the pagoda he found the soldiers turning out under arms, and Clive, +ordering his officers to do their best to rally the native troops in +good order against the enemy, at once moved forward towards the +caravansary, with two hundred English troops. On arriving there, he +found a large body of Sepoys firing away at random. Believing them to +be his own men, for the French and English Sepoys were alike dressed +in white, he halted the English a few yards from them, and rushed +among them, upbraiding them for their panic, striking them, and +ordering them instantly to cease firing, and to form in order. + +One of the Sepoy officers recognized Clive to be an Englishman, struck +at him, and wounded him with his sword. Clive, still believing him to +be one of his own men, was furious at what he considered an act of +insolent insubordination; and, seizing him, dragged him across to the +Small Pagoda to hand him over, as he supposed, to the guard there. To +his astonishment he found six Frenchmen at the gate, and these at once +summoned him to surrender. + +Great as was his surprise, he did not for a moment lose coolness, and +at once told them that he had come to beg them to lay down their arms, +that they were surrounded by his whole army, and that, unless they +surrendered, his troops would give no quarter. So impressed were the +Frenchmen with the firmness of the speaker that three of them at once +surrendered, while the other three ran into the temple to inform their +commander. + +Clive took the three men who had surrendered, and returned to the +English troops he had left near the caravansary. The French Sepoys had +discovered that the English were enemies, and had moved quietly off. + +Confusion still reigned. Clive did not imagine, for a moment, that so +daring an assault could have been made on his camp by a small body of +enemies, and expected every moment an attack by Law's whole force. The +commander of the French, in the pagoda, was disturbed by the news +brought in by the three men from the gate, and despatched eight of his +most intelligent men to ascertain exactly what was going on. + +These, however, fell into the hands of the English; and the officer of +the party, not knowing that the Small Pagoda was in the hands of the +French, handed them over to a sergeant, and told him to take a party +and escort his eight prisoners, and the three Captain Clive had +captured, to that pagoda for confinement there. + +Upon arrival at the gate the Frenchmen at once joined their comrades, +and these latter were also so bewildered at the affair, that they +allowed the English sergeant and his guard to march off again, +unmolested. + +By this time, owing to the absence of all resistance elsewhere, Clive +had learnt that the whole of the party who had entered the camp were +in the Lesser Pagoda; and, as he was still expecting, momentarily, to +be attacked by Law's main army, he determined to rid himself of this +enemy in his midst. The pagoda was very strong, and only two men could +enter abreast. Clive led his men to the attack, but so well did the +French defend themselves that, after losing an officer and fifteen +men, Clive determined to wait till morning. + +The French officer, knowing that he was surrounded, and beyond the +reach of all assistance, resolved upon cutting a way through, and at +daylight his men sallied out from the temple. So fierce, however, was +the fire with which the English received him, that twelve of his men +were instantly killed, and the rest ran back into the temple. + +Clive, hoping that their commander would now surrender without further +effusion of blood, advanced to the gateway and entered the porch to +offer terms. He was himself so faint, from the loss of blood from his +wounds, that he could not stand alone, but leaned against a wall, +supported by two sergeants. The officer commanding the deserters came +out to parley, but, after heaping abuse upon Clive, levelled his +musket and discharged it at him. He missed Clive, but killed the two +sergeants who were supporting him. + +The French officer in command, indignant at this conduct, rushed +forward at once to disavow it; and stated that he had determined to +defend the post to the last, solely for the sake of the deserters, but +that the conduct of their officer had released him from that +obligation, and he now therefore surrendered at once. + +The instant day broke, and Clive saw that Law was not, as he expected, +at hand, he despatched the Mahratta horse in pursuit of the French +Sepoys. These were overtaken and cut to pieces, and not one man, of +the force which Law had despatched against Clive returned to the +island. + +The English loss was heavy. The greater portion of the occupants of +the Small Pagoda were bayoneted by the French, when they entered; and, +as fifteen others were killed in the attack, it is probable that at +least one-fourth of the English force under Clive were killed. + +Clive's own escapes were extraordinary. In addition to those of being +killed by the French Sepoys, among whom he ran by mistake, and of +death at the hands of the treacherous deserter, he had one almost as +close, when the French fired their volley into the caravansary. A box +at his feet was shattered, and a servant who slept close to him was +killed. + +Some days passed, after this attack, without any fresh movement on +either side. Major Lawrence then determined to drive back D'Auteuil. +He did not despatch Clive against him, as this would involve the risk +that Law might again march out to surprise Samieaveram. He therefore +directed Clive to remain at that place and watch the island, while he +sent a force of a hundred and fifty English, four hundred Sepoys, five +hundred Mahrattas, with four guns, to attack D'Auteuil; from his own +force, under Captain Dalton. This officer, in the advance, marched his +troops near Samieaveram; and, making as much show with them as he +could, impressed D'Auteuil with the idea that the force was that of +Clive. + +Accordingly, he broke up his camp at Utatua in the night, abandoned +his stores, and retreated hastily upon Valconda. Dalton then marched +to Samieaveram, and placed his force at Clive's disposal; and, to +prevent any disputes arising as to precedence and rank, offered +himself to serve under him as a volunteer. + +Not only D'Auteuil, but Law, was deceived by Dalton's march. From the +lofty towers of Seringam he saw the force marching towards Utatua, +believed that Clive with his whole force had left Samieaveram, and did +now what he should have before done--crossed the river with all his +troops. + +Clive's lookout on the temple of Mansurpet perceived what was going +on, and signalled the news to Clive, who at once set out with his +whole force; and, before Law was prepared to issue out from +Paichandah, Clive was within a mile of that place. Law might still +have fought with a fair chance of success, as he was far stronger than +his enemy, but he was again the victim of indecision and want of +energy, and, covered by Paichandah, he fell back across the river +again. + +On the 15th of May Clive captured Paichandah, and then determined to +give a final blow to D'Auteuil's force; which had, he learned, again +set out to endeavour to relieve Law. He marched to Utatua to intercept +him. + +D'Auteuil, hearing of his coming, instantly fell back again to +Valconda. The native chief of this town, however, seeing that the +affairs of the French were desperate; and willing, like all his +countrymen, to make his peace with the strongest, had already accepted +bribes from the English; and upon D'Auteuil's return, closed the gates +and refused to admit him. Clive soon arrived, and D'Auteuil, caught +between two fires, surrendered with his whole force. + +Had Law been a man of energy, he had yet a chance of escape. He had +still seven or eight hundred French troops with him, two thousand +Sepoys, and four thousand of Chunda Sahib's troops. He might, then, +have easily crossed the Kavari at night and fallen upon Lawrence, +whose force there now was greatly inferior to his own. Chunda Sahib, +in vain, begged him to do so. His hesitation continued until, three +days after the surrender of D'Auteuil, a battering train reached +Lawrence; whereupon Law at once surrendered, his chief stipulation +being that the life of Chunda Sahib should be spared. + +This promise was not kept. The unfortunate prince had preferred to +surrender to the Rajah of Tanjore, who had several times intrigued +secretly with him, rather than to Muhammud Ali or the English, whom he +regarded as his implacable enemies. Had he placed himself in our +hands, his life would have been safe. He was murdered, by the +treacherous rajah, within twenty-four hours of his surrender. + +With the fall of Seringam terminated the contest for the supremacy of +the Carnatic, between the English and French, fighting respectively on +behalf of their puppets, Muhammud Ali and Chunda Sahib. This stage of +the struggle was not a final one; but both by its circumstances, and +by the prestige which we acquired in the eyes of the natives, it gave +us a moral ascendency which, even when our fortunes were afterwards at +their worst, was never lost again. + +Muhammud Ali had, himself, gained but little in the struggle. He was, +indeed, nominally ruler of the Carnatic, but he had to rely for his +position solely on the support of the English bayonets. Indeed, the +promises, of which he had been obliged to be lavish to his native +allies, to keep them faithful to his cause, when that cause seemed all +but lost, now came upon him to trouble him; and so precarious was his +position, that he was obliged to ask the English to leave two hundred +English troops, and fifteen hundred of their Sepoys, to protect the +place against Murari Reo, and the Rajahs of Mysore and Tanjore. + +The fatigues of the expedition had been great and, when the force +reached the seacoast, Major Lawrence was forced to retire to Fort +Saint David to recover his health; while Clive, whose health had now +greatly broken down, betook himself to Madras; which had, when the +danger of invasion by the French was at an end, become the +headquarters of the government of the presidency. + +There were, however, two French strongholds dangerously near to +Madras, Covelong and Chengalpatt. Two hundred recruits had just +arrived from England, and five hundred natives had been enlisted as +Sepoys. Mr. Saunders begged Clive to take the command of these, and +reduce the two fortresses. He took with him two twenty-four pounders, +and four officers, of whom two were Charlie Marryat and Peters; to +both of whom Clive was much attached, owing to their courage, +readiness, and good humour. + +Covelong was first attacked. It mounted thirty guns, and was +garrisoned by fifty French, and three hundred Sepoys. + +"I don't like the look o' things, Mr. Charles," Tim Kelly said. +"There's nothing but boys altogether, white and black. Does it stand +to reason that a lot of gossoons, who haven't learnt the goose step, +and haven't as much as a shred of faith, ayther in themselves or their +officers, are fit to fight the French?" + +"Oh, I don't know, Tim," Charlie said. "Boys are just as plucky as +men, in their way, and are ready to do all sorts of foolhardy things, +which men would hesitate to attempt." + +"And that is so, Mr. Charles, when they've only other boys to dale +with; but as they're growing up, they take some time before they're +quite sure they're a match for men. That's what it is, yer honor, I +tell ye, and you will see it, soon." + +Tim's predictions were speedily verified. The very morning after they +arrived before the fort, the garrison made a sally, fell upon the +troops, and killed one of their officers. + +The whole of the new levies took to their heels, and fled away from +the fight. Clive, with his three officers, threw himself among them +and, for some time, in vain attempted to turn the tide. It was not, +indeed, until several had been cut down that the rout was arrested, +and they were brought back to their duty. + +A day or two later a shot, striking a rock, killed or wounded fourteen +men; and excited such a panic, that it was some time before the rest +would venture near the front. + +The enemy, with a considerable force, marched from Chengalpatt to +relieve the place. Clive left half his force to continue the siege, +and with the rest marched out and offered battle to the relieving +force. Daring and confidence, as usual, prevailed. Had the enemy +attacked, there is little doubt they would have put Clive's raw levies +to flight. They were, however, cowed by his attitude of defiance, and +retreated hastily. + +The governor of Covelong at once lost heart and surrendered the place; +which he might have maintained, for months, against the force before +it; and on the fourth day of the siege, capitulated. + +A few hours afterwards the enemy from Chengalpatt, ignorant of the +fall of the fort, again advanced; and Clive met them with his whole +force. Taken by surprise, they suffered heavily. Clive pursued them to +the gates of their fort, to which he at once laid siege. + +Fortunately for the English, the commander of this place, like him of +Covelong, was cowardly and incapable. Had it not been so, the fort, +which was very strong, well provisioned, and well garrisoned, might +have held out for an indefinite time. As it was, it surrendered on the +fourth day, and Clive took possession on the 31st of August. + +He returned to Madras, and there, a short time afterwards, married +Miss Maskelyne. Finding his health, however, continuing to +deteriorate, he sailed for Europe in February, 1753. It was but five +years since he had first taken up arms to defend Fort Saint David, an +unknown clerk, without prospects and without fortune, utterly +discontented and disheartened. + +Madras was in the hands of the French. Everywhere their policy was +triumphant, and the soil surrounded by the walls of Saint David's, +alone, remained to the English in Southern India. In the five years +which had elapsed, all had changed. The English were masters of the +Carnatic. The French were broken and discredited. The English were +regarded by the natives throughout the country as the coming power; +and of this great change, no slight portion was due to the energy and +genius of Clive, himself. + + + +Chapter 11: An Important Mission. + + +A few days after the return of the expedition against Covelong and +Chengalpatt, Charlie received a note from Governor Saunders, +requesting him to call upon him at eleven o'clock. Charlie, of course, +attended at Government House at the time named, and found Captain +Clive with Mr. Saunders. + +"I have sent for you, Mr. Marryat, to ask you if you are ready to +undertake a delicate, and somewhat dangerous, mission. Captain Clive +tells me that he is convinced that you will be able to discharge the +duties satisfactorily. He has been giving me the highest report of +your conduct and courage, and he tells me that you speak the language +with some facility." + +"I have been working hard, sir," Charlie said, "and have had a +moonshee for the last year; and as, except when on duty, I have spoken +nothing but the native language with him, I can now speak it almost as +fluently as I can English." + +"So Captain Clive has been telling me," Mr. Saunders said; "and it is, +indeed, on that ground that I select you for the service. Your friend +Mr. Peters has equally distinguished himself in the field, Captain +Clive tells me, but he is greatly your inferior in his knowledge of +the vernacular." + +This was indeed the case. Peters had but little natural aptitude for +foreign languages; and after working hard, for a time, with the +moonshee, he found that he was making so little progress, in +comparison with Charlie, that he lost heart; and although he had +continued his lessons with the moonshee, he had done so only to the +extent of an hour or so a day, whereas Charlie had devoted his whole +leisure time to the work. + +"The facts of the case are these, Mr. Marryat. Owing to the failure, +of Muhammud Ali, to fulfil the ridiculously onerous terms extorted +from him, by some of his native allies, during the siege of +Trichinopoli, several of them are in a state of discontent, which is +likely soon to break out into open hostilities. The Rajahs of Mysore +and Tanjore are, I have learned, already in communication with +Pondicherry; and will, I believe, shortly acknowledge the son of +Chunda Sahib, whom Dupleix has declared ruler of the Carnatic. Murari +Reo has already openly joined the French. Their influence in the +Deccan is now so great that Bussy may be said to rule there. + +"Now, there is a chief named Boorhau Reo, whose territory lies among +the hills, and extends from the plain nearly up to the plateau land of +the Deccan. His position, like that of many of the other small rajahs, +is precarious. In days like the present, when might makes right, and +every petty state tries to make profit out of the constant wars, at +the expense of its neighbour, the position of a chief, surrounded by +half a dozen others more powerful than himself, is by no means +pleasant. Boorhau Reo feels that he is in danger of being swallowed, +by the nizam or by the Mahrattas, and he earnestly desires to ally +himself with us; believing, as he says, that we are destined to be +masters here. I have assured him that, although gratified at his +expressions of friendship, we can enter into no alliance with him. The +position of his territory would enable him to be of great assistance +to us, in any war in which the whole force of the Deccan, controlled +as it is at present at Bussy, might be utilized against us in the +Carnatic. He would be able to harass convoys, cut communications, and +otherwise trouble the enemy's movements. But, although we see that his +aid would be very useful to us, in case of such a war; we do not see +how, on our part, we could give him any protection. We have now, with +the greatest difficulty, brought affairs to a successful conclusion in +the Carnatic; but Dupleix is active and energetic, and well supported +at home. Many of the chiefs lately our allies have, as I have just +said, declared against us, or are about to do so; and it is out of the +question, for us to think of supporting a chief so far removed from us +as Boorhau. I have, therefore, told him that we greatly desire his +friendship, but are at present powerless to protect him, should he be +attacked by his northern neighbours. + +"He is particularly anxious to train his men after the European +fashion, as he sees that our Sepoys are a match for five times their +number of the untrained troops of the Indian princes. + +"This brings me to the subject before us. I have written to him, to +say that I will send to him an English officer, capable of training +and leading his troops, and whose advice may be useful to him upon all +occasions; but that as, were it known that he had received a British +officer, and was employing him to train his troops, it would excite +the instant animosity of Bussy and of the Peishwar; I should send one +familiar with the language, and who may pass as a native. Captain +Clive has strongly recommended you for this difficult mission." + +"I fear, sir, that I could hardly pass as a native. The moonshee is +constantly correcting mistakes which I make, in speaking." + +"That may be so," Mr. Saunders said; "but there are a score of +dialects in Southern India, and you could be passed upon nineteen of +the twenty peoples who speak them, as belonging to one of the other." + +"If you think, sir, that I shall do," Charlie said; "I shall be glad +to undertake the mission." + +"Very well, Mr. Marryat, that is understood, then. You will receive +full instructions in writing, and will understand that your duty is +not only to drill the troops of this chief; but to give him such +advice as may suit his and our interests; to strengthen his good +feeling towards us; and to form, as far as possible, a compact little +force which might, at a critical moment, be of immense utility. You +will, of course, master the geography of the country, of which we are +all but absolutely ignorant; find out about the passes, the mountain +paths, the defensible positions. All these things may someday be of +the highest importance. + +"You will have a few days to make your arrangements, and settle as to +the character you will adopt. This you had better do, in consultation +with someone who thoroughly understands the country. It is intended +that you shall go down to Trichinopoli, with the next convoy; and from +there make your way to the stronghold of Boorhau." + +"Shall I take any followers with me?" + +"Yes," Mr. Saunders said. "As you will go in the character of a +military adventurer, who has served among our Sepoys long enough to +learn European drill, you had better take two, three, or four men, as +you like, with you as retainers. You might pick out two or three +trusty men, from the Sepoys you command." + +Charlie left Government House in high spirits. It was certainly an +honor, to have been selected for such a post. It was quite possible +that it would be a dangerous one. It was sure to be altogether +different from the ordinary life of a subaltern in the Company's army. + +Peters was very sorry when he heard from Charlie that they were, at +last, to be separated. It was now nearly two years since they had +first met on board the Lizzie Anderson; and, since that time, they had +been constantly together, and were greatly attached to each other. + +Charlie, perhaps, had taken the lead. The fact of his having a stock +of firearms, and being able to lend them to Peters, had given him, +perhaps, the first slight and almost imperceptible advantage. His feat +of jumping overboard, to rescue Tim Kelly, had been another step in +advance; and, although Charlie would have denied it himself, there was +no doubt that he generally took the lead, and that his friend was +accustomed to lean upon him, and to look to him always for the +initiative. It was, therefore, a severe blow to Peters, to find that +Charlie was about to be sent on detached service. + +As for Tim Kelly, he was uproarious in his grief, when he heard that +he was to be separated from his master. + +"Shure, Mr. Charlie, ye'll never have the heart to lave a poor boy, +that sarved ye be night and day for eighteen months. Tim Kelly would +gladly give his life for ye, and ye wouldn't go and lave him behind +ye, and go all alone among these black thaves of the world." + +"But it is impossible that I can take you, Tim," Charlie said. "You +know, yourself, that you cannot speak ten words of the language. How +then could you possibly pass undetected, whatever disguise you put +on?" + +"But I'd never open my mouth at all, at all, yer honor, barring for +mate and drink." + +"It's all very well for you to say so, Tim," Charlie answered; "but I +do not think that anything, short of a miracle, would silence your +tongue. But leave us now, Tim, and I will talk the matter over with +Mr. Peters. I should be glad enough to have you with me, if we could +arrange it." + +The moonshee was taken into their counsels, and was asked his opinion +as to the disguise which Charlie could adopt, with least risk of +detection. The moonshee replied that he might pass as a Bheel. These +hill tribes speak a dialect quite distinct from that of the people +around them, and the moonshee said that, if properly attired, Charlie +would be able to pass anywhere for one of these people; provided, +always, that he did not meet with another of the same race. + +"You might assert," he said, "that your father had taken service with +some rajah on the plain, and that you had there learned to speak the +language. In this way, you would avoid having to answer any difficult +questions regarding your native place; but as to that, you can get up +something of the geography before you leave." + +"There are several Bheels among our Sepoys," Charlie said. "I can pick +out three or four of them, who would be just the men for me to take. I +believe they are generally very faithful, and attached to their +officers." + +When Tim again entered the room, he inquired anxiously if his master +hit upon any disguise which would suit him. + +"What do you say, Mr. Moonshine?" Tim said. + +The moonshee shook his head. Between these two a perpetual feud had +existed, ever since the native had arrived at Arcot, to take his place +as a member of Charlie's establishment. In obedience to Charlie's +stringent orders, Tim never was openly rude to him; but he never lost +an opportunity of making remarks, of a disparaging nature, as to the +value of Charlie's studies. + +The moonshee, on his part, generally ignored Tim's existence +altogether; addressing him, when obliged to do so, with a ceremonious +civility which annoyed Tim more than open abuse would have done. + +"I think," he said gravely, in reply to Tim's demand; "that the very +worshipful one would have most chance of escaping detection if he went +in rags, throwing dust on his hair, and passing for one afflicted." + +"And what does he mean by afflicted, Mr. Charles?" the Irishman said +wrathfully, as the two young officers laughed. + +"He means one who is a born fool, Tim." + +Tim looked furiously at the moonshee. + +"It would," the latter said sententiously, "be the character which the +worshipful one would support with the greatest ease." + +"The black thief is making fun of me," Tim muttered; "but I'll be aven +with him one of these days, or my name isn't Tim Kelly. + +"I was thinking, yer honor, that I might represent one deaf and dumb." + +"But you're always talking, Tim, and when you're not talking to +others, you talk to yourself. It's quite impossible you could go as a +dumb man; but you might go, as the moonshee suggests, as a half-witted +sort of chap; with just sense enough to groom a horse and look after +him, but with not enough to understand what's said to you, or to +answer any questions." + +"I could do that asy enough, Mr. Charles." + +"And you have to keep from quarrelling, Tim. I hear you quarrelling, +on an average, ten times a day; and as, in such a character as we're +talking about, you would, of course, be exposed to all sorts of +slights and unpleasantnesses, you would be in continual hot water." + +"Now, yer honor," Tim said reproachfully, "you're too hard on me, +entirely. I like a bit of a row as well as any many, but it's all for +divarsion; and I could go on, for a year, without quarrelling with a +soul. Just try me, Mr. Charles. Just try me for a month, and if, at +the end of that time, you find me in your way; or that I don't keep my +character, then send me back agin to the regiment." + +It was arranged that the moonshee should remain with Peters, who, +seeing that Charlie owed his appointment, to a post which promised +excitement and adventure, to his skill in the native languages, was +determined that he would again set to, in earnest, and try and master +its intricacies. The moonshee went down to the bazaar, and purchased +the clothes which would be necessary for the disguises; and Charlie +found, in his company, four Sepoys who willingly agreed to accompany +him, in the character of his retainers, upon his expedition. As to +their costume, there was no difficulty. When off duty, the Sepoys in +the Company's service were accustomed to dress in their native attire. +Consequently, it needed only the addition of a tulwar, or short curved +sword; a shield, thrown over one shoulder; a long matchlock; and two +or three pistols and daggers, stuck into a girdle, to complete their +equipment. + +Charlie himself was dressed gaily, in the garb of a military officer +in the service of an Indian rajah. He was to ride, and a horse, +saddle, and gay housings were procured. He had, at last, given in to +Tim's entreaties; and that worthy was dressed as a syce, or horse +keeper. + +Both Charlie and Tim had had those portions of their skin exposed to +the air darkened, and both would pass muster, at a casual inspection. +Charlie, in thus concealing his nationality, desired only to hide the +fact that he was an officer in the Company's service. He believed that +it would be impossible for him to continue to pass as a Bheel. This, +however, would be of no consequence, after a time. Many of the native +princes had Europeans in their service. Runaway sailors, deserters +from the English, French, and Dutch armed forces in their possessions +on the seacoast, adventurers influenced either by a love of a life of +excitement, or whom a desire to escape the consequences of folly or +crime committed at home had driven to a roving life--such men might be +found in many of the native courts. + +Once settled, then, in the service of the rajah, Charlie intended to +make but little farther pretence, or secrecy, as to his nationality. +Outwardly, he would still conform to the language and appearance of +the character he had chosen; but he would allow it to be supposed that +he was an Englishman, a deserter from the Company's service, and that +his comrades were Sepoys in a similar position. His employment, then, +at the court of the rajah, would have an effect the exact reverse of +that which it would have done, had he appeared in his proper +character. + +Deserters were, of all men, the most opposed to their countrymen, to +whom they had proved traitors. In battle they could be relied upon to +fight desperately, for they fought with ropes round their necks. +Therefore, while the appearance of an English officer, as instructor +of the forces of the rajah, would have drawn upon himself the instant +hostility of all opposed to the British; the circulation of a report +that his troops were being disciplined by some English and native +deserters, from the Company's forces, would excite no suspicion +whatever. + +To avoid attracting attention, Charlie Marryat and his party set out +before daylight from Madras. Their appearance, indeed, would have +attracted no attention, when they once had passed beyond the +boundaries of the portion of the town occupied by the whites. In the +native quarter, the appearance of a small zemindar, or landowner, +attended by four or five armed followers on foot, was of such common +occurrence as to attract no attention whatever; and, indeed, numbers +of these come in to take service in the Sepoy regiments, the +profession of arms being always considered honorable, in India. + +For a fortnight they travelled, by easy stages, without question or +suspicion being excited that they were not what they seemed. They were +now among the hills, and soon arrived at Ambur, the seat of the rajah. +The town was a small one, and above it rose the fortress, which stood +on a rock rising sheer from the bottom of the valley, and standing +boldly out from the hillside. The communication was effected by a +shoulder which, starting from a point halfway up the rock, joined the +hill behind it. Along this shoulder were walls and gateways. An enemy +attacking these would be exposed to the fire from the summit of the +rock. From the point where the shoulder joined the rock, a zigzag road +had been cut, with enormous labour, in the face of the rock, to the +summit. + +"It is a strong place," Charlie said to Tim Kelly, who was walking by +his horse's head; "and should be able to hold out against anything but +starvation. That is to say, if properly defended." + +"It's a powerful place, surely," Tim said; "and would puzzle the ould +boy himself to take. Even Captain Clive, who is afeard of nothing, +would be bothered by it." + +As they rode up the valley, two horsemen were seen spurring towards +them, from the town. They drew rein before Charlie; and one, bowing, +said: + +"My master, the rajah, sends his greeting to you, and begs to know if +you are the illustrious soldier, Nadir Ali, for whom his heart has +been longing." + +"Will you tell your lord that Nadir Ali is here," Charlie said, "and +that he longs to see the face of the rajah." + +One of the horsemen at once rode off, and the other took his place by +the side of Charlie; and, having introduced himself as captain of the +rajah's bodyguard, rode with him through the town. + +Had Charlie appeared in his character as English officer, the rajah +and all his troops would have turned out to do honor to his arrival. +As it was, a portion of the garrison, only, appeared at the gate and +lined the walls. Through these the little party passed, and up the +sharp zigzags, which were so steep that, had it not been that his +dignity prevented him from dismounting, Charlie would gladly have got +off and proceeded on foot; for it was as much as the animal could do, +to struggle up the steep incline. + +At each turn there was a gateway, with little flanking towers; on +which jingalls, or small wall pieces, commanded the road. + +"Faith, then, it's no fool that built this place. I shouldn't like to +have to attack it, wid all the soldiers of the King's army, let alone +those of the Company." + +"It is tremendously strong, Tim, but it is astonishing what brave men +can do." + +In the after wars which England waged, in India, the truth of what +Charlie said was over and over again proved. Numerous fortresses, +supposed by the natives to be absolutely impregnable, and far +exceeding in strength that just described, have been carried by +assault, by the dash and daring of English troops. + +They gained, at last, the top of the rock. It was uneven in surface, +some portions being considerably more elevated than others. Roughly, +its extent was about a hundred yards, either way. The lower level was +covered with buildings, occupied by the garrison, and storehouses. On +the upper level, some forty feet higher, stood the palace of the +rajah. It communicated with the courtyard, below, by a broad flight of +steps. These led to an arched gateway, with a wall and battlements; +forming an interior line of defence, should an assailant gain a +footing in the lower portion of the stronghold. + +Alighting from his horse at the foot of the steps, Charlie, followed +by his five retainers, mounted to the gateway. Here another guard of +honor was drawn up. Passing through these, they entered a shady +courtyard, on one side of which was a stone pavilion. The flat ceiling +was supported by massive columns, closely covered with intricate +sculpture. The roof was arabesqued with deeply cut patterns, picked +out in bright colours. A fountain played in the middle. + +On the farther side the floor, which was of marble, was raised; and +two steps led to a wide recess, with windows of lattice stonework, +giving a view over the town and valley below. In this recess were +piles of cushions and carpets, and here reclined the rajah, a spare +and active-looking man, of some forty years old. He rose, as Charlie +approached, the soldiers and Sepoys remaining beyond the limits of the +pavilion. + +"Welcome, brave Nadir Ali," he said courteously; "my heart is glad, +indeed, at the presence of one whose wisdom is said to be far beyond +his years, and who has learned the arts of war of the infidels from +beyond the seas." + +Then, inviting Charlie to take a seat on the divan with him, he +questioned him as to his journey, and the events which were taking +place in the plains; until the attendants, having handed round +refreshments, retired at his signal. + +"I am glad to see you, Sahib," he said, when they were alone; "though, +in truth, I looked for one older than yourself. The great English +governor of Madras tells me, however, in a letter which I received +four days since, that you are skilled in war; that you fought by the +side of that great Captain Clive at Arcot, Arni, Kavaripak, and at +Trichinopoli; and that the great warrior, himself, chose you to come +to me. Therefore, I doubt neither your valour nor your prudence, and +put myself in your hands, wholly. + +"The governor has already told you, doubtless, of the position in +which I am placed here." + +"Governor Saunders explained the whole position to me," Charlie said. +"You are, at present, menaced on all sides by powerful neighbours. You +believe that the fortunes of the English are on the increase; and as +you think the time may come, ere long, when they will turn the French +out of the Deccan, and become masters there, as they have already +become masters in the Carnatic, you wish to fight by their side, and +share their fortunes. In the meantime, you desire to be able to defend +yourself against your neighbours; for, at present, the English are too +far away to assist you. + +"To enable you to do this, I have been sent to drill and discipline +your troops, like our Sepoys; and to give you such advice as may be +best, for the general defence of your country. I have brought with me +five soldiers; four Bheels, and one of my countrymen. The latter will +be of little use in drilling your troops, for he is ignorant of the +language, and has come as my personal attendant. The other four will +assist me in my work. + +"Your followers here will, no doubt, discover in a very short time +that I am an Englishman. Let it be understood that I am a deserter, +that I have been attracted to your court by the promise of high pay, +and that I have assumed the character of a Bheel, lest my being here +might put you on bad terms with the English." + +Charlie then asked the rajah as to the strength of his military force. + +"In time of peace," the rajah said, "I keep three hundred men under +arms. In case of taking the field, three thousand. To defend Ambur +against an attack of an enemy, I could muster ten thousand men." + +"You could not call out three thousand men, without attracting the +attention of your neighbours?" Charlie asked. + +"No," the rajah said; "that would bring my neighbours upon me, at +once." + +"I suppose, however, you might assemble another five hundred men, +without attracting attention." + +"Oh, yes," the rajah said; "eight hundred men are not a force which +could attract any great attention." + +"Then I should propose that we begin with eight hundred," Charlie +said. "For a month, however, I will confine myself to the troops you +at present have. We must, in the first place, train some officers. If +you will pick out those to whom you intend to give commands, and +subcommands; I will choose from the men, after drilling them for a few +days, forty of the most intelligent as what we call noncommissioned +officers. + +"For the first month, we will work hard in teaching these officers and +sub-officers their duties. Then, when the whole eight hundred +assemble, we can divide them into four parties. There will be one of +my drill instructors to each party, ten under officers, and four or +five of the officers whom you will appoint. Six weeks' hard work +should make these eight hundred men fairly acquainted with drill. The +English Sepoys have often gone out to fight, with less. At the end of +the six weeks, let the five hundred men you have called out, in +addition to your bodyguard of three hundred, return to their homes; +and replace them by an equal number of fresh levies, and so proceed +until you have your three thousand fighting men, thoroughly trained. +In nine months, all will have had their six weeks of exercise, and +could take their places in the ranks again, at a day's notice. + +"Two hundred of your men I will train in artillery; although I do not +belong to that branch of the service, I learned the duties at Arcot." + +The rajah agreed, heartily, to Charlie's proposals; well pleased at +the thought that he should, before the end of a year, be possessed of +a trained force, which would enable him to hold his own against his +powerful neighbours, until an opportunity might occur when, in +alliance with the English, he should be able to turn the tables upon +them, and to aggrandize himself at their expense. + + + +Chapter 12: A Murderous Attempt. + + +Handsome rooms, with a suite of attendants, were assigned to Charlie +in the rajah's palace; and he was formally appointed commander of his +forces. The four Sepoys were appointed to junior ranks, as was also +Tim Kelly; who, however, insisted on remaining in the position of +chief attendant upon his master; being, in fact, a sort of majordomo +and valet in one, looking after his comforts when in the palace, and +accompanying him as personal guard whenever he rode out. + +"You niver know, yer honor, what these natives may be up to. They'll +smile with you one day, and stab ye the next. They're treacherous +varmint, yer honor, if you do but give 'em the chance." + +At first, Charlie perceived that his position excited some jealousy in +the minds of those surrounding the rajah. He therefore did all in his +power to show to them that he, in no way, aspired to interfere in the +internal politics or affairs of the little state--that he was a +soldier and nothing more. He urged upon the rajah, who wished to have +him always by him, that it was far better that he should appear to +hold aloof, and to avoid all appearance of favouritism, or of a desire +to obtain dominance in the counsels of the rajah. He wished that the +appointments to the posts of officers in the new force should be made +by the rajah, who should lend an ear to the advice of his usual +councillors; but that, once appointed, they should be under his +absolute command and control, and that he should have power to dismiss +those who proved themselves indolent and incapable, to promote active +and energetic men, wholly regardless of influence or position. + +The next morning, Charlie and his four assistants set to work to drill +the three hundred men of the garrison, taking them in parties of +twenty. They were thus able, in the course of a few days, to pick out +the most active and intelligent for the sub-officers; and these, with +the existing officers of the body, and the new ones appointed by the +rajah, were at once taken in hand to be taught their duty. + +For a month, the work went on steadily and without interruption, and +from morn till night the courtyard echoed with the words of command. +At the end of that time, the twenty officers and forty sub-officers +had fairly learned their duty. The natives of India are very quick in +learning drill, and a regiment of newly-raised Sepoys will perform +manoeuvres and answer to words of command, in the course of a +fortnight, as promptly and regularly as would one of English recruits +in three months. + +A good many changes had taken place during the month's work. Many of +the officers became disgusted with hard and continuous work, to which +they were unaccustomed, while some of the sub-officers showed a +deficiency of the quickness and intelligence needed for the work. +Their places, however, were easily filled, and as the days went on, +all took an increasing degree of interest, as they acquired facility +of movement, and saw how quickly, according to the European methods, +manoeuvres were gone through. At the end of a month, then, the sixty +men were able in turn to instruct others; and, a body of five hundred +men being called out, the work of drilling on a large scale began. + +The drill ground now was a level space in the valley below the town, +and the whole population assembled, day after day, to look on with +astonishment at the exercises. The four great companies, or +battalions, as Charlie called them, were kept entirely separate, each +under the command of one of the Sepoys, under whom were a proportion +of the officers and sub-officers. Every evening, Charlie came down for +an hour, and put each body through its drill, distributing blame or +praise as it was deserved, thus keeping up a spirit of emulation +between the battalions. At the end of a fortnight, when the simpler +manoeuvres had been learned, Charlie, for two hours each day, worked +the whole together as one regiment; and was surprised, himself, to +find how rapid was the progress which each day effected. + +The rajah himself often came down to the drill ground, and took the +highest interest in the work. He himself would fain have had regular +uniforms, similar to those worn by the Sepoys in the service of the +European powers, provided for the men; but Charlie strongly urged him +not to do so. He admitted that the troops would look immensely better, +if clad in regular uniform; than as a motley band, each dressed +according to his own fancy. He pointed out, however, that while the +news that the rajah was having some of his men drilled by European +deserters would attract but little attention among his neighbours, the +report that he was raising Sepoy battalions would certainly be +received by them in a hostile spirit. + +"By all means," Charlie said, "get the uniforms made for the whole +force, and keep them by you in store. They can be at once served out +in case of war, and the sight of a number of Sepoy battalions, where +they expected only to meet an irregular force, will have an immense +effect upon any force opposed to you." + +The rajah saw the force of this argument, and at once ordered five +thousand suits of white uniforms, similar to those worn by the Sepoys +in the English and French service, to be made and stored up in the +magazines. + +While his lieutenants were drilling the main body, Charlie himself +took in hand a party of forty picked men, and instructed them in the +use of field guns. The superiority of Europeans in artillery was one +of the reasons which gave to them such easy victory, in their early +battles with the native forces in India. The latter possessed a very +powerful artillery, in point of numbers, but there was no regular +drill nor manner of loading. They were in the habit, too, of allowing +each gun to cool after it was fired, before being loaded again. It was +thought, therefore, good practice if a gun were discharged once in a +quarter of an hour. They were, then, utterly astounded and dismayed at +the effects of the European guns, each of which could be loaded and +fired twice, or even three times, a minute. + +So month passed after month, until Rajah Boorhau was in a position to +put, if necessary, five battalions of Sepoys, each seven hundred +strong, into the field; with thirty guns, served by trained +artillerymen. So quietly had the work gone on, that it attracted no +attention among his neighbours. The mere rumour that the rajah had +some European deserters in his service, and that these were drilling +four or five hundred men, was considered of so little moment that it +passed altogether unheeded. + +The accounts of the state of affairs in the Carnatic, which reached +Charlie, were not satisfactory--Dupleix, with his usual energy, was +aiding the son of Chunda Sahib, with men and money, in his combat with +the British protege; and most of the native allies of the latter had +fallen away from him. Trichinopoli was again besieged, and the +fortunes of England, lately so flourishing, were waning again. In the +Deccan, French influence was supreme. Bussy, with a strong and +well-disciplined French force, maintained Salabut Jung, whom the +French had placed on the throne, against all opponents. At one time it +was the Peishwar, at another the Mahrattas against whom Bussy turned +his arms; and always with success, and the French had acquired the +four districts on the coast, known as the Northern Sircas. + +It was in vain that Charlie endeavoured to gain an accurate knowledge +of the political position, so quickly and continually did this change. +At one time the Peishwar and the Nizam, as the Subadar of the Deccan +was now called, would be fighting in alliance against one or other of +the Mahratta chiefs. At another time they would be in conflict with +each other, while the Rajah of Mysore, Murari Reo, and other chiefs +were sometimes fighting on one side, sometimes on another. + +Proud of his rapidly increasing force, Boorhau Reo would, more than +once in the course of the year, have joined in the warfare going on +around. Charlie, however, succeeded in restraining him from doing so; +pointing out that the victor of one day was the vanquished of the +next, and that it was worse than useless to join in a struggle of +which the conditions were so uncertain, and the changes of fortune so +rapid, that none could count upon others for aid, however great the +assistance they might have rendered only a short time before. + +"Were you to gain territory, Rajah, which you might, perhaps, largely +do, from the efficient aid which you might render to one party or the +other, you would be the object of a hostile combination against which +you could not hope to struggle." + +The rajah yielded at once to Charlie's arguments; but the influence of +the latter added to the hostility, which the favour shown him by the +rajah had provoked, among many of the leading men of the state. Where +the sides were often so closely balanced as was the case in these +intestine struggles, the aid of every rajah, however small his +following, was sought by one or other of the combatants; and the +counsellors of those able to place a respectable force in the field +were heavily bribed, by one side or the other. Those around Rajah +Boorhau found their efforts completely baffled by the influence of the +English commander of his forces, and a faction of increasing strength +and power was formed to overthrow him. The rajah himself had kept his +secret well, and one or two, only, of his advisers knew that the +Englishman was a trusted agent of the Company. + +The soldiers were much attached to their English leader. They found +him always just and firm. Complaints were always listened to, tyranny +or ill treatment by the officers suppressed and punished, merit +rewarded. Among the officers the strictness of the discipline +alienated many, who contrasted the easy life which they had led before +the introduction of the European system, with that which they now +endured. So long as they were engaged in mastering the rudiments of +drill they felt their disadvantage; but when this was acquired, each +thought himself capable of taking the place of the English adventurer, +and of leading the troops he had organized to victory. Already, +Charlie had received several anonymous warnings that danger threatened +him. The rajah was, he knew, his warm friend; and he, in his delight +at seeing the formidable force which had been formed from his +irregular levies, had presented him, as a token of his gratitude, with +large sums of money. + +In those days, this was the method by which Indian princes rewarded +European officers who rendered them service, and it was considered by +no means derogatory to the latter to accept the money. This was, +indeed, the universal custom, and Charlie, knowing that Captain Clive +had received large presents of this kind, had no hesitation in +following his example. The treasures stored up by many of these Indian +princes were immense, and a lac of rupees, equivalent to ten thousand +pounds, was considered by no means a large present. Charlie, +foreseeing that, sooner or later, the little state would become +involved in hostilities, took the precaution of forwarding the money +he had received down to Madras; sending it piecemeal, in charge of +native merchants and traders. It was, by these, paid into the Madras +treasury, where a large rate of interest, for all monies lent by its +employees, was given by the Company. + +For those at home he felt no uneasiness. It was very seldom that their +letters reached him; but he learned that they were still in high +favour with his uncle, that his mother continued installed at the head +of the house, and that the girls were both at excellent schools. + +Charlie mentioned, to the rajah, the rumours which had reached him of +a plot against him. The rajah assured him of his own support, under +all circumstances, and offered that a strong guard should be placed, +night and day, over the apartments he occupied. + +This Charlie declined. + +"A guard can always be corrupted," he said. "My Irish servant sleeps +in my anteroom, my four lieutenants are close at hand, and knowing +that the soldiers are, for the most part, attached to me, I do not +think that open force will be used. I will, however, cause a large +bell to be suspended above my quarters. Its ringing will be a signal +that I am attacked, in which case I rely upon your highness putting +yourself at the head of the guard, and coming to my assistance." + +Tim Kelly was at once furious and alarmed, at the news that danger +threatened his master, and took every precaution that he could imagine +to ensure his safety. He took to going down to the town, himself, to +purchase provisions; and, so far as possible, prepared these himself. +He procured two or three monkeys, animals which he held in horror, and +offered them a portion of everything that came on the table, before he +placed it before his master. + +Charlie at first protested against this, as his dinner became cold by +waiting; but Tim had an oven prepared, and ordered dinner half an hour +before the time fixed by his master. Each dish as brought in was, +after a portion had been given to a monkey, placed in the oven, and +thus half an hour was given to allow the poison to work. This was done +without Charlie's knowledge, the oven being placed in the anteroom, +and the dishes thence brought in, in regular order, by the body +servant, whom even Tim allowed to be devoted to his master. + +One day, Charlie was just sitting down to his soup, when Tim ran in. + +"For the love of Heaven, Mr. Charles, don't put that stuff to your +mouth. It's pisoned, or, at any rate, if it isn't, one of the other +dishes is." + +"Poisoned, Tim! Nonsense, man. You are always thinking of poisonings +and plots." + +"And it's lucky for your honor that I am," Tim said. "Jist come into +the next room, and look at the monkeys." + +Charlie went in. One of the little creatures was lying upon the +ground, evidently in a state of great agony. The other was sitting up, +rocking itself backwards and forwards, like a human being in pain. + +"They look bad, poor little beasts," Charlie said; "but what has that +got to do with my soup?" + +"Shure, yer honor, isn't that jist what I keep the cratures for, just +to give them a taste of everything yer honor has, and I claps it into +the oven there to kape it warm till I've had time to see, by the +monkeys, whether it's good." + +"It looks very serious," Charlie said, gravely. "Do you go quietly +out, Tim, call two men from the guardhouse, and seize the cook; and +place one or two men as sentries over the other servants. I will go +across to the rajah." + +The latter, on hearing what had happened, ordered the cook to be +brought before him, together with the various dishes prepared for the +dinner. The man, upon being interrogated, vehemently denied all +knowledge of the affair. + +"We shall see," the rajah said. "Eat up that plate of soup." + +The man turned pale. + +"Your highness will observe," he stammered, "that you have already +told me that one of these dishes is poisoned. I cannot say which, and +whichever I eat may be the fatal one." + +The rajah made a signal to him to obey his orders, but Charlie +interposed. + +"There is something in what he says, your highness. Whether the man is +innocent or guilty, he would shrink equally from eating any of them. +It is really possible that he may know nothing of it. The poison may +have been introduced into the materials beforehand. If the man is +taken to a dungeon, I think I could suggest a plan by which we could +test him. + +"I believe him to be guilty," he said, when the prisoner had been +removed. + +"Then why not let him be beheaded at once?" the rajah asked. + +"I would rather let ten guilty men escape," Charlie replied, "than run +the risk of putting one innocent one to death. I propose, sir, that +you order the eight dishes of food, which have been prepared for my +dinner, to be carefully weighed. Let these be all placed in the cell +of the prisoner, and there let him be left. In the course of two or +three days he will, if guilty, endeavour to assuage his hunger by +eating little bits of food, from every dish except that which he knows +to be poisoned, but will take such a small portion from each that he +will think it will not be detected. If he is innocent, and is really +ignorant which dish is poisoned, he will not touch any of them, until +driven to desperation by hunger. Then he will seize on one or more, +and devour them to the end, running the chance of death by poison, +rather than endure the pangs of hunger longer." + +"Your plan is a wise one," the rajah said. "It shall be tried. Let the +dishes be taken to him, every morning, and removed every evening. Each +evening they shall be weighed." + +These orders were carried out, and on the following morning the dishes +were placed in the cell of the prisoner. When removed at night, they +were found to be untouched. The next evening several of the dishes +were found to have lost some ounces in weight. The third evening all +but one had been tasted. + +"Let the prisoner be brought in again," the rajah ordered, when +informed of this. + +"Dog," he said, "you have betrayed yourself. Had you been innocent, +you could not have known in which of the dishes the poison had been +placed. You have eaten of all but one. If that one contains poison, +you are guilty." + +Then, turning to an attendant, he ordered him to take a portion of the +untouched food, and to throw it to a dog. Pending the experiment, the +prisoner was removed. Half an hour later, the attendant returned with +the news that the dog was dead. + +"The guilt of the man is confirmed," the rajah said. "Let him be +executed." + +"Will you give him to me, your highness?" Charlie asked. "His death +would not benefit me now, and to save his life, he may tell me who is +my enemy. It is of no use punishing the instrument, and letting the +instigator go free." + +"You are right," the rajah agreed. "If you can find out who bribed +him, justice shall be done, though it were the highest in the state." + +Charlie returned to his own quarters, assembled his lieutenants and +several other of his officers, and had the man brought before him. + +"Hossein," he said, "you have taken money to take my life. I looked +upon you as my faithful servant. I had done you no wrong. It has been +proved that you attempted to poison me. You, when driven by hunger, +ate small quantities, which you thought would pass unobserved, of all +the dishes but one. That dish has been given to a dog, and he has +died. You knew, then, which was the poisoned dish. The rajah has +ordered your execution. I offer you life, if you will tell me who it +was that tempted you." + +The prisoner preserved a stolid silence. + +"We had better proceed to torture him, at once," one of the rajah's +officers said. + +The man turned a little paler. He knew well the horrible tortures +which would, in such an instance, be inflicted to extort the names of +those who had bribed him. + +"I will say nothing," he said, firmly, "though you tear me limb from +limb." + +"I have no intention of torturing you," Charlie said. "A confession +extorted by pain is as likely to be false as true, and even did you +tell me one name, there might still be a dozen engaged in it who would +remain unknown. No, Hossein, you have failed in your duty, you have +tried to slay a master who was kind to you, and trusted you." + +"No, sahib," the man exclaimed, passionately. "You did not trust me. +The food I sent you was tested and tried. I knew it; but I thought +that the poison would not have acted on the monkeys, until you had +eaten the dish. The fool who sold it me deceived me. Had you trusted +me, I would never have done it. It was only when I saw that I was +suspected and doubted, without cause, that my heart turned against +you, and I took the gold which was offered to me to kill you. I swear +it by the Prophet." + +Charlie looked at him steadily. + +"I believe you," he said. "You were mistaken. I had no suspicions. My +servant feared for me, and took these precautions without telling me. +However, Hossein, I pardon you, and if you will swear to me to be +faithful, in future, I will trust you. You shall again be my cook, and +I will eat the food as you prepare it for me." + +"I am my lord's slave," the man said in a low tone. "My life is his." + +Charlie nodded, and the guard standing on either side of the prisoner +stepped back, and without another word he left the room, a free man. + +Charlie's officers remonstrated with him upon having not only pardoned +the man, but restored him to his position of cook. + +"I think I have done wisely," Charlie said. "I must have a cook, for +Tim Kelly here is not famous that way; and although he might manage +for me, when alone, he certainly could not turn out a dinner which +would be suitable, when I have some of the rajah's kinsmen and +officers dining with me. Did I get another cook, he might be just as +open to the offers of my enemies as Hossein has been; and do you not +think that, after what has passed, Hossein will be less likely to take +bribes than any other man?" + +Henceforth the oven was removed from the antechamber, and Charlie took +his meals as Hossein prepared them for him. The man said little, but +Charlie felt sure, from the glances that he cast at him, that he could +rely upon Hossein now to the death. + +Tim Kelly, who felt the strongest doubts as to the prudence of the +proceeding, observed that Hossein no longer bought articles from men +who brought them up to sell to the soldiers, but that every morning he +went out early, and purchased all the supplies he desired from the +shopkeepers in the town. Tim mentioned the fact to his master, who +said: + +"You see, Tim, Hossein has determined that I shall not be poisoned +without his knowing it. The little peddlers who come up here with +herbs, and spices, and the ingredients for curry, might be bribed to +sell Hossein poisoned goods. By going down into the town, and buying +in the open market, it is barely possible that the goods could be +poisoned. You need have no more anxiety whatever, Tim, as to poison. +If the attempt is made again, it will probably be by sword or dagger." + +"Well, yer honor," said Tim, "anything's better than pison. I've got +to sleep almost with one eye open. And you've got sentries outside +your windows. What a pity it is that we ain't in a climate where one +can fasten the windows, and boult the shutters! But now the wet season +is over again, ye might have yer bed put, as ye did last year, on the +roof of your room, with a canopy over it to keep off the dew. Ye would +be safe then, except from anyone coming through the room where I +sleeps." + +Charlie's bedroom was at the angle of a wall, and on two sides he +could look down from his windows, two hundred feet, sheer into the +valley below. The view from the flat terraced roof was a charming one, +and, as Tim said, Charlie had, in the fine weather, converted the +terrace into a sleeping room. A broad canopy, supported by poles at +the corner, stretched over it, and even in the hottest weather the +nights were not unpleasant here. + + + +Chapter 13: An Attempt At Murder. + + +The house, of which the bedroom occupied by Charlie formed part, was +elsewhere two stories higher; this room jutting out, alone, into the +angle of the wall. The rest of the suite of rooms were in the house +itself, but access could be obtained to this room through the window, +which looked on to the terrace of the wall. Charlie's lieutenants +always took pains to place men upon whom they could thoroughly rely as +sentries, on this terrace. + +One night, a fortnight after the events which have been described, +Charlie was asleep on his bed, on the flats above his room. On one +side the house rose straight beside it. On two others was the fall to +the valley, on the fourth side was the wall, along which two sentries +were pacing to and fro. From time to time, from a door some distance +along the side of the house, opening on to the wall, a white figure +came out, stretched himself as if unable to sleep, looked for a while +over the parapet down into the valley, appeared to listen intently, +and then sauntered into the house again. + +It was the cook, Hossein. It was his custom. Successive sentries had, +for many nights past, seen him do the same; but in a country where the +nights are hot, a sleepless servant attracts but little attention. +Upon the occasion of one of these visits to the parapet, he stood in +an attitude of deep attention, longer than usual. Then he carelessly +sauntered back. It was but a moment later that his face appeared at +the window next to that of Charlie's bedroom. He stretched his head +out, and again listened intently. Then he went to Tim, who was +sleeping heavily on a couch placed there, and touched him. He put his +hand on his lips, as Tim sprang up. + +"Take arm," he said, in Hindostanee. "Bad man coming." + +Tim understood the words and, seizing a sword and pistol which lay +close to the bedside, followed Hossein, who had glided up the stairs, +with a drawn tulwar in his hand. At the moment he did so, there was a +noise of heavy bodies dropping, followed by a sudden shout from +Charlie. There was a sound of clashing of arms, and the report of a +pistol. + +As Tim's eyes came on a level with the terrace, he saw Hossein bound +with uplifted blade into the midst of a group of men in the corner. +Three times the blade rose and fell, and each time a loud shriek +followed. Then he disappeared in the midst. + +Tim was but a few seconds behind him. Discharging his pistol into the +body of one of the men, and running his sword into another, he, too, +stood by the side of his master. Charlie, streaming with blood, was +half sitting, half lying in the angle of the parapet. Hossein, his +turban off, his long hair streaming down his back, was standing over +him, fighting furiously against some ten men, who still pressed +forward, while several others lay upon the ground. + +In spite of the arrival of Charlie's two allies, they still pressed +forward, but the shots of the pistols had been echoed by the muskets +of the sentries. Loud shouts were heard, showing that the alarm was +sounding through the palace. + +One more desperate effort the assailants made, to beat the two men who +opposed them over the parapet, but Hossein and the Irishman stood +firm. The weight and numbers of their opponents, however, told upon +them; when the first of the sentries appeared upon the platform, +followed closely by his comrade; and both, with levelled bayonets, +charged into the fray. + +The assailants now thought only of escape, but their position was a +desperate one. Some rushed to the end of the terrace, and tried to +climb the ropes by which they had slid down from the upper roof of the +house. Others endeavoured to rush down the staircase; but Tim, with +one of the sentries, guarded this point, until a rush of feet below +told that the guard were coming to their assistance. + +It was well that help was at hand, for the conspirators, desperate at +finding themselves in a trap, gathering themselves together, rushed +with the fury of wild beasts upon Tim and the sentry. One was impaled +upon a bayonet, another cut down by Tim, and then, borne back by the +weight of their opponents, they were hurled backwards down the stairs. +As the assailants followed them with a rush, the guard sprang through +the open window, from the terrace below, into the room. + +There was a short and desperate conflict. Then two of the conspirators +bounded up the staircase on to the roof, ran to the parapet and leaped +over into the valley, two hundred feet below. They were the last of +the eighteen men who had lowered themselves, from the roof above, to +attack Charlie. + +As soon as Tim picked himself up, he hastened to ascend the stairs +again, and to run to the side of his master. Charlie was insensible. +Leaning against the parapet, too weak to stand, but still holding his +sword, and ready to throw himself once more before him, stood Hossein; +who now, seeing Tim approach, and that all danger was over, dropped +his sword and sank upon the ground. + +A minute or two later the rajah himself, sword in hand, hurried up. He +was greatly concerned, and excited, at the sight which met his eyes. +Charlie was at once lifted, and carried down to one of the rajah's own +rooms, where he was instantly attended to. + +A hasty examination showed that only two of the attacking party still +breathed. None of those who had fallen above survived, so fiercely and +deadly had been the blows struck by Hossein and Tim. Charlie himself +had cut down one and shot another, before he fell, slashed in many +places, just as Hossein bounded through his assailants. + +The bodies of the dead were, by the rajah's orders, laid together for +identification in the morning. The two who still lived were carried to +the guardroom, and their wounds dressed, in order that the names of +their employers might be obtained from them. + +In the meantime, Charlie's lieutenants had hastily formed a body of +their soldiers together, and these at once fell upon a number of men +who were crowding up the steps to the palace, with shouts of "Death to +the Englishman." A few volleys poured among these effectually +scattered them, and they broke and hurried down the steep road, +through the gates to the town, the sentries on the way offering no +opposition, but many falling under the fire from the parapet of the +fort. + +In ten minutes, all was over. The gates were again closed, and a +strong guard placed over them, and the attempted insurrection was at +an end. + +The native surgeon, who attended Charlie, pronounced that none of the +five wounds he had received, although for the most part severe, were +necessarily fatal; and that there was every chance of his recovery. +Hossein's wounds, three in number, were pronounced to be more +dangerous, one being a deep stab in the body, given by a man who had +rushed at him, as he was guarding the blow of another. Tim's wounds +were comparatively slight, and he suffered more from the bruises he +had received, when hurled backwards down the stone staircase. However, +with one arm in a sling, and his head bandaged, he was able to take +his place by his master's bedside. + +Having heard, from him, that it was entirely due to Hossein that +Charlie's life had been saved, the rajah directed that every attention +should be paid to him; and several times, during the night, Tim stole +away to his bedside to press his hand, and call down blessings upon +him. + +The stanching of his wounds, and the application of strong +restoratives, presently caused Charlie to open his eyes. + +"The Lord be praised, Mr. Charles," Tim said, "that you're coming to +yourself again. Don't you trouble, sir. We've done for the murdhering +rascals; and, plase God, you'll soon be about again. Jist drink this +draught, yer honor, and go off to sleep, if you can. In the morning +I'll tell you all about it. + +"You're in the rajah's own room," he continued, seeing Charlie's eyes +wander wonderingly around him, "and all you've got to do is just to +lie still, and get well as soon as you can." + +It was a fortnight before Charlie, still very weak and feeble, was +able to totter from his room to that in which Hossein was lying. He +himself knew nothing of what had passed after he fell. The conflict +had, to him, been little more than a dream. Awakened from sleep by the +sound of his assailants, as they dropped from the ropes, he had leaped +up as a rush of figures came towards him, catching up his sword and +pistol as he did so. He had shot the first, and cut down the next who +rushed at him, but at the same moment he had felt a sharp pain, and +remembered no more. + +Tim heard from Hossein, when the latter, two days after the fight, was +able to speak, that he had suspected that some renewed attempt might +be made upon his master's life; and that for many nights he had not +slept, contenting himself with such repose as he could snatch in the +daytime, between the intervals of preparing meals. A few minutes +before the attack, he fancied he heard a movement on the roof of the +house; and running to Charlie's room he had, from the window, seen +some dark figures sliding down the wall. Then he roused Tim, and +rushed up to the rescue. + +Tim eloquently described to his master the manner in which Hossein +sprung upon his foes, and cut his way through, in time to drive back +those who were hacking at him as he lay prostrate; and how he found +him standing over him, keeping at bay the whole of his assailants. + +Charlie, with difficulty, made his way to the bedside of the brave +Mohammedan. The latter, however, did not know him. He was in the +delirium of fever. He was talking rapidly to himself. + +"He trusted me," he said. "He gave me my life. Should I not give mine +for him? Anyone else would have had me hung as a dog. I will watch. I +will watch. He shall see that Hossein is not ungrateful." + +Charlie's eyes filled with tears, as he looked at the wasted form of +his follower. + +"Is there any hope for him?" he asked the doctor. + +"It is possible, just possible that he may live," the latter said. +"Allah only knows." + +"Do all you can to save him," Charlie said. "I shall be ever grateful +to you, if you do." + +Tim, now that his master could dispense with his services, transferred +his attentions to the bedside of Hossein, and was unremitting in the +care and attention with which he kept the bandages on his head cool +with fresh water, and wetted his hot lips with refreshing drinks. It +was another week before his illness took a turn. Then the fever left +him, and he lay weak and helpless as an infant. Strong soups now took +the place of the cooling drinks, and in a few days the native doctor +was able to say, confidently, that the danger was passed, and that +Hossein would recover. + +In the meantime, the investigations of the rajah had brought to light +the details of the conspiracy. The wounded men had confessed that they +were employed by three of the principal persons at the rajah's court, +one of them being the rajah's brother. The information, however, was +scarcely needed; as it was found, in the morning, that their +apartments were empty; they having fled with the men who had attacked +the gates of the palace. These consisted partly of soldiers whom they +had bribed, and of desperadoes from the town, who had singly entered +the fort during the day, and had been concealed in the apartments of +the conspirators, until the signal for attack was given. + +The intention of the conspirators was not only to kill the Englishman, +but to dethrone the rajah, and install his brother in his place. The +attack had commenced with the attempt upon Charlie's life, because it +was believed that his death would paralyse the troops who were +faithful to the rajah. + +At the end of six weeks, Charlie was able to resume his duties, and +his appearance at the parade ground was hailed with enthusiastic +shouts by the soldiers. The rajah was more attached to him than ever, +and had again made him large presents, in token of the regret he felt +at the sufferings he had endured in his cause. + +Drilling was now carried on with redoubled energy, and large numbers +of new levies had been summoned to the standard. A storm was gathering +over Ambur. The rajah's brother was raising a force to attack him, and +had, by means of large promises in case of success, persuaded Murari +Reo to take up his cause; and he had, it was said, also sent messages +to the nizam, pointing out that, in case of war with the English, the +Rajah of Ambur would be a thorn in his side. He told of the numbers of +troops who had been drilled, and how formidable such a force would be, +if opposed to him at a critical moment; while if he, the claimant, +gained power, the army of Ambur would be at the disposal of the nizam. + +The rajah, on his side, had also sent messengers to Hyderabad, with +assurances to the nizam of his fidelity and friendship. He urged that +the preparations he had made were intended solely for the defence of +his state, against marauding bands of Mahrattas, and especially +against those of Murari Reo, who was a scourge to all his neighbours. + +In the meantime, every effort was made to strengthen the defences of +Ambur. The walls surrounding the town were repaired, and although +these, in themselves, could have offered but a slight defence to a +determined assault, the approaches to the town were all covered by the +guns of the fort above. + +The weak point of the defence was the hill behind the town. This +sloped up, gradually, to a point higher than the level of the +projecting rock upon which the castle stood. It then rose, in rugged +cliffs, some two hundred feet higher; and then fell away again, +steeply, to its summit. This was too far back for the fire of guns +placed upon it to injure the castle or town. Guns placed, however, at +the foot of the rocky wall, would dominate the castle and render it, +at last, untenable. + +Charlie had often looked, with an anxious eye, at this point; and one +morning, accompanied by the rajah, he rode up to examine the position. +The highest point of the slope, at the foot of the crag, was nearly +opposite the castle; and it was here that an active enemy, making his +way along the slope, would place his guns. Here, Charlie determined to +establish a battery. + +News had arrived that the rajah's brother had raised a force of three +thousand men; and that, with seven thousand Mahrattas, he was about to +march. This force, Charlie felt certain that he could meet and defeat, +in the open. But more disquieting news was that Bussy, hearing that +the rajah's troops had been trained by an Englishman, had advised the +nizam to declare for his rival, and to send a considerable force to +his assistance, if necessary. Fresh messengers were sent off, with new +assurances of the rajah's loyalty to the nizam. + +"It may not do much good," Charlie said, "but if we can induce him to +remain quiet, until we have defeated Murari Reo, it will be so much +gained." + +Charlie himself despatched a messenger to Mr. Saunders, begging that +assistance might be sent to the rajah. + +Having decided upon the position for a battery, energetic steps were +taken to form it. A space large enough for the construction of the +battery, and for the tents and stores of the artillerymen and two +hundred infantry, was marked out; and the rajah ordered the whole +population of Ambur, men, women, and children, to assist at the work. +The troops, too, were all employed; and under Charlie's +superintendence, a wondrous change was soon effected. The spot chosen +was levelled, a strong earthwork was erected round it, and then the +surrounding ground was removed. This was a work of immense labour, the +ground consisting first of a layer of soil, then of debris which had +fallen from the face of the rock above, stones and boulders, to the +depth of some fifteen feet, under which was the solid earth. + +The slope resembled an anthill. The soldiers and able-bodied men broke +up the boulders and rock with sledgehammers; or, when necessary, with +powder, and blasted the rock, when needed. The women and children +carried away the fragments in baskets. The work lasted for a +fortnight, at the end of which a position of an almost impregnable +nature was formed. At the foot of the earthworks protecting the guns, +both at the face and sides, the ground, composed of great boulders and +stones, sloped steeply out, forming a bank fifteen feet deep. At its +foot, again, the solid rock was blasted away, so as to form a deep +chasm, thirty feet wide and ten feet high, round the foot of the fort. +For a hundred yards on each side, the earth and stones had been +entirely removed down to the solid rock. + +Ten guns were placed in the battery, and the fire of these swept the +slopes behind the town and castle, rendering it impossible, until the +fort was carried, for an enemy to attack the town on that side; or to +operate, in any way, against the only point at which an attack could +be made upon the castle. + +The rajah was delighted at this most formidable accession to the +defensive power of his fortress, which was now in a position to defy +any attack which could be made against it. A store of provisions and +ammunition was collected there, and the command given to one of +Charlie's Sepoy lieutenants, with a hundred trained artillerymen, and +two hundred infantry. Numbers of cattle had been driven into the town +and castle, and stores of provisions collected. + +It was but two days after the battery was complete that the news +arrived that the rajah's brother, with Murari Reo, had entered the +rajah's dominions, and was marching up the valley to the assault. The +rajah had, in the first place, wished to defend a strong gorge through +which the enemy would have to pass; this having hitherto been +considered the defensible point of his capital, against an invasion. +Charlie pointed out, however, that although no doubt a successful +defence might be made here, it would only be a repulse, which would +leave the enemy but little weakened for further operations. He argued +that it was better to allow them to advance to the point where the +valley opened out into a plain, some two miles wide. He had no doubt +whatever that the rajah's troops would be able to inflict a crushing +defeat upon the invaders, who would be so disheartened, thereby, that +they would be little likely to renew the attack. + +Two bodies of troops, each three hundred strong, were sent down to the +gorge, with orders to remain in hiding among the heights, to allow the +invading army to pass unmolested, and then to inflict the greatest +possible loss upon them, as they returned. These were under the +command of another of Charlie's lieutenants, who received orders from +him to erect breastworks of rock on the slopes above the entrance to +the gorge, after the enemy had passed on; and to line these with a +portion of his men, who should pour a heavy fire into the enemy as +they came down the valley; while the rest were to line the heights +above the gorge, and to roll down rocks upon those who passed through +the fire of their comrades. + +The uniforms were served out to the soldiers, and Charlie surveyed, +with pride, the five battalions of trained troops which, with twelve +guns, marched down into the valley and took up their post beyond it, +at a point which he had carefully chosen, where the guns of the castle +would be able to play upon an advancing body of troops. A body of +trained artillerymen were told off for this service, and the +last-raised levies were posted in the castle and on the walls of the +town. + +The position was so chosen that the flanks of the line rested on the +slopes on either side. These were broken by inclosures and gardens; +into which, on either side, half a battalion was thrown forward, so as +to deliver a flanking fire upon an enemy advancing against the centre. +Across the valley, two hundred yards in front of the position, the +stream which watered it made a sharp turn, running for some distance +directly across it, and several small canals for the irrigation of the +fields rendered the ground wet and swampy. Across the line occupied by +his troops, a breastwork had been thrown up, and in front of this rows +of sharp-pointed stakes had been stuck in the ground. Altogether, the +position was a formidable one. + +An hour or two after the position so carefully prepared had been taken +up, large bodies of Mahratta horse were seen dashing up the valley, +and smoke rising from several points showed that they had begun their +usual work, of plundering and destroying the villages on their way. A +few discharges from the field pieces--those in the castle had been +ordered to be silent until the raising of a white flag gave them the +signal to open fire--checked the advance of the horsemen, and these +waited until their infantry should arrive. + +The force of Murari Reo was, at that time, the most formidable of any +purely native army of Southern India. Recruited from desperadoes from +all the Mahratta tribes, well disciplined by its leader, it had more +than once fought, without defeat, against bodies of Europeans; while +it had, in all cases, obtained easy victories over other native +armies. + +Presently the horsemen opened, and a compact body of three thousand +Mahratta infantry, accompanied by an equal number of the irregulars of +the rajah's brother, advanced to the attack; while the cavalry at +their sides swept down upon the flanks of the rajah's position, and +thirty pieces of artillery opened fire. + +Not a shot was fired in return, Charlie ordering his men to lie down +behind the breastworks, until they received the word of command to +show themselves. The Mahratta horsemen, compelled by the bends of the +stream to keep near the foot of the slopes, came forward in gallant +style; until suddenly, from every wall and every clump of bushes on +the slopes above them, a tremendous fire of musketry broke out, while +the twelve field guns, six of which were posted on either side of +Charlie's centre, poured a destructive fire into them. So deadly was +the rain of iron and lead that the Mahratta horsemen instantly drew +bridle and, leaving the ground strewn with their dead, galloped back. + +By this time the infantry, covered by the fire of their artillery, had +reached the stream. This was waist deep, and the banks were some two +feet above its level. As they scrambled up after crossing it, from the +line of embankment in front of them a tremendous fire was opened. +Although mowed down in scores, the seasoned warriors of the Mahratta +chief, cheered on by his voice as, recklessly exposing himself, he +rode among them, pressed forward. Ever increasing numbers gained a +footing across the stream, those in front keeping up a heavy fire at +the breastwork, whose face was ploughed by their cannon shot. + +As they advanced the guns of the castle opened fire, not upon those in +front, for these were too near the line of entrenchment, but upon the +struggling mass still crossing the stream, into which a ceaseless fire +of musketry was poured from the slopes on their flanks. Still the +Mahratta infantry struggled bravely on, until within a few yards of +the entrenchments. Then, suddenly, with a mighty shout, the rajah's +troops leaped to their feet, poured a volley from the crest of the +breastwork into the enemy; and then, with fixed bayonets, flung +themselves upon them. + +The effect was decisive. The Mahrattas had, at the commencement of the +fight, scarcely outnumbered the troops of the rajah in front of them, +and had derived but little assistance from the levies of their ally; +who, indeed, had contented themselves with keeping up a fire upon the +defenders of the slopes. They had already suffered very severely, and +the charge made upon them, along the whole line, was irresistible. + +Before the bayonets crossed they broke and fled, hotly pursued by the +troops of the rajah. These, in accordance with Charlie's orders, did +not scatter, but kept in a close line, four deep, which advanced, +pouring tremendous volleys into their foe. + +In vain did Murari Reo endeavour to rally his men. His infantry, all +order lost, fled at the top of their speed, their flight covered by +their cavalry, who sacrificed themselves in two or three brilliant +charges, right up to the line of pursuers, although suffering terribly +from the withering volleys poured into their ranks. + +The troops were now formed into heavy columns, and these rapidly +marched down the valley, after their flying enemy. An hour later, the +sound of heavy firing was heard in front, and at redoubled speed the +troops pressed onward. When they arrived, however, at the gorge, they +found that the last of the fugitives had passed through. The ground in +front was strewn with dead and dying, for as the mass of fugitives had +arrived at the gorge, the infantry from above had opened fire upon +them. Several times the frightened throng had recoiled, but at last, +impelled by the greater fear of their pursuers behind, they had dashed +forward through the fire, only to fall in hundreds in the gorge, +crushed beneath the rain of rocks showered down upon them from above. + + + +Chapter 14: The Siege Of Ambur. + + +The victory was a complete and decisive one. A thousand of the best +troops of Murari Reo had fallen, besides some hundreds of their +irregular allies, whose loss was incurred almost wholly at the gorge +in the retreat. The rajah was in the highest state of delight at the +splendid result, obtained by the European training of his troops; and +these, proud of their victory over such formidable opponents, were +full of enthusiasm for their young English leader. The rejoicings in +Ambur that night were great, and all felt confident that the danger +was at an end. + +"What think you," the rajah said to Charlie, as, the long feast at an +end, they sat together in the divan, smoking their narghileys, "will +be the result, when the news of the defeat of Murari Reo reaches +Hyderabad?" + +"It is difficult to say," Charlie replied. "It is possible, of course, +that it may be considered that it is better to leave you in peace; +but, upon the other hand, it may be that they will consider that you +are so formidable a power, that it is absolutely necessary to crush +you at once, rather than to give you the chance of joining against +them, in the war which must sooner or later take place between them +and the English. In that case, it will be a very different affair from +that which we have had today. + +"Still, I should send off a messenger tomorrow, to acquaint the nizam +with the defeat you inflicted upon the Mahrattas who have invaded you, +to assure him again of your loyalty, and to beg him to lay his +authority upon Murari Reo, not to renew the attack." + +Ten days later a messenger arrived from the nizam, ordering the rajah +to repair, at once, to Hyderabad, to explain his conduct. The latter +sent back a message of humble excuses, saying that his health was so +injured, by the excitement of recent events, that he was unable to +travel; but that, when he recovered, he would journey to Hyderabad to +lay his respects at the feet of the nizam. + +Two or three days later a messenger arrived from Mr. Saunders, with a +letter to Charlie. In this he expressed his great satisfaction at the +defeat Murari Reo had received; a defeat which would, for some time, +keep him quiet, and so relieve the strain upon the English. Affairs +had, he said, since the departure of Clive for England, been going +badly. Dupleix had received large reinforcements, and the English had +suffered several reverses. Mr. Saunders begged him to assure the rajah +of the respect and friendship of England, and to give him the promise +that, if he should be driven from his capital, he would be received +with all honor at Madras, and should be reinstated in his dominions, +with much added territory, when the English were again in a position +to take the field in force, and to settle their long feud with the +French. + +Ten days later, they heard that the army of the nizam, of fifteen +thousand troops, with eight hundred French under Bussy, were marching +against them; and that the horsemen of Murari Reo were devastating the +villages near the frontier. A council of war was held. Charlie would +fain have fought in the open again, believing that his trained troops, +flushed with their recent victory, would be a match even for the army +of the nizam. But the rajah and the rest of the council, alarmed at +the presence of the French troops, who had hitherto proved invincible +against vastly superior forces of natives, shrank from such a course; +and it was decided that they should content themselves with the +defence of the town and castle. + +Orders were accordingly issued that the old men, the women, and +children should at once leave the town; and, under guard of one +battalion of troops, take refuge in an almost impregnable hill fort +some miles away. One battalion was placed in garrison in the castle. +The other three, with the irregulars, took post in the town, whence +they could, if necessary, retreat into the castle. + +The day following the removal of the noncombatants the enemy appeared, +coming down the valley, having marched over the hills; while the +Mahratta cavalry again poured up from below. + +Charlie had taken the command of the town, as it was against this that +the efforts of the enemy would be first directed. It was an imposing +sight, as the army of the nizam wound down the valley; the great +masses of men with their gay flags, the elephants with the gold +embroidery of their trappings glistening in the sun, the bands of +horsemen careering here and there, the lines of artillery drawn by +bullocks; and, less picturesque but far more menacing, the dark body +of French infantry, who formed the nucleus and heart of the whole. The +camp was pitched just out of range of the guns of the fort, and soon +line after line of tents, gay with the flags that floated above them, +rose across the valley. + +Charlie had mounted to the castle, the better to observe the movements +of the enemy, and he presently saw a small body of horsemen ride out +of the camp, and mount the hillside across the valley. A glass showed +that some of these were native officers, while others were in the dark +uniform of the French. + +"I have no doubt," Charlie said to the rajah, "that is the nizam +himself, with Bussy, gone up to reconnoitre the position. I wonder how +he likes the look of it. I wish we could have turfed the battery +above, and the newly stripped land. We might, in that case, have given +them a pleasant surprise. As it is, they are hardly likely to begin by +an attack along the slopes in the rear of the town, and you will see +that they will commence the attack at the farther face of the town. +The battery above cannot aid us in our defence there; and although the +castle may help, it will only be by a direct fire. If they try to +carry the place by a coup de main, I think we can beat them off, but +they must succeed by regular approaches. + +"We must inflict as much loss as we can, and then fall back. However, +it will be sometime before that comes." + +The next morning, Charlie found that the enemy had, during the night, +erected three batteries on the slopes facing the north wall of the +town, that farthest removed from the castle. They at once opened fire, +and the guns on the walls facing them replied, while those on the +castle hurled their shot over the town into the enemy's battery. For +three days, the artillery fire was kept up without intermission. The +guns on the wall were too weak to silence the batteries of the +besiegers, although these were much annoyed by the fire from the fort, +which dismounted four of their guns, and blew up one of their +magazines. Several times the town was set on fire by the shell from +the French mortars; but Charlie had organized the irregulars into +bands with buckets, and these succeeded in extinguishing the flames +before they spread. + +Seeing that the mud wall of the town was crumbling rapidly before the +besiegers' fire, Charlie set his troops to work, and levelled every +house within fifty yards of it, and with the stones and beams formed +barricades across the end of the streets beyond. Many of the guns from +other portions of the walls were removed, and placed on these +barricades. The ends of the houses were loopholed, and all was +prepared for a desperate defence. + +Charlie's experience at Arcot stood him in good stead, and he imitated +the measures taken by Clive at that place. When these defences were +completed, he raised a second line of barricades some distance further +back; and here, when the assault was expected, he placed one of his +battalions, with orders that, if the inner line of entrenchments was +carried, they should allow all the defenders of that post to pass +through, and then resist until the town was completely evacuated, when +they were to fall back upon the fort. He had, however, little fear +that his position would be taken at the first assault. + +Upon the evening of the third day, the besiegers' fire had done its +work, and a gap in the wall some eighty yards wide was formed. The +garrison were ordered to hold themselves in readiness, and a strict +watch was set. + +Towards morning, a distant hum in the nizam's camp proclaimed that the +troops were mustering for the assault. The besiegers' guns had +continued their fire all night, to prevent working parties from +placing obstacles in the breach. As the first shades of daylight +appeared the fire ceased, and a great column of men poured forward to +the assault. + +The few remaining guns upon the end wall opened upon them, as did the +infantry who lined the parapet, while the guns in the castle at once +joined in. The mighty column, however, composed of the troops of the +nizam, pressed forward, poured over the fragments of the wall, and +entered the clear space behind it. + +Then, from housetop and loophole, and from the walls on either side, a +concentrated fire of musketry was poured upon them, while twelve guns, +four on each barricade, swept them with grape. The head of the column +withered away under the fire, long lines were swept through the +crowded mass; and, after a minute or two's wild firing at their +concealed foes, the troops of the nizam, appalled and shattered by the +tremendous fire, broke and fled. + +The instant they had cleared the breach, the guns of the besiegers +again opened furiously upon it, to check any sortie which the besieged +might attempt. + +An hour later, the besiegers hoisted a white flag, and requested to be +allowed to bury their dead, and remove their wounded. This Charlie +agreed to, with the proviso that these should be carried by his own +men beyond the breach, as he did not wish that the enemy should have +an opportunity of examining the internal defences. The task occupied +some time, as more than five hundred dead and dying lay scattered in +the open space. + +During the rest of the day, the enemy showed no signs of resuming the +assault. During the night they could be heard hard at work, and +although a brisk fire was kept up to hinder them, Charlie found that +they had pushed trenches, from the batteries, a considerable distance +round each corner of the town. + +For four days the besiegers worked vigorously, harassed as they were +by the guns of the fort, and by those of the battery high up on the +hillside, which were now able to take in flank the works across the +upper angle of the town. At the end of that time, they had erected and +armed two batteries, which at daylight opened upon the walls which +formed the flanks of the clear space behind the breach. Although +suffering heavily from the fire of the besieged, and losing many men, +these batteries kept up their fire unceasingly, night and day, until +great gaps had been made in the walls, and Charlie was obliged to +withdraw his troops from them, behind the line of barricades. + +During this time the fire of the batteries in front had been +unceasing, and had destroyed most of the houses which formed the +connecting line between the barricades. Each night, however, the +besieged worked to repair damages, and to fill up the gaps thus formed +with piles of stones and beams, so that, by the end of the fourth day +after the repulse of the first assault, a line of barricades stretched +across the line of defence. + +The enemy, this time, prepared to attack by daylight, and early in the +morning the whole army of the nizam marched to the assault. Heedless +of the fire of the castle, they formed up in a long line of heavy +masses, along the slope. One huge column moved forward against the +main breach, two advanced obliquely towards the great gaps in the +walls on either side. The latter columns were each headed by bodies of +French troops. + +In vain the guns of the fort, aided by those of the battery on the +hill, swept them. The columns advanced without a check until they +entered the breaches. Then a line of fire swept along the crest of the +barricade from end to end, and the cannon of the besieged roared out. +Pressed by the mass from behind, the columns advanced, torn and rent +by the fire, and at last gained the foot of the barricade. + +Here, those in front strove desperately to climb up the great mound of +rubbish, while those behind covered them with a storm of bullets aimed +at its summit. More than once the troops of the rajah, rushing down +the embankment, drove back the struggling masses, but so heavily did +they suffer from the fire, when they thus exposed themselves, that +Charlie forbade them to repeat the attempt. He knew that there was +safety behind, and was unwilling that his brave fellows should throw +away their lives. + +In the centre of the position the native troops, although they several +times climbed some distance up the barricade, were yet unable to make +way. But the French troops at the flanks were steadily forcing their +way up. Many had climbed up by the ruins of the wall, and from its top +were firing down on the defenders of the barricade. Inch by inch they +won their way up the barricade, already thickly covered with dead; and +then Charlie, seeing that his men were beginning to waver, gave the +signal. + +The long blast of a trumpet was heard even above the tremendous din. +In an instant the barricades were deserted, and the defenders rushed +into the houses. The partition walls between these on the lower floors +had already been knocked down, and without suffering from the heavy +fire which the assailants opened, as soon as they gained the crest of +the barricade, the defenders retreated along these covered ways until +in rear of the second line of defence. + +This was held by the battalion placed there, until the whole of the +defenders of the town had left it, by the gate leading up to the fort. +Then Charlie withdrew this battalion also, and the town remained in +the hands of the enemy; who had lost, Charlie reckoned, fully fifteen +hundred men in the assault. + +During the fight Tim and the faithful Hossein, now fully recovered and +promoted to the rank of an officer, had remained close beside him; and +were, with him, the last to leave the town. + +The instant the evacuation was complete, the guns of the hill battery +opened upon the town; and a tremendous fire of musketry was poured +upon it from every point of the castle which commanded it; while the +guns, which from their lofty elevation, could not be depressed +sufficiently to bear upon the town, directed their fire upon the +bodies of troops still beyond the walls. The enemy had captured the +town, indeed, but its possession aided them but little in their +assault upon the fort. The only advantage it gave them, would have +been that it would have enabled them to attack the lower gate of the +fort, protected by its outer wall from the fire of the hill battery. +Charlie had, however, perceived that this would be the case, and had +planted a number of mines under the wall at this point. These were +exploded when the defenders of the town entered the fort, and a +hundred yards of the wall were thus destroyed; leaving the space, +across which the enemy must advance to the attack of the gate, exposed +to the fire of the hill battery, as well as of the numerous guns of +the fort bearing upon it. + +Two days passed without any further operations on the part of the +enemy; and then Bussy, seeing that nothing whatever could be done +towards assaulting the fortress, so long as the battery remained in +the hands of the besieged, determined to make a desperate effort to +carry it, ignorant of its immense strength. At night, therefore, he +ordered two bodies of men, each fifteen hundred strong, to mount the +hillside, far to the right and left of the town; to move along at the +foot of the wall of rock, and to carry the battery by storm at +daybreak. + +Charlie, believing that such an attempt would be made, had upon the +day following the fall of the town taken his post there, and had +ordered a most vigilant watch to be kept up, each night; placing +sentries some hundred yards away, on either side, to give warning of +the approach of an enemy. + +Towards daybreak on the third morning a shot upon the left, followed a +few seconds later by one on the right, told that the enemy were +approaching. A minute or two afterwards the sentries ran in, climbed +from the ditch by ladders which had been placed there for the purpose, +and, hauling these up after them, were soon in the battery, with the +news that large bodies of the enemy were approaching on either flank. +Scarcely were the garrison at their posts, when the French were seen +approaching. At once they broke into a run, and, gallantly led, dashed +across the space of cleared rock, in spite of the heavy fire of +musketry and grape. + +When they came, however, to the edge of the deep gulf in the solid +rock, they paused. They had had no idea of meeting with such an +obstacle as this. It was easy enough to leap down, but impossible to +climb up the steep face, ten feet high, in front of them; and which, +in the dim light, could be plainly seen. It was, however, impossible +for those in front to pause. Pressed upon by those behind, who did not +know what was stopping them, large numbers were compelled to jump into +the trench, where they found themselves unable either to advance or +retreat. + +By this time, every gun on the upper side of the castle had opened on +the assailing columns, taking them in flank, while the fire of the +battery was continued without a moment's intermission. Bussy himself, +who was commanding one of the columns, pushed his way through his +struggling soldiers to the edge of the trench; when, seeing the +impossibility of scaling the sides, unprovided as he was with scaling +ladders, he gave the orders to retreat; and the columns, harassed by +the flanking fire of the guns of the castle, and pursued by that of +the battery, retreated, having lost some hundreds of their number; +besides a hundred and fifty of their best men, prisoners in the deep +trench around the battery. + +These were summoned to surrender; and, resistance being impossible, +they at once laid down their arms. Ladders were lowered to them, and +they were marched as prisoners to the fort. + +The next morning, when the defenders of the fortress looked over the +valley, the great camp was gone. The nizam and Bussy, despairing of +the possibility of carrying the position, at once so enormously strong +by nature, and so gallantly defended, had raised the siege; which had +cost them over two thousand of their best soldiers, including two +hundred French killed and prisoners, and retreated to the plateau of +the Deccan. + +The exultation of the rajah and his troops was unbounded. They felt +that, now and henceforth, they were safe from another invasion; and +the rajah saw that, in the future, he should be able to gain greatly +increased territory, as the ally of the English. His gratitude to +Charlie was unbounded, and he literally loaded him with costly +presents. + +Three weeks later, a letter was received by the latter from Mr. +Saunders, congratulating him upon the inestimable service which he had +rendered, and appointing him to the rank of captain in the Company's +service. Now that the rajah would be able to protect himself, should +any future assault be made upon him--an event most unlikely to happen, +as Bussy and the nizam would be unwilling to risk a repetition of a +defeat, which had already so greatly injured their prestige--he had +better return to Madras, where, as Mr. Saunders said, the services of +so capable an officer were greatly needed. He warned him, however, to +be careful in the extreme how he made his way back, as the country was +in a most disturbed state, the Mahratta bands being everywhere out +plundering and burning. + +Subsequent information, that the Mahrattas were swarming in the plains +below, determined Charlie to accept an offer which the rajah made him; +that he should, under a strong escort, cross the mountains, and make +his way to a port on the west coast, in the state of a friendly rajah, +where he would be able to take ship and coast round to Madras. The +rajah promised to send Charlie's horses and other presents down to +Madras, when an opportunity should offer; and Charlie, accompanied by +the four Sepoys, all of whom had been promoted to the rank of +officers; by Tim Kelly and Hossein, who would not separate himself a +moment from his side, started from Ambur, with an escort of thirty +horsemen. + +The rajah was quite affected at the parting; and the army, which he +had formed and organized, paraded before him for the last time, and +then shouted their farewell. + +Charlie himself, although glad to return among his countrymen, from +whom he had been nearly two years separated, was yet sorry to leave +the many friends he had made. His position was now a very different +one from that which he held when he left Madras. Then he was a newly +made lieutenant, who had distinguished himself, indeed, under Clive, +but who was as yet unknown save to his commander, and who was as poor +as when he had landed, eighteen months before, in India. Now he had +gained a name for himself, and his successful defence of Ambur had +been of immense service to the Company. He was, too, a wealthy man; +for the presents in money, alone, of the rajah, had amounted to over +twenty-five thousand pounds; a sum which, in these days, may appear +extraordinary, but which was small to that frequently bestowed, by +wealthy native princes, upon British officers who had done them a good +service. Clive himself, after his short campaign, had returned to +England with a far larger sum. + +For several days, the party rode through the hills without incident; +and on the fifth day they saw, stretched at their feet, a rich flat +country dotted with villages, beyond which extended the long blue line +of the sea. The distance was greater than Charlie imagined, and 'twas +only after two days' long ride that he reached Calicut, where he was +received with great honor by the rajah, to whom the leader of the +escort brought letters of introduction from the Rajah of Ambur. + +For four days Charlie remained as his guest, and then took a passage +in a large native vessel, bound for Ceylon, whence he would have no +difficulty in obtaining passage to Madras. + +These native ships are very high out of water, rising considerably +towards the stem and stern, and in form they somewhat resemble the +Chinese junk; but are without the superabundance of grotesque +painting, carving, and gilding which distinguish the latter. The rajah +accompanied Charlie to the shore, and a salute was fired, by his +followers, in honor of the departure of the guest. + +The weather was lovely, and the clumsy craft, with all sail set, was +soon running down the coast. When they had sailed some hours from +Calicut, from behind a headland, four vessels suddenly made their +appearance. They were lower in the water, and much less clumsy in +appearance than the ordinary native craft, and were propelled not only +by their sails, but by a number of oars on each side. + +No sooner did the captain and crew of the ship behold these vessels, +than they raised a cry of terror and despair. The captain, who was +part owner of the craft, ran up and down the deck like one possessed, +and the sailors seemed scarcely less terrified. + +"What on earth is the matter?" Charlie exclaimed. "What vessels are +those, and why are you afraid of them?" + +"Tulagi Angria! Tulagi Angria!" the captain cried, and the crew took +up the refrain. + +The name that they uttered fully accounted for their terror. + + + +Chapter 15: The Pirates' Hold. + + +Sivagi, the founder of the Mahratta Empire, had, in 1662, seized and +fortified Yijiyadrug; or, as the English call it, Gheriah, a town at +the mouth of the river Kanui, one hundred and seventy miles south of +Bombay; and also the island of Suwarndrug, about half way between +Gheriah and Bombay. Here he established a piratical fleet. Fifty years +later, Kanhagi Angria, the commander of the Mahratta fleet, broke off +this connection with the successors of Sivagi, and set up as a pirate +on his own account. Kanhagi not only plundered the native vessels, but +boldly preyed upon the commerce of the European settlements. The ships +of the East India Company, the French Company, and the Dutch were +frequently captured by these pirates. + +Tulagi Angria, who succeeded his father, was even bolder and more +successful; and when the man-of-war brig, the Restoration, with twenty +guns and two hundred men, was fitted out to attack him, he defeated +and captured her. After this, he attacked and captured the French +man-of-war Jupitre, with forty guns; and had even the insolence to +assail an English convoy guarded by two men-of-war; the Vigilant, of +sixty-four guns, and the Ruby, of fifty. + +The Dutch, in 1735, sent a fleet of seven ships of war, two bomb +vessels, and a strong body of troops against Gheriah. The attack was, +however, repulsed with considerable loss. From that date the pirates +grew bolder and bolder, and were a perfect scourge to the commerce of +Western India. + +Charlie Marryat had, of course, frequently heard of the doings of +these noted pirates, and the cry of "Tulagi Angria" at once explained +to him the terror of the master and crew. + +"What is it, Mr. Charles, what on earth is the botheration about? Is +it the little ships they're afeared of?" + +"Those ships belong to a pirate called Tulagi Angria," Charlie said, +"and I am very much afraid, Tim, that we are likely to see the inside +of his fortress." + +"But shure, yer honor, we're not afeared of those four little boats." + +"We are, Tim, and very much afraid, too. Each of those boats, as you +call them, carries four or five times as many men as this ship. They +are well armed, while we have only those two little guns, which are +useless except for show. If the crew were Englishmen, we might attempt +a defence, although even then the odds would be terribly against us; +but with these natives, it is hopeless to think of it, and the attempt +would only ensure our throats being cut." + +It was clear that the idea of resistance did never even enter the +minds of the crew of the trader. Some ran to and fro, with +gesticulations and cries of despair. Some threw themselves upon the +deck of the vessel, tore their hair, and rolled as if in convulsions. +Some sat down quietly, with the air of apathetic resignation, with +which the natives of India are used to meet what they consider the +inevitable. + +Hossein, who, at the first alarm, had bounded to his feet with his +hand on his knife, subsided into an attitude of indifference, when he +saw that Charlie did not intend making any defence. + +"It's mighty lucky," Tim said, "that yer honor left all your presents +to be forwarded to Madras. I thought you were wrong, Mr. Charles, when +you advised me to send them thousand rupees the rajah gave me, along +with your money. A hundred pounds wasn't a sum that Tim Kelly was +likely to handle again in a hurry, and it went agin the grain with me, +to part with them out of my hands. Sure and it's well I took yer +honor's advice." + +The four Sepoy officers also exchanged a few words with Charlie. They, +too, would have resisted, had he given the word, hopeless though the +effort would have been. But they acquiesced, at once, in his decision. +They had little to lose; but the thought of a prolonged captivity, and +of being obliged, perhaps, to enter the service of the Mahratta +freebooters, just when about to return to their wives and families at +Madras, was a terrible blow to them. + +"Keep up your spirits," Charlie said. "It is a bad business, but we +must hope for the best. If we bide our time, we may see some chance of +escape. You had better lay down your arms in a pile, here. Then we +will sit down quietly, and await their coming on board. They will be +here in a minute, now." + +Scarcely had the seven passengers taken their seats in a group, on the +poop, when the freebooters ranged alongside, and swarmed over the +sides onto the deck. Beyond bestowing a few kicks upon the crew, they +paid no attention whatever to them; but tore off the hatches, and at +once proceeded to investigate the contents of the hold. The greater +portion of this consisted of native grains, but there were several +bales of merchandise, consigned by traders at Calicut for Ceylon. The +cargo was, in fact, rather more valuable than that generally found in +a native coaster, and the pirates were satisfied. + +The leader of the party, leaving to his followers the task of +examining the hold, walked towards the group on the poop. They rose at +his approach. + +"Who are you?" the Mahratta asked. + +"I am an officer in the English Company's service," Charlie said, "as +are these five natives. The other Englishman is a soldier, under my +orders." + +"Good," the Mahratta said, emphatically. "Tulagi Angria will be glad +to have you. When your people capture any of our men, which is not +often, they hang them. Tulagi is glad to have people he can hang, +too." + +After being stripped of any small valuables on their persons, the +captives were taken on board one of the pirate boats. A score of the +Mahrattas remained in charge of the trader. Her head was turned north, +and, accompanied by the four Mahratta boats, she proceeded up the +coast again. Another trader was captured on the way, but two others +evaded the pirates, by running into the port of Calicut. + +The trader was a slow sailer, and they were eight days before they +approached Gheriah. Early in the morning a heavy cannonade was heard +in the distance, causing the greatest excitement among the Mahrattas. +Every sail was hoisted, the sweeps got out and, leaving the trader to +jog along in their rear, the four light craft made their way rapidly +along the coast. The firing became heavier and heavier, and as it +became light, three large ships could be seen, about two miles ahead, +surrounded by a host of smaller craft. + +"That's a big fight, Mr. Charles," Tim exclaimed. "It reminds me of +three big bulls in a meadow, attacked by a host of little curs." + +"It does, Tim; but the curs can bite. What a fire they are keeping up. +But those warships ought to thrash any number of them. Count the +ports, I can see them now." + +"The biggest one," Tim said, "has got twenty-five." + +"Yes; and the others eighteen and nine. They are two frigates, one of +fifty and the other of thirty-six guns; and a sloop of eighteen. I +can't make out the colours, but I don't think they're English." + +"They're not English, yer honor," Tim said confidently, "or they would +soon make an end of them varmint that's tormenting them." + +The scene, as the boats approached, was very exciting. The three ships +were pouring their broadsides, without intermission, into the pirate +fleet. This consisted of vessels of all sizes, from the Jupitre and +Restoration, down to large rowing galleys. Although many were sunk, +and more greatly damaged by the fire of the Dutch, they swarmed round +the great ships with wonderful tenacity; and, while the larger vessels +fought their guns against those of the men-of-war, the smaller ones +kept close to them, avoiding as much as possible their formidable +broadsides, but keeping up a perpetual musketry fire at their bulwarks +and tops, throwing stink pots, and shooting burning arrows through the +ports; and getting alongside under the muzzles of the guns, and trying +to climb up into the ports. + +The four newly arrived craft joined in the fray. + +"This is mighty unpleasant, yer honor," Tim said, as a shot from one +of the Dutch men-of-war struck the craft they were in, crashing a hole +through her bulwarks, and laying five or six of her crew upon the +deck, killed or wounded by the splinters. "Here we are, in the middle +of a fight in which we've no consarn whatever, and which is carried on +without asking our will or pleasure; and we are as likely to be killed +by a Christian shot, as these hathen niggers. + +"Hear them yell, yer honor. A faction fight's nothing to it. Look, yer +honor, look! There's smoke curling up from a hatchway of the big ship. +If they haven't set her afire!" + +It was as Tim said. A cloud of black smoke was rising from the Dutch +fifty-gun frigate. A wild yell of triumph broke from the Mahrattas. +The fire of their guns upon her redoubled, while that from the +man-of-war died away, as the crew were called off to assist in +extinguishing the flames. Now the smaller boats pressed still more +closely round her, and a rain of missiles was poured through the open +ports. Several times the Mahrattas climbed on board, but each time +were driven out again. The smoke rose thicker and thicker, and tongues +of flame could be seen shooting up. + +"She is doomed," Charlie exclaimed. "Even if unmolested, the crew +could not extinguish the fire, now. It has got too much hold. + +"Ah! The other frigate is on fire now." + +Fresh yells of triumph rose from the Mahrattas. On board the sloop +every sail was hoisted, in spite of the continued fire of muskets and +arrows, which killed many of the sailors employed. The Jupitre, +however, ran alongside her and grappled with her, and a furious combat +could be seen proceeding on the decks. Meanwhile, the flames mounted +higher and higher on board the two frigates. The crew now could be +seen leaping overboard from the ports, choosing any death rather than +that by fire. + +It was but a choice. Many were drowned, the rest cut or shot down by +the Mahrattas. Down came the Dutch flag, fluttering from the masthead +of the sloop, and the wild Mahratta yell proclaimed that the victory +was everywhere complete. + +The frigates were now a sheet of flames, and the Mahratta craft drew +away from them; until, with two tremendous explosions, their magazines +blew up and they sank beneath the waters. + +"I should scarcely have believed it possible," Charlie said, "that +three fine ships of war, mounting a hundred and four guns, could be +destroyed by a fleet of pirates, however numerous. Well, Tim, there is +no doubt that these natives can fight, when well led. It is just as +well, you see, that we did not attempt to offer any resistance, in +that clumsy craft we were on board." + +"You're right there, yer honor. They would have aten us up in five +minutes. It makes my heart bleed, to think of the sailors of those two +fine ships. I don't believe that a soul has escaped; but in the small +one, some may have been taken prisoners." + +When the fight was over, the craft in which were the captives ran +alongside the flagship of the pirate leader, and the captain reported +to him the capture he had made. Fortunately, Tulagi Angria was in a +high state of delight, at the victory he had just won; and, instead of +ordering them to be instantly executed, he told the captain to take +them on to Suwarndrug, and to imprison them there until his arrival. +He himself, with the rest of his fleet, and the captured Dutch sloop, +sailed into Gheriah; and the craft, in which Charlie and his +companions were imprisoned, continued her course to the island +stronghold of the pirates. + +Suwarndrug was built on a rocky island. It lay within gunshot of the +shore. Here, when Kanhagi Angria had first revolted from the authority +of the Mahratta kingdom, the ruler of the Deccan had caused three +strong forts to be built, in order to reduce the island fort. The +pirates, however, had taken the initiative, and had captured these +forts; as well as the whole line of seacoast, a hundred and twenty +miles in length; and the country behind, twenty or thirty miles broad, +extending to the foot of the mountains. + +On their arrival at Suwarndrug, the prisoners were handed over to the +governor, and were imprisoned in one of the casemates of the fort. The +next day, they were taken out and ordered to work; and, for weeks, +they laboured at the fortifications, with which the pirates were +strengthening their already naturally strong position. The labour was +very severe, but it was a consolation to the captives that they were +kept together. + +By Charlie's advice they exerted themselves to the utmost, and thus +succeeded in pleasing their masters, and in escaping with but a small +share of the blows, which were liberally distributed among other +prisoners, native and European, employed upon the work. Charlie, +indeed, was appointed as a sort of overseer; having under him not only +his own party, but thirty others, of whom twenty were natives, and ten +English sailors, who had been captured in a merchantman. Although +closely watched, he was able to cheer these men, by giving them a hope +that a chance of escape from their captivity might shortly arrive. All +expressed their readiness to run any risk to regain their liberty. + +From what he heard the pirates say, Charlie learned that they were +expecting an attack from an expedition which was preparing at Bombay. +The English sailors were confined in a casemate, adjoining that +occupied by Charlie and his companions. The guard kept over them was +but nominal, as it was considered impossible that they could escape +from the island, off which lay a large fleet of the pirate vessels. + +One morning upon starting to work they perceived, by the stir in the +fortress, that something unusual was taking place; and presently, on +reaching the rampart, they saw in the distance a small squadron +approaching. They could make out that it consisted of a ship of +forty-four guns, one of sixteen, and two bomb vessels, together with a +fleet of native craft. + +The pirate fleet were all getting up sail. + +"It's a bold thing, Tim, to attack this fortress with only two ships, +when the pirates have lately beaten a Dutch squadron mounting double +the number of guns." + +"Ah, yer honor, but then there is the Union Jack floating at the +masthead. Do you think the creeturs don't know the differ?" + +"But the Dutchmen are good sailors, and fought well, Tim. I think the +difference is that in the last case they attacked the Dutch, while in +the present we are attacking them. It makes all the difference in the +world, with Indians. Let them attack you, and they'll fight bravely +enough. Go right at them, and they're done for. + +"Look, the pirate fleet are already sailing away." + +"And do you think the English will take the fort, yer honor?" + +"I don't know, Tim. The place is tremendously strong, and built on a +rock. There are guns which bear right down on the ships, if they +venture in close, while theirs will do but little damage to these +solidly built walls. Suwarndrug ought to resist a fleet ten times as +strong as that before us." + +"Shure then, yer honor, and will we have to remain here all our lives, +do ye think?" + +"No, Tim, I hope not. Besides, I think that we ought to be able to +render some assistance to them." + +"And how will we do it, yer honor? You have but to spake the word, and +Tim Kelly is ready to go through fire and water; and so is Hossein. Ye +may be shure of that." + +Seeing that the pirates were now mustering round their guns, and that +the ships were ranging up for action, Charlie thought it prudent to +retire. Hitherto no attention had been paid to them, but 'twas +probable enough that, when the pirates' blood became heated by the +fight, they would vent their fury upon their captives. He therefore +advised not only the native officers, but the sailors, to retire to +their casemates; which, as the guns placed in them did not command the +position taken up by the ships, were at presented untenanted by any of +the garrison. + +Presently the noise of guns proclaimed that the engagement had begun. +The boom of the cannon of the ships was answered by an incessant fire +from the far more numerous artillery of the fortress, while now and +then a heavy explosion, close at hand, told of the bursting of the +bombs from the mortar vessels, in the fortress. + +Charlie had been thinking of the best measures to be taken, to aid his +friends, ever since the squadron came in sight; and, after sitting +quietly for half an hour, he called his officers around him. + +"I am convinced," he said, "that if unaided from within, the ships +will have no chance whatever of taking this fortress; but I think that +we may help them. The upper fort, which contains the magazine, +commands the whole of the interior. But its guns do not bear upon the +ships where they are anchored. Probably the place, at present, is +almost deserted. As no one pays any attention to us, I propose, with +Tim Kelly and the ten English sailors, to seize it. We can close the +gate, and discharge the guns upon the defenders of the sea face. We +could not, of course, defend it for five minutes if they attacked us; +but we would threaten to blow up the magazine, if they did so. + +"I propose that, tomorrow morning, you four and Hossein shall strip to +your loincloths, and just before it becomes light go along the walls, +and stop up, with pieces of wood, the touch holes of as many of the +cannon as you can. It would not do to use nails, even if we had them. +No one will notice, in the dark, that you are not Mahrattas; and if +you scatter about, you may each manage to close up four or five guns, +at least. It is, I know, a desperate service, and if discovered you +will be instantly killed. But if it succeeds the pirates, scared by +discovering, just as our ships open fire, that a number of their guns +are disabled; while we take them in the rear, from the fort behind, +may not improbably surrender at once. At any rate, it's worth trying; +and I, for one, would rather run the risk of being killed, than be +condemned to pass my life the slave of these pirates, who may at any +moment cut our throats, in case of any reverse happening to them." + +The four native officers at once stated their willingness to join in +the plan. Hossein did not consider any reply necessary. With him, it +was a matter of course to do whatever Charlie suggested. + +The latter then went into the next casemate, and unfolded his plan to +the sailors, who heartily agreed to make an effort for their liberty. + +The fire continued all day unabated; and at nightfall, when a man, as +usual, brought the captives food, he exultingly told them that no +damage whatever had been effected by the guns of the fleet. + +In the evening, the party cut a number of pieces of wood; these, +measuring by the cannon in the casemate, they made of just sufficient +size and length to push down, with a slight effort, through the touch +hole. When pushed down to their full length, they touched the interior +of the cannon below, and were just level with the top of the touch +hole. Thus, it would be next to impossible to extricate them in a +hurry. They might, indeed, be broken and forced in by a solid punch, +of the same size as the touch hole; but this would take time, and +would not be likely to occur, on the moment, to the pirates. + +The skewers, for this is what they resembled, were very strong and +tough; being made of slips of bamboo. The prisoners had all knives, +which they used for cutting their food. With these the work was +accomplished. + +Towards morning the five natives, with the skewers hidden away in +their loincloths, and their turbans twisted in Mahratta fashion, stole +out from the casemate. Charlie had ordered that, in case they should +see that the ships had drawn off from the position they occupied on +the preceding day, they should return without attempting to carry out +their task. + +He himself, with Tim, joined the sailors; and, first ascending the +ramparts and seeing that the ships were still at anchor, abreast of +the fort, he and his comrades strolled across the interior of the +fort, in the direction of the magazine. They did not keep together, +nor did all move directly towards the position which they wished to +gain. + +The place was already astir. Large numbers of the pirates thronged the +interior. Groups were squatted round fires, busy in cooking their +breakfasts. Numbers were coming from the magazine, with powder to fill +up the small magazines on the walls. Others, again, were carrying shot +from the pyramids of missiles, piled up here and there in the +courtyard. None paid any attention to the English prisoners. + +Presently a dull boom was heard. There was a whistling sound; and with +a thud, followed by a loud explosion, a bomb fell and burst in the +open space. + +This was the signal for action. The pirates, in a moment, hurried down +to the bastions overlooking the sea; and the Englishmen gathered, in a +group, near the entrance to the magazine. Besides their knives they +had no arms, but each had picked up two or three heavy stones. + +A minute after the explosion of the shell, the cannonade of the ships +broke out. It was answered by only a few guns from the fortress, and +yells of astonishment and rage were heard to arise. + +A moment later, five natives ran up to the group of Englishmen. Their +work had been well done, and more than three-fourths of the guns on +the sea face had been rendered temporarily useless. + +Charlie gave the word, and with a rush they entered the upper fort. +There were but two or three men there, who were just hurrying out with +their bags of powder. These, before they realized the position, were +instantly knocked down and bound. The gate of the fort was then shut +and barred, and the party ran up to the bastion above. + +Not a single pirate was to be seen there. The six guns, which stood +there, were at once loaded with grape; and a heavy discharge was +poured into the crowded masses of pirates, upon the bastions on the +sea face. These, already greatly disturbed at finding that most of +their guns had, in some way, been rendered useless; were panic +stricken at this sudden and unexpected attack from the rear. Many of +them broke from their guns and fled to shelter, others endeavoured to +turn their cannon to bear upon the magazine. + +The wildest confusion raged. At last some of their leaders rallied the +men; and, with yells of fury, a rush was made towards the magazine. +They were received with another discharge of grape, which took +terrible effect. Many recoiled, but their leaders, shouting to them +that the guns were discharged, and there were but a dozen men there, +led them on again. + +Charlie leaped upon the edge of the parapet, and shouted: + +"If you attack us, we will blow up the magazine. I have but to lift my +hand, and the magazine will be fired." + +The boldest of the assailants were paralysed by the threat. Confusion +reigned throughout the fortress. The fleet kept up their fire with +great vigour; judging, by the feebleness of the reply, that something +unusual must be happening within the walls. The gunners, disheartened +by finding their pieces useless, and unable to extract the wooden +plugs, while Charlie's men continued to ply them with grape, left +their guns and, with the greater portion of the garrison, disorganized +and panic stricken, retired into shelter. + +A shell from the ships, falling on to a thatched building, set it on +fire. The flames rapidly spread, and soon all the small huts occupied +by the garrison were in flames. The explosion of a magazine added to +the terror of the garrison, and the greater portion of them, with the +women and children, ran down to the water; and, taking boats, +attempted to cross to Fort Goa, on the mainland. They were, however, +cut off by the English boats, and captured. + +Commodore James, who commanded the squadron, now directed his fire at +Fort Goa; which was being feebly attacked, on the land side, by a +Mahratta force; which had been landed from the Mahratta fleet, +accompanying the English ships, a few miles down the coast. The fort +shortly surrendered; but while the Mahrattas were marching to take +possession, the governor, with some of his best men, took boat and +crossed over to the island; of which, although the fire had ceased +after the explosion of the magazine, the English had not taken +possession. + +The fire from its guns again opened, and as Commodore James thought it +probable that the pirates would, in the night, endeavour to throw in +large reinforcements, he determined to carry it by storm. The ships +opened fire upon the walls; and, under cover of this, half the seamen +were landed. These ran up to the gate, and thundered at it with their +axes. + +Charlie and his companions aided the movement, by again opening a +heavy fire of grape upon the guns which bore upon the sally port; and +when the gates were forced the garrison, utterly dispirited by the +crossfire to which they were subjected, at once laid down their arms. + + + +Chapter 16: A Tiger Hunt. + + +Commodore James was greatly astonished at the easy success which he +had gained. The extraordinary cessation of fire from the sea face, and +the sound of artillery within the walls, had convinced him that a +mutiny among the garrison must have taken place; but upon entering the +fort he was surprised, indeed, at being received with a hearty English +cheer, from a little body of men on the summit of an interior work. +The gate of this was at once thrown open, and Charlie, followed by his +party, advanced towards the commodore. + +"I am Captain Marryat, sir, of the Company's service in Madras; and +was captured three months ago by these pirates. When you attacked the +place, yesterday, I arranged to effect a small diversion; and with the +assistance of these five native officers, of my soldier servant, here, +and these ten men of the merchant service, we have, I hope, been able +to do so. The native officers disabled the greater portion of the +guns, during the night; and when you opened fire this morning we +seized this inner work, which is also the magazine, and opened fire +upon the rear of the sea defences. By dint of our guns, and of menaces +to blow up the place if they assaulted it, we kept them at bay until +their flag was hauled down." + +"Then, sir," Commodore James said, warmly; "I have to thank you, most +heartily, for the assistance you have given. In fact, it is you who +have captured the fortress. I was by no means prepared to find it so +strong; and, indeed, had come to the conclusion, last night, that the +force at my command was wholly insufficient for its capture. +Fortunately, I determined to try the effect of another day's fire. +But, had it not been for you, this would assuredly have been as +ineffectual as the first. You have, indeed, performed a most gallant +action; and I shall have great pleasure in reporting your conduct to +the authorities at home." + +The sailors had now landed in considerable force. The garrison were +disarmed, and taken as prisoners on board the ships. Very large +quantities of powder were found, stored up, and strong parties at once +began to form mines, for the blowing up of the fortifications. + +This was a labour of some days. When they were completed and charged, +a series of tremendous explosions took place. Many of the bastions +were completely blown to pieces. In others, the walls were shattered. + +The prisoners were again landed, and set to work, aided by the +sailors. The great stones, which composed the walls, were toppled over +the steep faces of the rock on which the fort stood; and, at the end +of a fortnight, the pirate hold of Suwarndrug, which had so long been +the terror of the Indian Seas, had disappeared. + +The fleet returned to Bombay; for it was, evidently, wholly +insufficient to attempt an assault on Gheriah; defended, as that place +would be, by the whole pirate fleet; which had, even without the +assistance of its guns, proved itself a match for a squadron double +the strength of that under the command of Commodore James. + +The rejoicings at Bombay were immense, for enormous damage had been +inflicted on the commerce of that place, by this pirate hold, situated +but eighty miles from the port. Commodore James and his officers were +feted, and Charlie Marryat had his full share of honor; the gallant +sailor, everywhere, assigning to him the credit of its capture. + +Charlie would now have sailed, at once, for Madras; but the +authorities wished him to remain, as Clive was shortly expected to +arrive, with a considerable force, which was destined to act against +the French at Hyderabad. The influence of Bussy, with the nizam, +rendered this important province little better than a French +possession; and the territory of our rivals, upon the seacoast, had +been immensely increased by the grant of the five districts, known as +the Northern Sirdars, to Bussy. + +It was all that the English could do to hold their own, around Madras; +and it was out of the question for them to think of attempting, single +handed, to dislodge Bussy from Hyderabad. Between the nizam, however, +and the Peishwar of the Deccan, there was a longstanding feud; and the +Company had proposed, to this prince, to aid him with a strong English +force, in an attack upon Hyderabad. + +Colonel Scott had, in the first place, been sent out to command this +expedition; but when Clive, wearied with two years' life of inactivity +in England, applied to be appointed to active service, the directors +at once appointed him governor of Fort Saint David, and obtained for +him the rank of lieutenant colonel in the royal army. They directed +him to sail at once for Bombay, with three companies of the Royal +Artillery, each a hundred strong, and three hundred infantry recruits. +Upon his arrival there, he was to give Colonel Scott any assistance he +required. That officer, however, had died before Clive arrived. + +Upon reaching Bombay, Clive found that events had occurred, in the +south, which would prevent the intended expedition from taking place. +The French government had suddenly recalled Dupleix, the great man +whose talent and statesmanship had sustained their cause. On his +return to France, instead of treating him with honor for the work he +had done for them, they even refused to repay him the large sums which +he had advanced, from his private fortune, to carry on the struggle +against the English; and Dupleix died in poverty and obscurity. + +In his place, the French governor had sent out a man by the name of +Godchen, who was weak and wholly destitute of ability. At the time of +his arrival the English were hardly pressed, and a strong French fleet +and force were expected on the coast. When, however, Mr. Saunders +proposed to him a treaty of neutrality between the Indian possessions +of the two powers, he at once accepted it; and thus threw away all the +advantages, which Dupleix had struggled so hard to obtain. The result +of this treaty, however, was that the English were unable to carry out +their proposed alliance, with the peishwar, against the nizam and +Bussy. + +Upon Clive's arrival, Charlie at once reported himself to him. For a +time, however, no active duty was assigned to him, as it was uncertain +what steps would now be taken. Finally it was resolved that, taking +advantage of the presence of Clive and his troops, and of a squadron +which had arrived under Admiral Watson, the work commenced by +Commodore James should be completed, by the capture of Gheriah and the +entire destruction of the pirate power. + +The peishwar had already asked them to aid him in his attack upon +Angria, and Commodore James was now sent, with the Protector and two +other ships, to reconnoitre Gheriah, which no Englishman then living +had seen. The natives described it as of enormous strength, and it was +believed that it was an Eastern Gibraltar. + +Commodore James found the enemy's fleet at anchor in the harbour. +Notwithstanding this, he sailed in until within cannon shot, and so +completely were the enemy cowed and demoralized, by the loss of +Suwarndrug, that they did not venture out to attack him. + +After ascertaining the position and character of the defences, he +returned, at the end of December, to Bombay; and reported that, while +exceedingly strong, the place was by no means impregnable. The +Mahratta army, under the command of Ramajee Punt, marched to blockade +the place on the land side; and on the 11th of February, 1756, the +fleet, consisting of four ships of the line, of seventy, sixty-four, +sixty, and fifty guns; a frigate of forty-four, and three of twenty; a +native ship called a grab, of twelve guns; and five mortar ships, +arrived before the place. Besides the seamen, the fleet had on board a +battalion of eight hundred Europeans and a thousand Sepoys. + +The fortress of Gheriah was situated on a promontory of rock, a mile +and a quarter broad; lying about a mile up a large harbour, forming +the mouth of a river. The promontory projects to the southwest, on the +right of the harbour on entering; and rises sheer from the water in +perpendicular rocks, fifty feet high. On this stood the +fortifications. These consisted of two lines of walls, with round +towers, the inner wall rising several feet above the outer. + +The promontory was joined to the land by a sandy slip, beyond which +the town stood. On this neck of land, between the promontory and the +town, were the docks and slips on which the pirate vessels were built +or repaired; and ten of these, among which was the Derby, which they +had captured from the Company, lay moored side by side, close by the +docks, when the fleet arrived off the place. + +Charlie Marryat had been sent, by Clive, as commissioner with the +Mahratta army. A party of Mahratta horsemen came down to Bombay to +escort him to Chaule, at which place the Mahratta army were assembled +for their march. He was accompanied by Tim and Hossein, who were of +course, like him, on horseback. + +A long day's ride took them to their first halting place, a few miles +from the foot of a splendid range of hills, which rise like a wall +from the low land, for a vast distance along the coast. At the top of +these hills--called in India, ghauts--lay the plateau of the Deccan, +sloping gradually away to the Ganges, hundreds of miles to the east. + +"Are we going to climb up to top of them mountains, your honor?" + +"No, Tim, fortunately for our horses. We shall skirt their foot, for a +hundred and fifty miles, till we get behind Gheriah." + +"You wouldn't think that a horse could climb them," Tim said. "They +look as steep as the side of a house." + +"In many places they are, Tim, but you see there are breaks in them. +At some points, either from the force of streams, or from the weather, +the rocks have crumbled away; and the great slopes, which everywhere +extend halfway up, reach the top. Zigzag paths are cut in these, which +can be travelled by horses and pack animals. + +"There must be quantities of game," Charlie said to the leader of the +escort, "on the mountain sides." + +"Quantities?" the Mahratta said. "Tigers and bears swarm there, and +are such a scourge that there are no villages within miles of the foot +of the hills. Even on the plateau above, the villages are few and +scarce near the edge, so great is the damage done by wild beasts. + +"But that is not all. There are numerous bands of Dacoits, who set the +authority of the peishwar at defiance, plunder travellers and +merchants going up and down, make raids into the Deccan, and plunder +the low land nearly up to the gates of Bombay. Numerous expeditions +have been sent against them, but the Dacoits know every foot of the +hills. They have numerous, impregnable strongholds on the rocks; which +you can see rising sheer up hundreds of feet, from among the woods on +the slopes; and can, if pressed, shift their quarters, and move fifty +miles away among the trees, while the troops are, in vain, searching +for them." + +"I suppose there is no chance of their attacking us," Charlie said. + +"The Dacoit never fights if he can help it, and then only when driven +into a corner, or when there appears a chance of very large plunder. +He will always leave a strong party of armed men, from whom nothing +but hard blows is to be got, in peace." + +The journey occupied five days, and was most enjoyable. The officer of +the escort, as the peishwar's agent, would have requisitioned +provisions at each of the villages; but Charlie insisted, under one +pretence or another, on buying a couple of sheep or kids at each +halting place, for the use of his own party and the escort. For a few +copper coins an abundant supply of fruit and vegetables was +obtainable; and as, each night, they spread their rugs under the shade +of some overhanging tree, and smoked their pipes lazily after the very +excellent meal which Hossein always prepared, Charlie and Tim agreed +that they had spent no pleasanter time in India than that occupied by +their journey. + +Charlie was received with much honor by Ramajee Punt, and was assigned +a gorgeous tent, next to his own. + +"People in England, Mister Charles," said Tim that evening, "turn up +their noses at the thought of living in tents, but what do they know +of them? The military tent is an uncomfortable thing, and as for the +gipsy tent, a dacent pig wouldn't look at it. Now this is like a +palace, with its carpet under foot, and its sides covered with silk +hangings, and its furniture fit for a palace. Father Murphy wouldn't +believe me, if I told him about it on oath. If this is making war, yer +honor, I shall be in no hurry for pace." + +The Mahratta force took up its position, beleaguering the town on the +land side, some weeks before the arrival of the fleet; Commodore +James, with his two ships, blockading it at sea. There was little to +do, and Charlie accepted with eagerness an offer of Ramajee Punt, that +they should go out for two or three days' tiger hunting, at the foot +of the hills. + +"Well, Mr. Charles," Tim said, when he heard of the intention, "if you +want to go tiger hunting, Tim Kelly is not the boy to stay behind. But +shure, yer honor, if the creeturs will lave ye alone, why should you +meddle with them? I saw one in a cage at Arcot, and it's a baste I +shouldn't wish to see on a lone road on a dark night. It had a way of +wagging its tail that made you feel uncomfortable like, to the sole of +yer boots; and after looking at me for some time, the baste opened its +mouth, and gave a roar that shook the whole establishment. It's a +baste safer to let alone than to meddle with." + +"But we shall be up on the top of an elephant. We shall be safe enough +there, you know." + +"Maybe, yer honor," Tim said doubtfully; "but I mind me that, when I +was a boy, me and my brother Peter was throwing sods at an old tomcat +of my mother's, who had stolen our dinners, and it ran up a wall ten +feet high. Well, yer honor, the tiger is as big as a hundred tomcats, +and by the same token he ought to be able to run up a wall--" + +"A thousand feet high, Tim? He can't do that. Indeed, I question +whether he could run up much higher than a cat. + +"We are to start this evening, and shall be there by midnight. The +elephants have gone on ahead." + +At sunset the party started. It consisted of Ramajee Punt, one of his +favourite officers, and a score of soldiers. An officer had already +gone on, to enlist the services of the men of two or three villages as +beaters. A small but comfortable tent had been erected for the party, +and supper prepared. + +The native shikari, or sportsman of the neighbourhood, had brought in +the news that tigers were plentiful; and that one of unusual size had +been committing great depredations; and had, only the day before, +carried off a bullock into the thickets, a mile from the spot at which +they were encamped. + +"The saints preserve us!" Tim said, when he heard the news; "a cat big +enough to carry off a mouse in her mouth as big as a bullock." + +"It seems almost impossible, Tim, but it is a fact that tigers can +carry in their mouths full-sized bullocks, for considerable distances, +and that they can kill them with one stroke of their paw. However, +they are not as formidable as you would imagine, as you will see, +tomorrow." + +In the morning the elephants were brought out. Charlie took his place +in the front of a howdah, with Tim behind him. Three rifles were +placed in the seat, and these Tim was to hand to his master, as he +discharged them. Ramajee Punt and his officer were also mounted on +elephants, and the party started for their destination. + +"It's as bad as being at sea, Mr. Charles," Tim said. + +"It does roll about, Tim. You must let your body go with the motion, +just as on board ship. You will soon get accustomed to it." + +On reaching the spot, which was a narrow valley, with steep sides +running up into the hill, the elephants came to a stand. The mouth of +the valley was some fifty yards wide, and the animal might break from +the trees at any point. The ground was covered with high, coarse +grass. + +Ramajee Punt placed himself in the centre, assigning to Charlie the +position on his right, telling him that it was the best post, as it +was on this side the tiger had been seen to enter. Soon after they had +taken their places, a tremendous clamour arose near the head of the +valley. Drums were beaten, horns blown, and scores of men joined in, +with shouts and howls. + +"What on arth are they up to, Mr. Charles?" + +"They are driving the tiger this way, Tim. Now, sit quiet and keep a +sharp lookout, and be ready to hand me a rifle, the instant I have +fired." + +The noise increased, and was plainly approaching. The elephant +fidgeted uneasily. + +"That baste has more sinse than we have," said Tim; "and would be off, +if that little black chap, astraddle of his neck, didn't keep on +patting his head." + +Presently, the mahout pointed silently to the bushes ahead, and +Charlie caught sight, for a moment, of some yellow fur. Apparently the +tiger had heard or scented the elephants, for it again turned and made +up the valley. Presently a redoubled yelling, with the firing of guns, +showed that it had been seen by the beaters. Ramajee Punt held up his +hand to Charlie, as a signal that next time the tiger might be +expected. + +Suddenly there was a movement among the bushes. A tiger sprang out, +about halfway between Charlie's elephant and that of Ramajee Punt. It +paused for a moment, on seeing them; and then, as it was about to +spring forward, two balls struck it. It sprang a short distance, +however, and then fell, rolling over and over. One ball had broken a +foreleg, the other had struck it on the head. Another ball from +Ramajee Punt struck it, as it rolled over and over, and it lay +immovable. + +"Why didn't you hand me the next rifle, Tim?" Charlie said sharply. + +"It went clane out of my head, altogether. To think now, and you kilt +it in a moment. The tiger is a poor baste, anyhow. I've seen a cat +make ten times as strong a fight for its life. + +"Holy Moses!" + +The last exclamation was called from Tim's lips by a sudden jerk. A +huge tiger, far larger than that which had fallen, had sprung up from +the brushwood and leaped upon the elephant. With one forepaw he +grasped the howdah, with the other clung to the elephant's shoulder, +an inch or two only behind the leg of the mahout. + +Charlie snatched the rifle from Tim's hand, and thrust the muzzle into +the tiger's mouth, just as the elephant swerved round with sudden +fright and pain. At the same moment the weight of the tiger on the +howdah caused the girths to give way; and Charlie, Tim and the tiger +fell together on the ground. Charlie had pulled his trigger, just as +he felt himself going; and at the same moment he heard the crack of +Ramajee Punt's rifle. + +The instant they touched the ground, Tim and Charlie cast themselves +over and over, two or three times; and then leaped to their feet, +Charlie grasping his rifle, to make the best defence he could if the +tiger sprang upon him. The creature lay, however, immovable. + +"It is dead, Tim," Charlie exclaimed. "You needn't be afraid." + +"And no wonder, yer honor, when I pitched, head first, smack onto his +stomach. It would have killed a horse." + +"It might have done, Tim, but I don't think it would have killed a +tiger. Look there." + +Charlie's gun had gone off at the moment when the howdah turned round, +and had nearly blown off a portion of the tiger's head; while, almost +at the same instant, the ball of Ramajee Punt had struck it in the +back, breaking the spine. Death had, fortunately for Tim, been +instantaneous. + +The tiger last killed was the great male which had done so much +damage; the first, a female. The natives tied the legs together, +placed long bamboos between them, and carried the animals off, in +triumph, to the camp. The elephant on which Charlie had ridden ran +some distance, before the mahout could stop him. He was, indeed, so +terrified by the onslaught of the tiger, that it was not considered +advisable to endeavour to get him to face another, that day. Ramajee +Punt, therefore, invited Charlie to take his seat with him, on his +elephant, an arrangement which greatly satisfied Tim, whose services +were soon dispensed with. + +"I'd rather walk on my own feet, Mister Charles, than ride any more on +those great bastes. They're uncomfortable, anyhow. It's a long way to +fall, if the saddle goes round; and next time one might not find a +tiger handy, to light on." + +Two more tigers were killed that afternoon and, well pleased with his +day's sport, Charlie returned to the hunting camp. + +The next day, Hossein begged that he might be allowed to accompany +Charlie in Tim's place; and as the Irishman was perfectly willing to +surrender it, the change was agreed upon. The march was a longer one +than it had been, on the previous morning. A notorious man-eating +tiger was known to have taken up his abode, in a large patch of +jungle, at the foot of an almost perpendicular wall of rock, about ten +miles from the place where the camp was pitched. The patch of jungle +stood upon a steep terrace, whose slopes were formed of boulders, the +patch being some fifty or sixty yards long and thirty deep. + +"It is a nasty place," Ramajee Punt said, "to get him from. The +beaters cannot get behind to drive him out, and the jungle is too +thick to penetrate." + +"How do you intend to proceed?" Charlie asked. + +"We will send a party to the top of the hill, and they will throw down +crackers. We have brought some rockets, too, which we will send in +from the other side. We will take our places, on our elephants, at the +foot of the terrace." + +The three elephants took their posts, at the foot of the boulder +covered rise. As soon as they had done so, the men at the top of the +rock began to throw down numbers of lighted crackers; while, from +either side, parties sent rockets whizzing into the jungle. + +For some time the tiger showed no signs of his presence, and Charlie +began to doubt whether he could be really there. The shikaris, +however, declared that he was certainly in the jungle. He had, on the +day before, carried off a woman from a neighbouring village; and had +been traced to the jungle, round which a watch had been kept all +night. + +Suddenly, uttering a mighty roar, the tiger bounded from the jungle, +and stood at the edge of the terrace. Startled at his sudden +appearance, the elephants recoiled, shaking the aim of their riders. +Three shots were, however, fired almost at the same moment; and the +tiger, with another roar, bounded back into the jungle. + +"I think," the rajah said, "that he is badly hit. Listen to his +roarings." + +The tiger, for a time, roared loudly at intervals. Then the sounds +became lower and less frequent, and at last ceased altogether. In vain +did the natives above shower down crackers. In vain were the rockets +discharged into the jungle. An hour passed, since he had last been +heard. + +"I expect that he's dead," Charlie said. + +"I think so, too," Ramajee Punt replied; "but one can never be +certain. Let us draw off a little, and take our luncheon. After that, +we can try the fireworks again. If he will not move, then we must +leave him." + +"But surely," Charlie said, "we might go in and see whether he's dead +or not." + +"A wounded tiger is a terrible foe," the Ramajee answered. "Better +leave him alone." + +Charlie, however, was anxious to get the skin to send home, with those +of the others he had shot, to his mother and sisters. It might be very +long before he had an opportunity of joining in another tiger hunt; +and he resolved that, if the tiger gave no signs of life when the +bombardment of the jungle with fireworks recommenced, he would go in +and look for his body. + + + +Chapter 17: The Capture Of Gheriah. + + +After having sat for an hour under the shade of some trees, and +partaken of luncheon, the party again moved forward on their elephants +to the jungle. The watchers declared that no sound, whatever, had been +heard during their absence; nor did the discharge of fireworks, which +at once recommenced, elicit the slightest response. + +After this had gone on for half an hour, Charlie, convinced that the +animal was dead, dismounted from his elephant. He had with him a +heavy, double-barrelled rifle of the rajah's; and Hossein, carrying a +similar weapon, and a curved tulwar which was sharpened almost to a +razor edge, prepared to follow immediately behind him. Three or four +of the most courageous shikaris, with cocked guns, followed in +Hossein's steps. + +Holding his gun advanced before him, in readiness to fire instantly, +Charlie entered the jungle at the point where the tiger had retreated +into it. Drops of blood spotted the grass, and the bent and twisted +brushwood showed the path that the tiger had taken. Charlie moved as +noiselessly as possible. The path led straight forward, towards the +rocks behind, but it was not until within four or five yards of this +that any sign of the tiger could be seen. + +Then the bushes were burst asunder, and the great yellow body hurled +itself forward upon Charlie. The attack was so sudden and +instantaneous that the latter had not even time to raise his rifle to +his shoulder. Almost instinctively, however, he discharged both of the +barrels; but was, at the same moment, hurled to the ground, where he +lay crushed down by the weight of the tiger, whose hot breath he could +feel on his face. He closed his eyes, only to open them again at the +sound of a heavy blow, while a deluge of hot blood flowed over him. He +heard Hossein's voice, and then became insensible. When he recovered, +he found himself lying with his head supported by Hossein, outside the +jungle. + +"Is he dead?" he asked faintly. + +"He is dead, Sahib," Hossein replied. "Let the Sahib drink some +brandy, and he will be strong again." + +Charlie drank some brandy and water, which Hossein held to his lips. +Then the latter raised him to his feet. + +Charlie felt his limbs and his ribs. He was bruised all over, but +otherwise unhurt, the blood which covered him having flowed from the +tiger. One of the balls which he had fired had entered the tiger's +neck, the other had broken one of its forelegs, and Charlie had been +knocked down by the weight of the animal, not by the blow of its +formidable paw. + +Hossein had sprung forward on the instant, and with one blow of his +sharp tulwar, had shorn clear through skin and muscle and bone, and +had almost severed the tiger's head from its body. It was the weight +upon him which had crushed Charlie into a state of insensibility. Here +he had lain, for four or five minutes, before Hossein could get the +frightened natives to return, and assist him to lift the great carcass +from his master's body. + +Upon examination, it was found that two of the three bullets first +fired had taken effect. One had broken the tiger's shoulder, and +lodged in his body. The other had struck him fairly on the chest, and +had passed within an inch or two of his heart. + +"I thought," Ramajee Punt said, as he viewed the body, "that one of +his legs must have been rendered useless. That was why he lay quiet so +long, in spite of our efforts to turn him out." + +Charlie was too much hurt to walk, and a litter was speedily formed, +and he was carried back to the camp, where his arrival in that state +excited the most lively lamentations on the part of Tim. The next +morning he was much recovered; and was able, in the cool of the +evening, to take his place in a howdah, and to return to the camp +before Gheriah. + +A few days later the fleet made its appearance off the town, and the +same evening Tulagi Angria rode up to Ramajee Punt's camp. Charlie was +present at the interview, at which Angria endeavoured to prevail on +Ramajee Punt, and Charlie, to accept a large ransom for his fort; +offering them each great presents, if they would do their utmost to +prevail on Admiral Watson, and Colonel Clive, to agree to accept it. + +Charlie said at once that he was sure it was useless, that the English +had now made a great effort to put a stop to the ravages which he, and +his father before him, had for so many years inflicted upon their +commerce; and that he was sure that nothing, short of the total +destruction of the fort and fleet, would satisfy them. The meeting +then broke up; and Charlie, supposing that Angria would return +immediately, went back to his tent; where he directed Hossein at once +to mingle with the men who had accompanied Angria, and to find out +anything that he could concerning the state of things in the fort. + +Hossein returned an hour later. + +"Sahib," he said, "Ramajee Punt is thinking of cheating the English. +He is keeping Angria a prisoner. He says that he came into his camp +without asking for a safe conduct; and that, therefore, he shall +detain him. + +"But this is not all. Angria has left his brother in command of the +fort; and Ramajee, by threatening Angria with instant execution, has +induced him to send an order to deliver the fort at once to him. +Ramajee wants, you see, Sahib, to get all the plunder of the fort for +himself, and his Mahrattas." + +"This is very serious," Charlie said, "and I must let the admiral +know, at once, what is taking place." + +When it became dark, Charlie, with Tim and Hossein, made his way +through the Mahratta camp, down to the shore of the river. Here were +numbers of boats, hauled up on the sand. One of the lightest of these +was soon got into the water, and rowed gently out into the force of +the stream. Then the oars were shipped, and they lay down perfectly +quiet in the boat, and drifted past the fort without being observed. + +When they once gained the open sea, the oars were placed in the +rowlocks, and half an hour's rowing brought them alongside the fleet. +Charlie was soon on board the flagship, and informed the admiral, and +Colonel Clive, what Hossein had heard. + +It was at once resolved to attack upon the following day. The two +officers did not think it was likely that the pirates would, even in +obedience to their chief's orders, surrender the place until it had +been battered by the fleet. + +The next morning, the fort was summoned to surrender. No answer was +received, and as soon as the sea breeze set in, in the afternoon, the +fleet weighed anchor and proceeded towards the mouth of the river. The +men-of-war were in line, on the side nearest to the fort, to protect +the mortar vessels and smaller ships from its fire. + +Passing the point of the promontory, they stood into the river, and +anchored at a distance of fifty yards from the north face of the fort. +A gun from the admiral's ship gave the signal, and a hundred and fifty +pieces of cannon at once opened fire, while the mortar vessels threw +shell into the fort and town. In ten minutes after the fire began, a +shell fell into one of Angria's large ships, and set her on fire. The +flames soon spread to the others, fastened together on either side of +her, and in less than an hour this fleet, which had for fifty years +been the terror of the Malabar coast, was utterly destroyed. + +In the meantime the fleet kept up their fire, with the greatest +vigour, upon the enemy's works; and, before nightfall, the enemy's +fire was completely silenced. No white flag, however, was hung up, and +the admiral had little doubt that it was intended to surrender the +place to the Mahrattas. + +As soon, therefore, as it became quite dark, Colonel Clive landed with +the troops, and took up a position between the Mahrattas and the fort; +where, to his great disappointment and disgust, Ramajee Punt found him +in the morning. The admiral again summoned the fort, declaring that he +would renew the attack, and give no quarter, unless it was surrendered +immediately. The governor sent back to beg the admiral to cease from +hostilities until next day, as he was only waiting for orders from +Angria to surrender. Angria declared that he had already sent the +orders. + +At four in the afternoon, therefore, the bombardment was renewed; and +in less than half an hour, a white flag appeared above the wall. As, +however, the garrison made no further sign of surrender, and refused +to admit Colonel Clive with his troops, when he advanced to take +possession, the bombardment was again renewed, more vigorously than +ever. The enemy were unable to support the violence of the fire, and +soon shouted over the walls, to Clive, that they surrendered; and he +might enter and take possession. He at once marched in, and the +pirates laid down their arms, and surrendered themselves prisoners. + +It was found that a great part of the fortifications had been +destroyed by the fire, but a resolute garrison might have held the +fort, itself, against a long siege. Two hundred guns fell into the +hands of the captors, together with great quantities of ammunition, +and stores of all kinds. The money and effects amounted to a hundred +and twenty thousand pounds, which was divided among the captors. The +rest of Angria's fleet, among them two large ships on the stocks, was +destroyed. + +Ramajee Punt sent parties of his troops to attack the other forts held +by the pirates. These, however, surrendered without resistance, and +thus the whole country, which the pirates had held for seventy years, +fell again into the hands of the Mahrattas, from whom they had wrested +it. + +Admiral Watson and the fleet then returned to Bombay, in order to +repair the damages which had been inflicted upon them during the +bombardment. There were great rejoicings upon their arrival there; the +joy of the inhabitants, both European and native, being immense at the +destruction of the formidable pirate colonies, which had so long +ravaged the seas. + +After the repairs were completed, the fleet, with the troops which had +formed the expedition, were to sail for Madras. Charlie, however, did +not wait for this; but, finding that one of the Company's ships would +sail, in the course of a few days after their return to Bombay, he +obtained leave from Colonel Clive to take a passage in her, and to +proceed immediately to Madras. Tim and Hossein, of course, accompanied +him; and the voyage down the west coast of India, and round Ceylon, +was performed without any marked incident. + +When within but a few hours of Madras, the barometer fell rapidly. +Great clouds rose up upon the horizon, and the captain ordered all +hands aloft to reduce sail. + +"We are in," he said, "for a furious tempest. It is the breaking up of +the monsoon. It is a fortnight earlier than usual. I had hoped that we +should have got safely up the Hoogly before it began." + +Half an hour later the hurricane struck them, and for the next three +days the tempest was terrible. Great waves swept over the ship, and +every time that the captain attempted to show a rag of canvas, it was +blown from the bolt ropes. The ship, however, was a stout one, and +weathered the gale. + +Upon the fourth morning the passengers, who had, during the tempest, +been battened below, came on deck. The sky was bright and clear, and +the waves were fast going down. A good deal of sail was already set, +and the hands were at work to repair damages. + +"Well, captain," Charlie said to that officer, "I congratulate you on +the behaviour of the ship. It has been a tremendous gale, and she has +weathered it stoutly." + +"Yes, Captain Marryat, she has done well. I have only once or twice +been out in so severe a storm, since I came to sea." + +"And where are we now?" Charlie asked, looking round the horizon. +"When shall we be at Madras?" + +"Well," the captain said with a smile, "I am afraid that you must give +up all idea of seeing Madras, just at present. We have been blown +right up the bay, and are only a few hours' sail from the mouth of the +Hoogly. I have a far larger cargo for that place than for Madras, and +it would be a pure waste of time for me to put back now. I intend, +therefore, to go to Calcutta first, discharge and fill up there, and +then touch at Madras on my way back. + +"I suppose it makes no great difference to you." + +"No, indeed," Charlie said. "And I am by no means sorry of the +opportunity of getting a glimpse of Calcutta, which I might never +otherwise have done. I believe things are pretty quiet at Madras, at +present; and I have been so long away, now, that a month or two sooner +or later will make but little difference." + +A few hours later, Charlie noticed a change in the colour of the sea, +the mud-stained waters of the Hoogly discolouring the Bay of Bengal, +far out from its mouth. The voyage up was a tedious one. At times the +wind fell altogether and, unable to stem the stream, the ship lay for +days at anchor, the yellow tide running swiftly by it. + +"The saints presarve us, Mr. Charles! Did you ever see the like?" Tim +Kelly exclaimed. "There's another dead body, floating down towards us, +and that is the eighth I've seen this morning. Are the poor hathen +craturs all committing suicide together?" + +"Not at all, Tim," Charlie said, "the Hoogly is one of the sacred +rivers of India, and the people on its banks, instead of burying their +dead, put them into the river and let them drift away." + +"I calls it a bastly custom, yer honor, and I wonder it is allowed. +One got athwart the cable this morning, and it frightened me nigh out +of my sinses, when I happened to look over the bow, and saw the thing +bobbing up and down in the water. + +"This is tedious work, yer honor, and I'll be glad when we're at the +end of the voyage." + +"I shall be glad, too, Tim. We have been a fortnight in the river +already. But I think there is a breeze getting up, and there is the +captain on deck, giving orders." + +In a few minutes, the ship was under way again, and the same night +dropped her anchor in the stream, abreast of Calcutta. Charlie shortly +after landed, and, proceeding to the Company's offices, reported his +arrival, and that of the four Sepoy officers. Hossein, who was not in +the Company's service, was with him merely in the character of a +servant. + +As the news of the share Charlie had had in the capture of Suwarndrug +had reached Calcutta, he was well received; and one of the leading +merchants of the town, Mr. Haines, who happened to be present when +Charlie called upon the governor, at once invited him warmly to take +up his residence with him, during his stay. Hospitality in India was +profuse, and general. Hotels were unknown, and a stranger was always +treated as an honored guest. + +Charlie, therefore, had no hesitation whatever in accepting the offer. +The four native officers were quartered in the barracks; and, +returning on board ship, Charlie, followed by Tim and Hossein, and by +some coolies bearing his luggage, was soon on his way to the bungalow +of Mr. Haines. + +On his way, he was surprised at the number and size of the dwellings +of the merchants and officials, which offered a very strong contrast +to the quiet and unpretending buildings round the fort of Madras. The +house of Mr. Haines was a large one, and stood in a large and +carefully kept garden. Mr. Haines received him at the door, and at +once led him to his room, which was spacious, cool, and airy. Outside +was a wide veranda, upon which, in accordance with the customs of the +country, servants would sleep. + +"Here is your bathroom," Mr. Haines said, pointing to an adjoining +room. "I think you will find everything ready. We dine in half an +hour." + +Charlie was soon in his bath, a luxury which, in India, every European +indulges in at least twice a day. Then in his cool white suit, which +at that time formed the regular evening dress, he found his way to the +drawing room. Here he was introduced to the merchant's wife, and to +his daughter, a girl of some thirteen years old, as well as to several +guests who had arrived for dinner. + +The meal was a pleasant one, and Charlie, after being cooped up for +some weeks on board ship, enjoyed it much. A dinner in India is, to +one unaccustomed to it, a striking sight. The punkah waving slowly to +and fro, overhead, drives the cool air which comes in through the open +windows down upon the table. Each guest brings his own servant, who, +either in white or coloured robes, and in turbans of many different +hues and shapes, according to the wearer's caste, stands behind his +master's chair. The light is always a soft one, and the table richly +garnished with bright-coloured tropical flowers. + +Charlie was the hero of the hour, and was asked many questions +concerning the capture of Suwarndrug; and also about the defence of +Ambur, which, though now an old story, had excited the greatest +interest through India. Presently, however, the conversation turned to +local topics; and Charlie learned, from the anxious looks and earnest +tones of the speakers, that the situation was considered a very +serious one. He asked but few questions, then; but after the guests +had retired, and Mr. Haines proposed to him to smoke one more quiet +cigar, in the cool of the veranda, before retiring to bed; he took the +opportunity of asking his host to explain to him the situation, with +which he had no previous acquaintance. + +"Up to the death of Ali Kerdy, the old viceroy of Bengal, on the 9th +April, we were on good terms with our native neighbours. Calcutta has +not been, like Madras, threatened by the rivalry of a European +neighbour. The French and Dutch, indeed, have both trading stations +like our own, but none of us have taken part in native affairs. Ali +Kerdy has been all powerful, there have been no native troubles, and +therefore no reason for our interference. We have just gone on as for +many years previously, as a purely trading company. + +"At his death, he was succeeded in the government by Suraja Dowlah, +his grandson. I suppose, in all India, there is no prince with a worse +reputation than this young scoundrel has already gained for himself, +for profligacy and cruelty. He is constantly drunk, and is surrounded +by a crew of reprobates, as wicked as himself. At the death of Ali +Kerdy, Sokut Jung, another grandson of Ali, set up in opposition to +him, and the new viceroy raised a large force to march against him. As +the reputation of Sokut Jung was as infamous as that of his cousin, it +would have made little difference to us which of the two obtained the +mastery. + +"Within the last few days, however, circumstances have occurred which +have completely altered the situation. The town of Dacca was, about a +year ago, placed under the governorship of Rajah Ragbullub, a Hindoo +officer in high favour with Ali Kerdy. His predecessor had been +assassinated and plundered, by order of Suraja Dowlah; and when he +heard of the accession of that prince, he determined at once to fly, +as he knew that his great wealth would speedily cause him to be marked +out as a victim. He therefore obtained a letter of recommendation from +Mr. Watts, the agent of the Company at their factory at Cossimbazar; +and sent his son Kissendas, with a large retinue, his family and +treasures, to Calcutta. + +"Two or three days after his accession, Suraja Dowlah despatched a +letter to Mr. Drake, our governor, ordering him to surrender Kissendas +and the treasures immediately. The man whom he sent down arrived in a +small boat, without any state or retinue; and Mr. Drake, believing +that he was an impostor, paid no attention to the demand, but expelled +him from the settlement. Two days ago a letter came from the viceroy; +or, as we generally call him, the nabob, to Mr. Drake, ordering him +instantly to demolish all the fortifications which he understood he +had been erecting. Mr. Drake has sent word back, assuring the nabob +that he is erecting no new fortifications, but simply executing some +repairs in the ramparts facing the river, in view of the expected war +between England and France. + +"That is all that has been done, at present; but, seeing the +passionate and overbearing disposition of this young scoundrel, there +is no saying what will come of it." + +"But how do we stand here?" Charlie asked. "What are the means of +defence, supposing he should take it into his head to march, with the +army which he has raised to fight against his cousin, to the attack of +Calcutta?" + +"Nothing could be worse than our position," Mr. Haines said. "Ever +since the capture of Madras, nine years ago, the directors have been +sending out orders that this place should be put in a state of +defence. During the fifty years which have passed peacefully here, the +fortifications have been entirely neglected. Instead of the space +round them being kept clear, warehouses have been built close against +them, and the fort is wholly unable to resist any attack. The +authorities of the Company here have done absolutely nothing to carry +out the orders from home. They think, I am sorry to say, only of +making money with their own trading ventures; and although several +petitions have been presented to them, by the merchants here, urging +upon them the dangers which might arise at the death of Ali, they have +taken no steps whatever, and indeed have treated all warnings with +scorn and derision." + +"What force have we here?" Charlie asked. + +"Only a hundred and seventy-four men, of whom the greater portion are +natives." + +"What sort of man is your commander?" + +"We have no means of knowing," Mr. Haines said. "His name is Minchin. +He is a great friend of the governor's, and has certainly done nothing +to counteract the apathy of the authorities. Altogether, to my mind, +things look as bad as they possibly can." + +A week later, on the 15th of June, a messenger arrived with the news +that the nabob, with fifty thousand men, was advancing against the +town; and that, in two days, he would appear before it. All was +confusion and alarm. Charlie at once proceeded to the fort, and placed +his services at the disposal of Captain Minchin. He found that officer +fussy, and alarmed. + +"If I might be permitted to advise," Charlie said, "every available +man in the town should be set to work, at once, pulling down all the +buildings around the walls. It would be clearly impossible to defend +the place when the ramparts are, on all sides, commanded by the +musketry fire of surrounding buildings." + +"I know what my duty is, sir," Captain Minchin said, "and do not +require to be taught it, by so very young an officer as yourself." + +"Very well, sir," Charlie replied, calmly. "I have seen a great deal +of service, and have taken part in the defence of two besieged towns; +while you, I believe, have never seen a shot fired. However, as you're +in command you will, of course, take what steps you think fit; but I +warn you that, unless those buildings are destroyed, the fort cannot +resist an assault for twenty-four hours." + +Then, bowing quietly, he retired; and returned to Mr. Haines' house. +That gentleman was absent, having gone to the governor's. He did not +come back until late in the evening. Charlie passed the time in +endeavouring to cheer up Mrs. Haines, and her daughter; assuring them +that, if the worst came to the worst, there could be no difficulty in +their getting on board ship. + +Mrs. Haines was a woman of much common sense and presence of mind; +and, under the influence of Charlie's quiet chat, she speedily +recovered her tranquillity. Her daughter Ada, who was a very bright +and pretty girl, was even sooner at her ease, and they were laughing +and chatting brightly, when Mr. Haines arrived. He looked fagged and +dispirited. + +"Drake is a fool," he said. "Just as, hitherto, he has scoffed at all +thought of danger, now he is prostrated at the news that danger is at +hand. He can decide on nothing. At one moment he talks of sending +messengers to Suraja Dowlah, to offer to pay any sum he may demand, in +order to induce him to retire; the next he talks of defending the fort +to the last. We can get him to give no orders, to decide on nothing, +and the other officials are equally impotent and imbecile." + +On the 18th, the army of the nabob approached. Captain Minchin took +his guns and troops a considerable distance beyond the walls, and +opened fire upon the enemy. Charlie, enraged and disgusted at the +folly of conduct which could only lead to defeat, marched with them as +a simple volunteer. + +The result was what he had anticipated. The enemy opened fire with an +immensely superior force of artillery. His infantry advanced, and +clouds of horsemen swept round the flanks, and menaced the retreat. In +a very few minutes, Captain Minchin gave the order to retire; and, +abandoning their guns, the English force retreated in all haste to the +town. + +Charlie had, on setting out, told Mr. Haines what was certain to +occur; and had implored him to send all his valuables, at once, on +board ship; and to retire instantly into the fort. Upon the arrival of +the troops at the gate, they found it almost blocked with the throng +of frightened Europeans, and natives, flying from their houses beyond +it to its protection. Scarcely were all the fugitives within, and the +gates closed, when the guns of Suraja Dowlah opened upon the fort; and +his infantry, taking possession of the houses around it, began a +galling musketry fire upon the ramparts. + +Captain Minchin remained closeted with the governor; and Charlie, +finding the troops bewildered and dismayed, without leading or orders, +assumed the command, placed them upon the walls, and kept up a +vigorous musketry fire in reply to that of the enemy. + +Within, all was confusion and dismay. In every spot sheltered from the +enemy's fire, Europeans and natives were huddled together. There was +neither head nor direction. With nightfall the fire ceased, but still +Mr. Drake and Captain Minchin were undecided what steps to take. At +two o'clock in the morning, they summoned a council of war, at which +Charlie was present, and it was decided that the women and children +should at once be sent on board. + +There should have been no difficulty in carrying this into effect. A +large number of merchantmen were lying in the stream, opposite the +fort, capable of conveying away in safety the whole of the occupants. +Two of the members of the council had, early in the evening, been +despatched on board ship to make arrangements for the boats being sent +on shore; but these cowardly wretches, instead of doing so, ordered +the ships to raise their anchors, and drop two miles farther down the +stream. The boats, however, were sent up the river to the fort. + +The same helpless imbecility, which had characterized every movement, +again showed itself. There was no attempt, whatever, at establishing +anything like order or method. The watergate was open, and a wild rush +of men, women, and children took place down to the boats. + +Charlie was on duty, on the walls. He had already said goodbye to Mrs. +Haines and her daughter, and though he heard shouts and screams coming +from the watergate, he had no idea what had taken place; until Mr. +Haines joined him. + +"Have you seen them safely off?" Charlie asked. + +"My wife has gone," Mr. Haines said. "My daughter is still here. There +has been a horrible scene of confusion. Although the boats were amply +sufficient to carry all, no steps whatever had been taken to secure +order. The consequence was, there was a wild rush. Women and children +were knocked down and trampled upon. They leaped into the boats in +such wild haste that several of these were capsized, and numbers of +people drowned. I kept close to my wife and child, till we reached the +side of the stream. I managed to get my wife into a boat, and then a +rush of people separated me from my daughter; and before I could find +her again, the remaining boats had all pushed off. Many of the men +have gone with them, and among them, I am ashamed to say, several of +the officers. + +"However, I trust the boats will come up again tomorrow, and take away +the rest. Two have remained, a guard having been placed over them, and +I hope to get Ada off to her mother, in the morning." + +Towards morning, Mr. Haines again joined Charlie. + +"What do you think?" he said. "Those cowardly villains, Drake and +Minchin, have taken the two boats, and gone off on board ship!" + +"Impossible!" Charlie exclaimed. + +"It is too true," Mr. Haines said. "The names of these cowards should +be held as infamous, as long as the English nation exists. + +"Come, now, we are just assembling to choose a commander. Mr. Peeks is +the senior agent; but I think we shall elect Mr. Holwell, who is an +energetic and vigorous man." + +It was as Mr. Haines had expected. Mr. Holwell was elected, and at +once took the lead. He immediately assigned to Charlie the command of +the troops. Little was done at the council, beyond speaker after +speaker rising to express his execration of the conduct of the +governor and Captain Minchin. + +With daybreak, the enemy's fire recommenced. All day long Charlie +hurried from post to post, encouraging his men, and aiding in working +the guns. Two or three times, when the enemy showed in masses, as if +intending to assault, the fire of the artillery drove them back; and +up to nightfall they had gained but little success. The civilians as +well as the soldiers had done their duty nobly, but the loss had been +heavy, from the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters in the surrounding +buildings; and it was evident that, however gallant the defence, the +fort could not much longer resist. + +All day long, signals had been kept flying for the fleet, two miles +below, to come up to the fort; but although these could be plainly +seen, not a ship weighed anchor. + + + +Chapter 18: The "Black Hole" Of Calcutta. + + +When the fire of the enemy slackened, Charlie went to Mr. Holwell. + +"It is impossible, sir," he said, "that the fort can hold out; for in +another three or four days, the whole of the garrison will be killed. +The only hope of safety is for the ships to come up, and remove the +garrison, which they can do without the slightest danger to +themselves. If you will allow me, sir, I will swim down to the ships, +and represent our situation. Cowardly and inhuman as Mr. Drake has +proved himself, he can hardly refuse to give orders for the fleet to +move." + +"I don't know," said Mr. Holwell. "After the way in which he has +behaved, there are no depths of infamy of which I believe him +incapable. But you are my right hand here. Supposing Mr. Drake +refuses, you could not return." + +"I will come back, sir," Charlie answered. "I will, if there be no +other way, make my way along by the river bank. It is comparatively +free of the enemy, as our guns command it. If you will place Mr. +Haines at the corner bastion, with a rope, he will recognize my voice, +and I can regain the fort." + +Mr. Holwell consented, and as soon as it was perfectly dark, Charlie +issued out at the watergate, took off his coat, waistcoat, and boots, +and entered the stream. The current was slack, but he had no +difficulty in keeping himself afloat until he saw, close ahead of him, +the lights of the ships. + +He hailed that nearest him. A rope was thrown, and he was soon on +board. Upon stating who he was, a boat was at once lowered, and he was +taken to the ship upon which Mr. Drake and Captain Minchin had taken +refuge. Upon saying that he was the bearer of a message from the +gentleman now commanding the fort, he was conducted to the cabin, +where Mr. Drake and Captain Minchin, having finished their dinner, +were sitting comfortably over their wine with Captain Young, the +senior captain of the Company's ships there. + +"I have come, sir," Charlie said to Mr. Drake, "from Mr. Holwell; who +has, in your absence, been elected to the command of the fort. He bids +me tell you that our losses have been already very heavy, and that it +is impossible that the fort can hold out for more than twenty-four +hours longer. He begs you, therefore, to order up the ships tonight, +in order that the garrison may embark." + +"It is quite out of the question," Mr. Drake said coldly. "Quite. It +would be extremely dangerous. + +"You agree with me, Captain Young, that it would be most dangerous?" + +"I consider that it would be dangerous," Captain Young said. + +"And you call yourself," Charlie exclaimed indignantly, "a British +sailor! You talk of danger, and would desert a thousand men, women, +and children, including two hundred of your own countrymen, and leave +them at the mercy of an enemy!" + +"You forget whom you are speaking to, sir," Mr. Drake said, angrily. + +"I forgot nothing, sir," Charlie replied, trying to speak calmly. +"Then, sir, Mr. Holwell has charged me that if--which, however, he +could not believe for a moment to be possible--you refuse to move up +the ships to receive the garrison on board, that you would at least +order all the boats up, as these would be amply sufficient to carry +them away. Even in the daytime there would be no danger for the ships; +and at night, at least, boats might come up, without being exposed to +any risk whatever." + +"I shall certainly do nothing of the sort," Mr. Drake said. "The +danger is even greater for the boats than for the ships." + +"And am I, sir, to return to the garrison of that fort, with the news +that you utterly desert them, that you intend to remain quietly here, +while they are sacrificed before your eyes? Is it possible that you +are capable of such infamy as this?" + +"Infamy!" exclaimed the three men, rising to their feet. + +"I place you in arrest at once, for your insolence," Mr. Drake said. + +"I despise your arrest, as I do yourself. + +"I did not believe it possible," Charlie said, at last giving vent to +his anger and scorn; "and England will not believe, that three +Englishmen so cowardly, so infamous as yourselves, are to be found. + +"As for you, Captain Minchin, if ever after this I come across you, I +will flog you publicly first, and shoot you afterwards like a dog, if +you dare to meet me. + +"As for you, Mr. Drake--as for you, Captain Young--you will be doomed +to infamy, by the contempt and loathing which Englishmen will feel, +when this deed is known. + +"Cowards; base, infamous cowards!" + +Charlie stepped back to go. + +"Seize him!" Mr. Drake said, himself rushing forward. + +Charlie drew back a step; and then, with all his strength, smote the +governor between the eyes, and he fell in a heap beneath the table. +Then Charlie grasped a decanter. + +"Now," he said, "if either of you hounds move a finger, I'll brain +you." + +The two officers stood paralysed. Charlie walked to the door, and +sprang up the cabin stairs; and, as he did so, heard shouts for +assistance from behind. He gained the deck, walked quietly to the +bulwark and, placing his hand upon it, sprang over the side into the +river. He swam to shore and, climbing up the bank, made his way along +it back to the fort, where he arrived without any misadventure. + +A fury of indignation seized all in the fort, when the result of +Charlie's mission became known. With daybreak the attack recommenced; +but the garrison, all day, bravely repulsed every attempt of the enemy +to gain a footing. The fire from the houses was, however, so severe, +that by nightfall nearly half the garrison were killed or wounded. + +All day the signals to the fleet were kept flying, but not a ship +moved. All night, an anxious watch was kept, in hopes that, at the +last moment, some returning feeling of shame might induce the +recreants to send up the boats of the ships. But the night passed +without a movement on the river, and in the morning the fleet were +seen, still lying at anchor. + +The enemy recommenced the attack, even more vigorously than before. +The men fell fast and, to Charlie's great grief, his friend Mr. Haines +was shot by a bullet, as he was standing next to him. Charlie +anxiously knelt beside him. + +"It is all over with me," he murmured. "Poor little Ada. Do all you +can for her, Marryat. God knows what fate is in store for her." + +"I will protect her with my life, sir," Charlie said earnestly. + +Mr. Haines pressed his hand feebly, in token of gratitude; and, two or +three minutes later, breathed his last. + +By midday, the loss had been so heavy that the men would no longer +stand to their guns. Many of the European soldiers broke open the +spirit stores, and soon drank to intoxication. + +After a consultation with his officers, Mr. Holwell agreed that +further resistance was hopeless. The flag of truce was therefore +hoisted, and one of the officers at once started for the nabob's camp, +with instructions to make the best terms he could for the garrison. +When the gates were opened the enemy, seizing the opportunity, rushed +in in great numbers; and as resistance was impossible, the garrison +laid down their arms. + +Charlie at once hurried to the spot where Ada, and the only other +European lady who had not escaped, were anxiously awaiting news. Both +were exhausted with weeping. + +"Where is papa, Captain Marryat?" Ada asked. + +Charlie knew that the poor girl would need all her strength, for what +she might have to undergo; and at once resolved that, for the present +at least, it would be better that she should be in ignorance of the +fate of her father. He therefore said that, for the present, Mr. +Haines was unable to come, and had asked him to look after her. + +It was not until five o'clock that the nabob entered the fort. He was +furious at hearing that only five lacs of rupees had been found in the +treasury, as he had expected to become possessed of a vastly larger +sum. Kissendas, the first cause of the present calamities, was brought +before him; but the capricious tyrant, contrary to expectation, +received him courteously, and told him he might return to Dacca. The +whole of the Eurasians, or half castes, and natives found in the fort +were also allowed to return to their homes. + +Mr. Holwell was then sent for, and after the nabob had expressed his +resentment at the small amount found in the treasury, he was +dismissed, the nabob assuring him of his protection. Mr. Holwell +returned to his English companions, who, one hundred and forty-six in +number, including the two ladies, were drawn up under the veranda in +front of the prison. The nabob then returned to his camp. + +Some native officers went in search of some building where the +prisoners could be confined, but every room in the fort had already +been taken possession of, by the nabob's soldiers and officers. At +eight o'clock, they returned with the news that they could find no +place vacant, and the officer in command at once ordered the prisoners +into a small room, used as a guardroom for insubordinate soldiers, +eighteen feet square. + +In vain they protested that it was impossible the room could contain +them, in vain implored the officer to allow some of them to be +confined in an adjoining cell. The wretch was deaf to their +entreaties. He ordered his soldiers to charge the prisoners, and +these, with blows of the butt ends of the muskets, and prods of the +bayonets, were driven into the narrow cell. + +Tim Kelly had kept close to his master, during the preceding days. The +whole of the four native officers, who had so distinguished themselves +under Charlie, were killed during the siege. Hossein, who would fain +have shared his master's fortunes, was forcibly torn from him, when +the English prisoners were separated from the natives. + +The day had been unusually hot. The night was close and sultry, and +the arched veranda, outside, further hindered the circulation of the +air. This was still heavy with the fumes of powder, creating an +intolerable thirst. Scarcely were the prisoners driven into their +narrow cell where, even standing wedged closely together, there was +barely room for them, than cries for water were raised. + +"Tim, my boy," Charlie said to his companion, "we may say goodbye to +each other now, for I doubt if one will be alive, when the door is +opened in the morning." + +On entering Charlie, always keeping Ada Haines by his side, had taken +his place against the wall farthest from the window, which was closed +with iron bars. + +"I think, yer honor," Tim said, "that if we could get nearer to the +window, we might breathe a little more easily." + +"Ay, Tim; but there will be a fight for life round that window, before +long. You and I might hold our own, if we could get there, though it +would be no easy matter where all are struggling for life; but this +poor little girl would be crushed to death. Besides, I believe that +what chance there is, faint as it may be, is greater for us here than +there. The rush towards the window, which is beginning already, as you +see, will grow greater and greater; and the more men struggle and +strive, the more air they require. + +"Let us remain where we are. Strip off your coat and waistcoat, and +breathe as quietly and easily as you can. Every hour the crowd will +thin, and we may yet hold on till morning." + +This conversation had been held in a low voice. Charlie then turned to +the girl. + +"How are you feeling, Ada?" he asked cheerfully. "It's hot, isn't it!" + +"It is dreadful," the girl panted, "and I seem choking from want of +air; and oh, Captain Marryat, I am so thirsty!" + +"It is hot, my dear, terribly hot, but we must make the best of it; +and I hope, in a few days, you will join your mamma on board ship. +That will be pleasant, won't it?" + +"Where is papa?" the girl wailed. + +"I don't know where he is now, my child. At any rate, we must feel +very glad that he's not shut up here, with us. Now take your bonnet +off, and your shawl, and undo the hooks of your dress, and loosen +everything you can. We must be as quiet and cheerful as possible. I'm +afraid, Ada, we have a bad time before us tonight. But try to keep +cheerful and quiet; and above all, dear, pray God to give you strength +to carry you through it, and to restore you safe to your mamma, in a +few days." + +As time went on, the scene in the dungeon became terrible. Shouts, +oaths, cries of all kinds, rose in the air. Round the window men +fought like wild beasts, tearing each other down, or clinging to the +bars for dear life, for a breath of the air without. Panting, +struggling, crying, men sank exhausted upon the floor, and the last +remnants of life were trodden out of them, by those who surged forward +to get near the window. + +In vain, Mr. Holwell implored them to keep quiet, for their own sakes. +His voice was lost in the terrible din. Men, a few hours ago rich and +respected merchants, now fought like maddened beasts for a breath of +fresh air. In vain, those at the window screamed to the guards +without, imploring them to bring water. Their prayers and entreaties +were replied to only with brutal scoffs. + +Several times Charlie and Tim, standing together against the wall +behind, where there was now room to move, lifted Ada between them, and +sat her on their shoulders in order that, raised above the crowd, she +might breathe more freely. Each time, after sitting there for a while, +the poor girl begged to come down again; the sight of the terrible +struggle, ever going on at the window, being too much for her; and +when released, leaning against Charlie, supported by his arm, with her +head against his shoulder, and her hands over her ears to shut out the +dreadful sounds which filled the cell. + +Hour passed after hour. There was more room now, for already half the +inmates of the place had succumbed. The noises, too, had lessened, for +no longer could the parched lips and throats utter articulate sounds. +Charlie and Tim, strong men as they were, leaned utterly exhausted +against the wall, bathed in perspiration, gasping for air. + +"Half the night must be gone, Tim," Charlie said, "and I think, with +God's help, we shall live through it. The numbers are lessening fast, +and every one who goes leaves more air for the rest of us. + +"Cheer up, Ada dear, 'twill not be very long till morning." + +"I think I shall die soon," the girl gasped. "I shall never see papa +or mamma again. You have been very kind, Captain Marryat, but it is no +use." + +"Oh, but it is of use," Charlie said cheerfully. "I don't mean to let +you die at all, but to hand you over to mamma, safe and sound. There, +lay your head against me, dear, and say your prayers, and try and go +off to sleep." + +Presently, however, Ada's figure drooped more and more, until her +whole weight leaned upon Charlie's arm. + +"She has fainted, Tim," he said. "Help me to raise her well in my +arms, and lay her head on my shoulder. That's right. Now, you'll find +her shawl somewhere under my feet; hold it up, and make a fan of it. +Now, try to send some air into her face." + +By this time, not more than fifty out of the hundred and forty-six who +entered the cell were alive. Suddenly a scream of joy, from those near +the window, proclaimed that a native was approaching with some water. +The struggle at the window was fiercer than ever. The bowl was too +wide to pass through the bars, and the water was being spilt in vain; +each man who strove to get his face far enough through to touch the +bowl being torn back, by his eager comrades behind. + +"Tim," Charlie said, "you are now much stronger than most of them. +They are faint from the struggles. Make a charge to the window. Take +that little shawl and dip it into the bowl, or whatever they have +there, and then fight your way back with it." + +"I will do it, yer honor," said Tim, and he rushed into the struggling +group. + +Weak as he was from exhaustion and thirst, he was as a giant to most +of the poor wretches, who had been struggling and crying all night; +and, in spite of their cries and curses, he broke through them and +forced his way to the window. + +The man with the bowl was on the point of turning away, the water +being spilt in the vain attempts of those within to obtain it. By the +light of the fire which the guard had lit without, Tim saw his face. + +"Hossein," he exclaimed, "more water, for God's sake! The master's +alive yet." + +Hossein at once withdrew, but soon again approached with the bowl. The +officer in charge angrily ordered him to draw back. + +"Let the infidel dogs howl," he said. "They shall have no more." + +Regardless of the order, Hossein ran to the window, and Tim thrust the +shawl into the water at the moment when the officer, rushing forward, +struck Hossein to the ground: a cry of anguish rising from the +prisoners, as they saw the water dashed from their lips. + +Tim made his way back to the side of his master. Had those who still +remained alive been aware of the supply of water which he carried, in +the shawl, they would have torn it from him; but none save those just +at the window had noticed the act, and inside it was still entirely +dark. + +"Thank God, yer honor, here it is," Tim said; "and who should have +brought it, but Hossein. Shure, yer honor, we both owe our lives to +him this time, for I'm sure I should have been choked by thirst, +before morning." + +Ada was now lowered to the ground and, forcing her teeth asunder, a +corner of the folded shawl was placed between her lips, and the water +allowed to trickle down. With a gasping sigh, she presently recovered. + +"That is delicious," she murmured. "That is delicious." + +Raising her to her feet, Charlie and Tim both sucked the dripping +shawl, until the first agonies of thirst were relieved. Then, tearing +off a portion, in case Ada should again require it, Charlie passed the +shawl to Mr. Holwell; who, after sucking it for a moment, again passed +it on to several standing round; and in this way many of those, who +would otherwise have succumbed, were enabled to hold on until morning. + +Presently the first dawn of daylight appeared, giving fresh hopes to +the few survivors. There were now only some six or eight standing by +the window, and a few standing or leaning against the walls around. +The room itself was heaped high with the dead. + +It was not until two hours later that the doors were opened, and the +guard entered; and it was found that, of the hundred and forty-six +Englishmen inclosed there the night before, but twenty-three still +breathed. Of these, very few retained strength to stagger out through +the door. The rest were carried out, and laid in the veranda. + +When the nabob came into the fort in the morning, he ordered Mr. +Holwell to be brought before him. He was unable to walk, but was +carried to his presence. The brutal nabob expressed no regret for what +had happened, but loaded him with abuse, on account of the paucity of +the treasure, and ordered him to be placed in confinement. The other +prisoners were also confined in a cell. Ada, the only English female +who had survived the siege, was torn, weeping, from Charlie's arms, +and conveyed to the zenana, or ladies' apartments, of one of the +nabob's generals. + +A few days later, the English captives were all conveyed to +Moorshedabad, where the rajah also returned, after having extorted +large sums from the French and Dutch, and confiscated the whole of the +property of the English in Bengal. + +The prospect was a gloomy one for the captives. That the English +would, in time, return and extort a heavy reckoning from the nabob, +they did not doubt for a moment. But nothing was more likely than +that, at the news of the first disaster which befell his troops, the +nabob would order his captives to be put to death. + +Upon the march up the country Charlie had, by his cheerfulness and +good temper, gained the goodwill of the officer commanding the guard; +and upon arriving at their destination, he recommended him so strongly +to the commander of the prison that the latter, instead of placing him +in the apartment allotted to the remainder of the prisoners, assigned +a separate room to him; permitting Tim, at his request, to occupy it +with him. It was a room of fair size, in a tower on one of the angles +of the walls. It had bars, but these did not prevent those behind them +looking out at the country which stretched around. The governor of the +prison, finding that Charlie spoke the language fluently, often came +up to sit with him, conversing with him on the affairs of that unknown +country, England. + +Altogether, they were fairly treated. Their food was plentiful and, +beyond their captivity, they had little to complain of. Over and over +again, they talked about the possibilities of effecting an escape; +but, on entering the prison, they had noticed how good was the watch, +how many and strong the doors through which they had passed. They had +meditated upon making a rope and escaping from the window; but they +slept on the divan, each with a rug to cover them; and these, torn +into strips and twisted, would not reach a quarter of the way from +their window to the ground; and there was no other material of which a +rope could possibly have been formed. + +"Our only hope," Charlie said one day, "is in Hossein. I am sure he +will follow us to the death; and if he did but know where we are +confined, he would not, I am certain, rest day or night, till he had +opened a communication with us. + +"See, Tim, there is my regimental cap, with its gold lace. Let us +fasten it outside the bars, with a thread from that rug. Of course, we +must remove it when we hear anyone coming." + +This was speedily done and, for the next few days, one or other +remained constantly at the window. + +"Mr. Charles!" Tim exclaimed in great excitement, one day; "there is a +man I've been watching, for the last half hour. He seems to be picking +up sticks, but all the while he keeps getting nearer and nearer, and +two or three times it seems to me that he has looked up in this +direction." + +Charlie joined Tim at the window. + +"Yes, Tim, you are right. That's Hossein, I'm pretty sure." + +The man had now approached within two or three hundred yards of the +corner of the wall. He was apparently collecting pieces of dried +brushwood, for firing. Presently, he glanced in the direction of the +window. Charlie thrust his arm through the bar, and waved his hand. +The man threw up his arm with a gesture which, to a casual observer, +would have appeared accidental; but which the watchers had no doubt, +whatever, was intended for them. He was still too far off from them to +be able to distinguish his features, but they had not the least doubt +that it was Hossein. + + + +Chapter 19: A Daring Escape. + + +"And what's to be done next, Mister Charles? That's Hossein, sure +enough, but it don't bring us much nearer to getting out." + +"The first thing is to communicate with him in some way, Tim." + +"If he'd come up to the side of the moat, yer honor might spake to +him." + +"That would never do, Tim. There are sure to be sentries on the walls +of the prison. We must trust to him. He can see the sentries, and will +know best what he can do." + +It was evident that Hossein did not intend doing anything, at present; +for, still stooping and gathering brushwood, he gradually withdrew +farther and farther from the wall. Then they saw him make his sticks +into a bundle, put them on his shoulder, and walk away. During the +rest of the day, they saw no more of Hossein. + +"I will write," Charlie said, "--fortunately I have a pencil--telling +him that we can lower a light string down to the moat, if he can +manage to get underneath with a cord which we can hoist up, and that +he must have two disguises in readiness." + +"I don't think Hossein can read," Tim said, "any more than I can, +myself." + +"I daresay not, Tim, but he will probably have friends in the town. +There are men who were employed in the English factory at Kossimbazar, +hard by. These will be out of employment, and will regret the +expulsion of the English. We can trust Hossein. At any rate, I will +get it ready. + +"Now the first thing we have to do is to loosen one of these bars. I +wish we had thought of doing it before. However, the stonework is +pretty rotten, and we shall have no difficulty about that. The first +thing is to get a tool of some sort." + +They looked round the room, and for some time saw nothing which could +in any way serve. The walls, floor, and wide bench running round, upon +which the cushions which served as their beds were laid, were all +stone. There was no other furniture, of any kind. + +"Divil a bit of iron do I see in the place, Mister Charles," Tim said. +"They don't even give us a knife for dinner, but stew all their meats +into a smash." + +"There is something, Tim," Charlie said, looking at the door. "Look at +those long hinges." + +The hinges were of ornamented ironwork, extending half across the +door. Upon one of the scrolls of this ironwork they set to work. +Chipping a small piece of stone off an angle of the wall, outside the +window; with great difficulty they thrust this under the end of the +scroll, as a wedge. Another piece, slightly larger, was then pushed +under it. The gain was almost imperceptible, but at last the piece of +iron was raised from the woodwork sufficiently to allow them to get a +hold of it, with their thumbs. Then, little by little, they bent it +upward; until at last they could obtain a firm hold of it. + +The rest was comparatively easy. The iron was tough and strong but, by +bending it up and down, they succeeded at last in breaking it off. It +was the lower hinge of the door, upon which they had operated, as the +loss of a piece of iron there would be less likely to catch the eye of +anyone coming in. They collected some dust from the corner of the +room, moistened it, and rubbed it on to the wood so as to take away +its freshness of appearance; and they then set to work with the piece +of iron, which was of a curved shape, about three inches long, an inch +wide, and an eighth of an inch thick. + +Taking it by turns, they ground away the stone round the bottom of one +of the bars. For the first inch, the stone yielded readily to the +iron; but below that it became harder, and their progress was slow. +They filled the hole which they had made with water, to soften the +stone, and worked steadily away till night; when, to their great joy, +they found that they had reached the bottom of the bar. They then +enlarged the hole inwards, in order that the bar might be pulled back. +Fortunately, it was much decayed by age; and they had no doubt that, +by exerting all their strength, together they could bend it +sufficiently to enable them to get through. + +At the hour when their dinner was brought they had ceased their work, +filled up the hole with dust collected from the floor, put some dust +of the stone over it, and smoothed it down, so that it would not have +been noticed by anyone casually looking from the window. + +It was late at night before they finished their work. Their hands were +sore and bleeding, and they were completely worn out with fatigue. +They had saved, from their dinner, a good-sized piece of bread. They +folded up into a small compass the leaf from his pocketbook, upon +which Charlie had written in Hindostanee his letter to Hossein, and +thrust this into the centre of the piece of bread. Then Charlie told +Tim to lie down and rest for three hours, while he kept watch; as they +must take it in turns, all night, to listen in case Hossein should +come outside. The lamp was kept burning. + +Just as Charlie's watch was over, he thought he heard a very faint +splash in the water below. Two or three minutes later, he again +thought he heard the sound. He peered out of the window anxiously, but +the night was dark, and he could see nothing. Listening intently, it +seemed to him, several times, that he heard the same faint sound. + +Presently something whizzed by him, and looking round, to his delight +he saw a small arrow, with a piece of very thin string attached. The +arrow was made of very light wood. Round the iron point was a thick +wrapping of cotton, which would entirely deaden its sound, as it +struck a wall. It was soaked in water, and Charlie had no doubt that +the sound he heard was caused by its fall into the moat, after +ineffectual trials to shoot through the window. + +Round the centre of the arrow a piece of greased silk was wrapped. +Charlie took this off, and found beneath it a piece of paper, on which +was written in Hindostanee: + +"If you have a bar loosed, pull the string and haul up a rope. If not, +throw the arrow down. I will come again, tomorrow night." + +Tim had by this time joined Charlie, and they speedily began to pull +in the string. Presently a thicker string came up into their hands. +They continued to pull, and soon the end of a stout rope, in which +knots were tied every two feet, came up to them. They fastened this to +one of the bars, and then took hold of that which they had loosened; +and, putting their feet against the wall, exerted themselves to the +utmost. The iron was tougher than they had expected, but they were +striving for liberty and, with desperate exertions, they bent it +inwards until, at last, there was room enough for them to creep +through. + +"Can you swim, Tim?" + +"Not a stroke, yer honor. Shure you should know that, when you fished +me out of the water." + +"Very well, Tim. As I kept you up then, 'twill be easy enough for me, +now, to take you across the moat. I will go first, and when I get into +the water, will keep hold of the rope till you come down. Take off +your boots, for they would be heard scraping against the wall. Be sure +you make as little noise as possible, and lower yourself quietly into +the water." + +Charlie then removed his own boots, squeezed himself through the bars +and, grasping the rope tightly, began to descend. He found the knots +of immense assistance, for had it not been for them, unaccustomed as +he was to the work, he would have been unable to prevent himself from +sliding down too rapidly. The window was fully sixty feet above the +moat, and he was very thankful when, at last, he felt the water touch +his feet. Lowering himself quietly into it, he shook the rope, to let +Tim know that he could begin his descent. + +Before Tim was halfway down, Charlie could hear his hard breathing, +and muttered ejaculations to himself: + +"Shure I'll never get to the bottom at all, my arms are fairly +breaking. I shall squash Mr. Charles, if I fall on him." + +"Hold your tongue, Tim," Charlie said in a loud whisper. + +Tim was silent, but the panting and puffing increased, and Charlie +swam a stroke or two away, expecting every moment that Tim would fall. +The Irishman, however, held on; but let himself into the water with a +splash, which aroused the attention of the sentry above, who instantly +challenged. + +Tim and Charlie remained perfectly quiet. Again the sentry challenged. +Then there was a long silence. The sentry probably was unwilling to +rouse the place by a false alarm, and the splash might have been +caused by the fall of a piece of decayed stone from the face of the +wall. + +"Tim, you clumsy fellow," whispered Charlie, "you nearly spoiled all." + +"Shure, yer honor, I was kilt entirely, and my arms were pulled out of +my sockets. Holy Mother, who'd have thought 'twould be so difficult to +come down a rope! The sailors are great men, entirely." + +"Now, Tim, lie quiet. I will turn you on your back, and swim across +with you." + +The moat was some twenty yards wide. Charlie swam across, towing Tim +after him, and taking the greatest pains to avoid making the slightest +splash. The opposite side was of stonework, and rose six feet above +the water. As soon as they touched the wall, a stout rope was lowered +to them. + +"Now, Tim, you climb up first." + +"Is it climb up, yer honor? I couldn't do it, if it was to save my +sowl. My arms are gone altogether, and I'm as weak as a child. + +"You go, Mister Charles. I'll hould on by the rope till morning. They +can but shoot me." + +"Nonsense, Tim! Here, I will fasten the rope round your body. Then I +will climb up, and we will pull you up after me." + +In another minute, Charlie stood on the bank, and grasped the hand of +his faithful follower. Hossein threw himself on his knees, and pressed +his master to him. Then he rose and, at a word from Charlie, they +hauled Tim to the top. The rope was taken off him and, noiselessly, +they made their way across the country. Not a word was spoken, till +they were at a considerable distance from the fort. + +"Where are you taking us, Hossein?" Charlie asked, at last. + +"I have two peasants' dresses, in a deserted cottage a quarter of a +mile away." + +Not another word was spoken, until they reached the hut, which stood +at the end of a small village. When they had entered this, Charlie +first thanked, in the warmest terms, his follower for having rescued +them. + +"My life is my lord's," Hossein answered simply. "He gave it me. It is +his again, whenever it is useful to him." + +"No, Hossein, the balance is all on your side, now. You saved my life +that night at Ambur. You saved it that night at Calcutta, for, without +the water you brought us, I question whether we could have lived till +morning. Now you have procured our freedom. The debt is all on my side +now, my friend." + +"Hossein is glad that his lord is content," the Mohammedan murmured. +"Now, what will my lord do?" + +"Have you any place in the town to which we could go, Hossein?" + +"Yes, Sahib. I hired a little house. I was dressed as a trader. I have +been here for two months, but I could not find where you were +confined, although I have tried all means, until I saw your cap." + +"It was foolish of me not to have thought of it before," Charlie said. +"Well, Hossein, for a little time we had better take refuge in your +house. They will not think of searching in the city; and, as Calcutta +is in their hands, there is nowhere we could go. Besides, I must +discover, if possible, where Miss Haines is kept a prisoner; and +rescue her, if it can be done." + +"The white girl is in the zenana of Rajah Dulab Ram," Hossein replied. + +"Where is the rajah's palace?" + +"He has one in the city, one at Ajervam, twenty miles from here. I do +not know at which she is lodged." + +"We must find that out presently," Charlie said. "It is something to +know she is in one of two houses. + +"Now, about getting back into the town?" + +"I have thought of that," Hossein said. "I have bought a quantity of +plantains, and two large baskets. After the gates are opened, you will +go boldly in with the baskets on your heads. No questions are asked of +the country people who go in and out. I have some stain here, which +will darken your skins. + +"I will go in first in my merchant's dress, which I have here. I will +stop a little way inside the gate, and when I see you coming, will +walk on. Do you follow me, a little behind. My house is in a quiet +street. When I reach the door, do you come up and offer to sell me +plantains. If there are people about, I shall bargain with you until I +see that no one is noticing us. Then you can enter. If none are about, +you can follow me straight in." + +Hossein now set about the disguises. A light was struck, and both Tim +and Charlie were shaved, up to the line which the turban would cover. +Charlie's whiskers, which were somewhat faint, as he was still under +twenty-one years old, gave but little trouble. Tim, however, grumbled +at parting with his much more bushy appendages. The shaven part of the +heads, necks, and faces were then rubbed with a dark fluid, as were +the arms and legs. + +They were next wrapped in dark blue clothes, in peasant fashion, and +turbans wound round their heads. Hossein then, examining them +critically, announced that they would pass muster anywhere. + +"I feel mighty quare," Tim exclaimed; "and it seems to me downright +ondacent, to be walking about with my naked legs." + +Charlie laughed. + +"Why, Tim, you are accustomed to see thousands of men, every day, with +nothing on but a loincloth." + +"Yes, yer honor, but then they're hathens, and it seems natural for +them to do so; but for a dacent boy to go walking about in the +streets, with a thing on which covers no more than his shirt, is +onnatural altogether. Mother of Moses, what a shindy there would be, +in the streets of Cork, if I were to show myself in such a state!" + +Charlie now lay down for a sleep till morning; while Tim, who had had +three hours' repose, settled himself for a comfortable chat with +Hossein, to whom sleep appeared altogether unnecessary. + +Between Hossein and Tim there was a sort of brotherly attachment, +arising from their mutual love of their master. During the two years +which Tim had spent apart from all Europeans, save Charlie, he had +contrived to pick up enough of the language to make himself fairly +intelligible; and, since the day when Hossein had saved Charlie's life +at Ambur, the warmest friendship had sprung up between the +good-humoured and warm-hearted Irishman, and the silent and devoted +Mohammedan. + +Tim's friendship even extended so far as to induce a toleration of +Hossein's religion. He had come to the conclusion that a man who, at +stated times in the day, would leave his employment, whatever it might +be, spread his carpet, and be for some minutes lost in prayer, could +not be altogether a hathen; especially when he learned, from Charlie, +that the Mohammedans, like ourselves, worship one God. For the sake of +his friend, then, he now generally excluded the Mohammedans from the +general designation of heathen, which he still applied to the Hindoos. + +He learned from Hossein that the latter, having observed from a +distance the Europeans driven into the cell at Calcutta, perceived at +once how fatal the consequences would be. He had, an hour or two after +they were confined there, approached with some water, but the officer +on guard had refused to let him give it. He had then gone into the +native town, but being unable to find any fruit there, had walked out +to the gardens, and had picked a large basketful. This he had brought +as an offering to the officer, and the latter had then consented to +his giving one bowl of water to the prisoners, among whom, as he had +told him, was his master. For bringing a second bowl, contrary to his +orders, Hossein had, as Tim saw, been struck down; but had the +satisfaction of believing that his master, and Tim, had derived some +benefit from his effort. + +On the following morning, to his delight, he saw them issue among the +few survivors from the dungeon; and had, when they were taken up the +country, followed close behind them, arriving at the town on the same +day as themselves. He had, ever since, been wandering round the +prison. He had taken a house, so close to it that he could keep a +watch on all the windows facing the town; and had, day after day, kept +his eyes fixed upon these without success. He had, at last, found out +from one of the soldiers that the white prisoners were confined on the +other side of the prison; but until he saw Charlie's cap, he had been +unable to discover the room in which they were confined. + +In the morning, they started for the town. Groups of peasants were +already making their way towards the gate, with fruit and grain; and, +keeping near one of these parties, while sufficiently distant to +prevent the chance of their being addressed, Charlie and Tim made +their way to the gate; the latter suffering acutely, in his mind, from +the impropriety of his attire. + +No questions were asked, as they passed the guard. They at once +perceived Hossein, standing a little way off, and followed him through +the busy streets. They soon turned off into a quieter quarter, and +stopped at a house, in a street in which scarcely anyone was stirring. +Hossein glanced round, as he opened the door, and beckoned to them to +enter at once. This they did, and were glad, indeed, to set down the +heavy baskets of plantains. + +"My lord's room is upstairs," Hossein said, and led the way to a +comfortably furnished apartment. "I think that you might stay here, +for months, unsuspected. A sweeper comes, every day, to do my rooms +downstairs. He believes the rest of the house to be untenanted, and +you must remain perfectly quiet, during the half hour he is here. +Otherwise, no one enters the house but myself." + +Hossein soon set to work, and prepared an excellent breakfast. Then he +left them, saying that he would now devote himself to finding out +whether the young white lady was in the town palace of the rajah. He +returned in the afternoon. + +"She is here, Sahib," he said. "I got into conversation with one of +the retainers of the rajah; and by giving him some wonderful bargains, +in Delhi jewelry, succeeded in opening his lips. I dare not question +him too closely, but I am to meet him tomorrow, to show him some more +silver bracelets." + +"It is fortunate, Hossein, that you have some money, for neither Tim +nor I have a rupee." + +"Thanks to the generosity of my lord," Hossein said, "I am well +supplied." + +The next day, Hossein discovered that the windows of the zenana were +at the back of the palace, looking into the large garden. + +"I hear, however," he said, "that the ladies of the zenana are, next +week, going to the rajah's other palace. The ladies will, of course, +travel in palanquins; but upon the road I might get to talk with one +of the waiting women, and might bribe her to pass a note into the +hands of the white lady." + +"I suppose they will have a guard with them, Hossein?" + +"Surely, a strong guard," Hossein answered. + +The time passed, until the day came for the departure of the rajah's +zenana. Charlie wrote a note, as follows: + +"My dear Ada, + +"I am free, and am on the lookout for an opportunity to rescue you. +Contrive to put a little bit of your handkerchief through the +latticework of the window of your room, as a signal to us which it is. +On the second night after your arrival, we will be under it with a +ladder. If others, as is probable, sleep in your room, lie down +without undressing more than you can help. When they are asleep, get +up and go to the window, and open the lattice. If any of them wake, +say you are hot and cannot sleep, and wait quietly till they are off +again. Then stretch out your arm, and we shall know you are ready. +Then we will put up the ladder, and you must get out, and come to us +as quickly as possible. Once with us, you will be safe." + +This note was wrapped up very small, and put into a quill. As soon as +the gates were open, Hossein and his companions left the town, and +proceeded as far as a grove, halfway between the town and the rajah's +country palace. + +"They are sure to stop here, for a rest," Hossein said. "I will remain +here, and try to enter into conversation with one of them. It will be +better for you to go on, for some distance, and then turn aside from +the road. When they have all passed, come back into the road again, +and I will join you." + +After waiting two hours, Hossein saw two carts full of women +approaching, and had no doubt that these were the servants of the +zenana. As he had expected, the drivers halted their cattle in the +shade of the trees; and the women, delighted to enjoy their liberty, +alighted from the carts and scattered in the grove. Presently one of +them, a middle-aged woman, approached the spot where Hossein had +seated himself. + +Hossein drew out a large and beautiful silver bracelet, of Delhi +workmanship. + +"Would you like to buy this?" he asked. + +"How should I buy it?" she said. "I am only a servant. + +"It is very beautiful;" and she looked at it, with longing eyes. + +"I have two of them," he said, "and they will both be yours, if you +will do me a service." + +"What is it?" she asked. + +"They will be yours, if you will give this quill to the little white +girl, who is in the zenana." + +The woman hesitated. + +"It is dangerous," she said. + +"Not at all," Hossein replied. "It only gives her news of a friend, +whom she thought was dead. It will cheer her heart, and will be a kind +action. None can ever know it." + +"Give them to me," the woman said, holding out her hand. "I will do +it." + +"No," Hossein replied. "I will give you one now, the other when I know +that the note is delivered. I shall be watching, tomorrow. If she +places her handkerchief in her lattice, I shall know that she has got +it. When she does this, I will bury the other bracelet, a few inches +in the ground, just under that window. You can dig it up when you +will." + +"I understand," the woman said. "You can trust me. We all like the +white girl. She is very gentle, but very sad. I would gladly give her +pleasure." + +Hossein handed to her the bracelet, and the quill. She hid them in her +dress, and sauntered away. + +Hossein lay back, as if taking a sleep, and so remained until, half an +hour later, he heard the shouts of the drivers to the women, to take +their places in the carts. Then the sound of retreating wheels was +heard. + +Hossein was about to rise, when he heard the clatter of horses' hoofs. +Looking round he saw eight elephants, each carrying a closed pavilion, +moving along the road, escorted by a troop of horsemen. In the +pavilions, as he knew, were the ladies of the rajah's zenana. + + + +Chapter 20: The Rescue Of The White Captive. + + +After the cavalcade had passed, Hossein rose to his feet and followed +them, allowing them to go some distance ahead. Presently he was joined +by Charlie and Tim, and the three walked quietly along the road, until +within sight of the rajah's palace. + +In front stood a great courtyard. Behind, also surrounded by a high +wall, was the garden. As this was always devoted to the zenana, they +had little doubt that the rooms of the ladies were on this side; and, +two hours later, they were delighted at seeing a small piece of white +stuff, thrust through one of the lattices. The woman had been faithful +to her trust. Ada had received the letter. + +They then retired to a distance from the palace, and at once set to +work on the fabrication of a ladder. Hossein, followed by Charlie, who +better enacted the part than Tim, went into a village and purchased +four long bamboo poles, saying he wanted them for the carrying of +burdens. Charlie placed these on his shoulder, and followed Hossein. + +When they arrived at the grove they set to work, having brought with +them all the necessary materials. The bamboos were spliced together, +two and two; and while Charlie and Tim set to, to bore holes in these, +Hossein chopped down a young tree and, cutting it into lengths, +prepared the rungs. + +It took them all that evening, and the greater part of the next day, +before they had satisfactorily accomplished their work. They had, +then, a ladder thirty feet long, the height which they judged the +window to be above the terrace below. It was strong, and at the same +time light. + +They waited until darkness had completely fallen; and then, taking +their ladder, went round to the back of the garden. They mounted the +wall and, sitting on the top, dragged the ladder after them, and +lowered it on the other side. It was of equal thickness the whole +length; and could, therefore, be used indifferently either way. + +They waited patiently, until they saw the lights in the zenana windows +extinguished. Then they crept quietly up, and placed the ladder under +the window at which the signal had been shown; and found that their +calculations were correct, and that it reached to a few inches below +the sill. + +Half an hour later, the lattice above opened. They heard a murmur of +voices, and then all was quiet again. After a few minutes, Charlie +climbed noiselessly up the ladder and, just as he reached the top, an +arm was stretched out above him; and, a moment afterwards, Ada's face +appeared. + +"I am here, dear," he said, in a whisper. "Lean out, and I will take +you." + +The girl stretched out over the window. Charlie took her in his arms, +and lifted her lightly out, and then slowly descended the ladder. No +sooner did he touch the ground than they hurried away; Ada sobbing, +with excitement and pleasure, on Charlie's shoulder; Tim and Hossein +bearing the ladder; Hossein having already carried out his promise of +concealing the second bracelet under the window. + +In a few minutes they had safely surmounted the wall, and hurried +across the country, with all speed. Before leaving the town, Hossein +had purchased a cart with two bullocks; and had hired a man who was +recommended to him, by one of his co-religionists there, as one upon +whose fidelity he could rely. This cart was awaiting them at a grove. + +Paying them the amount stipulated, Hossein took the ox goad and +started the bullocks, Tim walking beside him, while Charlie and Ada +took their places in the cart. They were sure that a hot pursuit would +be set up. The rage of the nabob at the escape of Charlie and his +servant had been extreme, and the whole country had been scoured by +parties of horsemen; and they were sure that the rajah would use every +possible means to discover Ada, before he ventured to report to the +nabob that the prisoner committed to his charge had escaped. + +"Of course, I can't see you very well," Ada said, "but I should not +have known you, in the least." + +"No, I am got up like a peasant," Charlie answered. "We shall have to +dress you so, before morning. We have got things here for you." + +"Oh, how delighted I was," Ada exclaimed, "when I got your note! I +found it so difficult to keep on looking sad and hopeless, when I +could have sung for joy. I had been so miserable. There seemed no +hope, and they said, some day, I should be sent to the nabob's +zenana--wretches! How poor mamma will be grieving for me, and papa!-- + +"Ah! Captain Marryat, he is dead, is he not?" + +"Yes, my dear," Charlie said gently. "He was killed by my side, that +afternoon. With his last breath, he asked me to take care of you." + +"I thought so," Ada said, crying quietly. "I did not think of it at +the time. Everything was so strange, and so dreadful, that I scarcely +thought at all. But afterwards, on the way here, when I turned it all +over, it seemed to me that it must be so. He did not come to me, all +that afternoon. He was not shut up with us in that dreadful place, and +everyone else was there. So it seemed to me that he must have been +killed, but that you did not like to tell me." + +"It was better for him, dear, than to have died in that terrible cell. +Thank God your mamma is safe, and some day you will join her again. + +"We have news that the English are coming up to attack Calcutta. A +party are already in the Hoogly; and the nabob is going to start, in a +few days, to his army there. I hope, in a very very short time, you +will be safe among your friends." + +After travelling for several hours, they stopped. Charlie gave Ada +some native clothes and ornaments, and told her to stain her face, +arms, and legs, to put on the bangles and bracelets, and then to +rejoin them. Half an hour later, Ada took her seat in the cart, this +time transformed into a Hindoo girl, and the party again proceeded. + +They felt sure that Ada's flight would not be discovered until +daybreak. It would be some little time before horsemen could be sent +off in all directions, in pursuit; and they could not be overtaken +until between eleven and twelve. + +The waggon was filled with grain, on the top of which Charlie and Ada +were seated. When daylight came, Charlie alighted and walked by the +cart. Unquestioned, they passed through several villages. + +At eleven o'clock, Hossein pointed to a large grove, at some little +distance from the road. + +"Go in there," he said, "and stay till nightfall. Do you then come +out, and follow me. I shall go into the next village, and remain there +till after dark. I shall then start, and wait for you half a mile +beyond the village." + +An hour after the waggon had disappeared from sight, the party in the +grove saw ten or twelve horsemen galloping rapidly along the road. An +hour passed, and the same party returned, at an equal speed. They saw +no more of them and, after it became dark, they continued their way; +passed through the village, which was three miles ahead; and found +Hossein waiting, a short distance beyond. Ada climbed into the cart, +and they again went forward. + +"Did you put the rajah's men on the wrong track, Hossein? We guessed +that you had done so, when we saw them going back." + +"Yes," Hossein said. "I had unyoked the bullocks, and had lain down in +the caravanserai, when they arrived. They came in, and their leader +asked who I was. I said that I was taking down a load of grain, for +the use of the army at Calcutta. He asked where were the two men and +the woman who were with me. I replied that I knew nothing of them. I +had overtaken them on the road, and they had asked leave for the woman +to ride in the cart. They said they were going to visit their mother, +who was sick. + +"He asked if I was sure they were natives, and I counterfeited +surprise, and said that certainly they were; for which lie Allah will, +I trust, be merciful, since it was told to an enemy. I said that they +had left me, just when we had passed the last village; and had turned +off by the road to the right, saying they had many miles to go. + +"They talked together and decided that, as you were the only people +who had been seen along the road, they must follow and find you; and +so started at once, and I daresay they're searching for you now, miles +away." + +Their journey continued without any adventure, until within a few +miles of Calcutta. Hossein then advised them to take up their abode in +a ruined mud hut, at a distance from the road. He had bought, at the +last village, a supply of provisions, sufficient to last them for some +days. + +"I shall now," he said, "go into the town, sell my grain, bullocks, +and cart, and find out where the soldiers are." + +As soon as the news of the nabob's advance against Calcutta reached +Madras, Mr. Pigot, who was now governor there, despatched a force of +two hundred and thirty men, under the orders of Major Kilpatrick. The +party reached Falta, on the Hoogly, on the 2nd of August, and there +heard of the capture of Calcutta. By detachments, who came down from +some of the Company's minor posts, the force was increased to nearly +four hundred. But sickness broke out among them and, finding himself +unable to advance against so powerful an army as that of the nabob, +Major Kilpatrick sent to Madras for further assistance. + +When the news reached that place, Clive had recently arrived with a +strong force, which was destined to operate against the French at +Hyderabad. The news, however, of the catastrophe at Calcutta at once +altered the destination of the force; and, on the 16th of October, the +expedition sailed for Calcutta. The force consisted of two hundred and +fifty men of the 39th Foot, the first regiment of the regular English +army which had been sent out to India; five hundred and seventy men of +the Madras European force; eighty artillerymen; and twelve hundred +Sepoys. + +Of the nine hundred Europeans, only six hundred arrived at that time +at the mouth of the Hoogly, the largest ship, the Cumberland, with +three hundred men on board, having grounded on the way. The remainder +of the fleet, consisting of three ships of war, five transports, and a +fire ship, reached Falta between the 11th and 20th of December. + +Hossein had returned from Calcutta, with the news that the party +commanded by Major Kilpatrick had been, for some weeks, at Falta; and +the party at once set off towards that place, which was but forty +miles distant. Travelling by night, and sleeping by day in the woods, +they reached Falta without difficulty; and, learning that the force +was still on board ship, they took possession of a boat, moored by the +bank some miles higher up, and rowed down. + +Great was their happiness, indeed, at finding themselves once more +among friends. Here were assembled many of the ships which had been at +Calcutta, at the time it was taken; and, to Ada's delight, she learned +that her mother was on board one of these. They were soon rowed there, +in a boat from the ship which they had first boarded; and Ada, on +gaining the deck, saw her mother sitting among some other ladies, +fugitives like herself. + +With a scream of joy she rushed forward, and with a cry of, "Mamma, +Mamma!" threw herself into her mother's arms. + +It was a moment or two before Mrs. Haines could realize that this +dark-skinned Hindoo girl was her child, and then her joy equalled that +of her daughter. It was some time before any coherent conversation +could take place; and then Ada, running back to Charlie, drew him +forward to her mother; and presented him to her as her preserver, the +Captain Marryat who had stayed with them at Calcutta. + +Mrs. Haines' gratitude was extreme, and Charlie was soon surrounded, +and congratulated, by the officers on board, to many of whom, +belonging as they did to the Madras army, he was well known. Foremost +among them, and loudest in his expressions of delight, was his friend +Peters. + +"You know, Charlie, I suppose," he said presently, "that you are a +major now?" + +"No, indeed," Charlie said. "How is that?" + +"When the directors at home received the report of Commodore James, +that the fort of Suwarndrug had been captured entirely through you, +they at once sent out your appointment as major. + +"You are lucky, old fellow. Here are you a major, while I'm a +lieutenant, still. However, don't think I'm jealous, for I'm not a +bit, and you thoroughly deserve all, and more than you've got." + +"And this is Tim," Charlie said. "He has shared all my adventures with +me." + +Tim was standing disconsolately by the bulwark, shifting uneasily from +foot to foot, with the feeling of the extreme shortness of his +garments stronger upon him than ever. + +Peters seized him heartily by the hand. + +"I am glad to see you, Tim, very glad. And so you've been with Major +Marryat, ever since?" + +"For the Lord's sake, Mr. Peters," Tim said, in an earnest whisper, +"git me a pair of trousers. I'm that ashamed of myself, in the +presence of the ladies, that I'm like to drop." + +"Come along below, Tim. Come along, Charlie. There are lots of poor +fellows have gone down, and uniforms are plentiful. We'll soon rig you +out again." + +"There is one more introduction, Peters. This is my man, Hossein. He +calls himself my servant. I call him my friend. He has saved my life +twice, and has been of inestimable service. Had it not been for him, I +should still be in prison at Moorshedabad." + +Peters said a few hearty words to Hossein, and they then went below; +returning on deck in half an hour, Charlie in the undress uniform of +an officer, Tim in that of a private in the Madras infantry. + +Mrs. Haines and Ada had gone below, where they could chat, +unrestrained by the presence of others; and where an attempt could be +made to restore Ada to her former appearance. Mrs. Haines had heard of +her husband's death, on the day after the capture of Calcutta, Mr. +Holwell having been permitted to send on board the ships a list of +those who had fallen. She had learned that Ada had survived the +terrible night in the dungeon, and that she had been sent up country, +a captive. She almost despaired of ever hearing of her again, but had +resolved to wait to see the issue of the approaching campaign. + +Now that Ada was restored to her, she determined to leave for England; +in a vessel which was to sail, in the course of a week, with a large +number of fugitives. Mr. Haines was a very wealthy man, and had +intended retiring, altogether, in the course of a few months; and she +would, therefore, be in the enjoyment of an ample fortune in England. + +Among those on board the ships at Falta was Mr. Drake, who at once, +upon hearing of Charlie's arrival, ordered him to be arrested. Major +Kilpatrick, however, firmly refused to allow the order to be carried +out, saying that, as Charlie was under his orders as an officer in the +Madras army, Mr. Drake had no control or authority over him. He could, +however, upon Clive's arrival, lay the case before him. + +A week later, Mrs. Haines and Ada sailed for England, the latter +weeping bitterly at parting from Charlie, who promised them that, when +he came home to England on leave, he would pay them a visit. He gave +them his mother's address; and Mrs. Haines promised to call upon her, +as soon as she reached England, and give her full news of him; adding +that she hoped that his sisters, the youngest of whom was little older +than Ada, would be great friends with her. + +Very slowly and wearily the time passed at Falta. The mists from the +river were deadly, and of the two hundred and thirty men whom +Kilpatrick brought with him from Madras, in July, only about thirty +remained alive; and of these, but ten were fit for duty when Clive, at +last, arrived. + +The fleet left Falta on the 27th of December, and anchored off Moiapur +on the following day. The fort of Baj-baj, near this place, was the +first object of attack; and it was arranged that, while Admiral Watson +should bombard with the fleet, Clive should attack it on the land +side. + +Clive, who now held the rank of lieutenant colonel in the army, had +manifested great pleasure at again meeting the young officer who had +served under him at Arcot; and who had, in his absence, obtained a +fame scarcely inferior to his own, by the defence of Ambur and the +capture of Suwarndrug. A few hours after Clive's arrival, Mr. Drake +had made a formal complaint of the assault which Charlie had +committed; but after hearing, from Charlie, an account of the +circumstances, Clive sent a contemptuous message to Mr. Drake, to the +effect that Charlie had only acted as he should himself have done, +under the same circumstances; and that, at the present time, he should +not think of depriving himself of the services of one gallant soldier, +even if he had maltreated a dozen civilians. + +As Clive had been given paramount authority in Bengal, and as Mr. +Drake had every reason to suppose that he, himself, would be recalled +as soon as the circumstances attending the capture of Calcutta were +known in England, he was unable to do anything further in the matter, +and Charlie landed with Clive on the 28th. The force consisted of two +hundred and fifty Europeans, and twelve hundred Sepoys, who were +forced to drag with them, having no draft animals, two field pieces +and a waggon of ammunition. + +The march was an excessively fatiguing one. The country was swampy in +the extreme, and intersected with watercourses; and, after a terribly +fatiguing night march, and fifteen hours of unintermittent labour, +they arrived, at eight o'clock in the morning, at the hollow bed of a +lake, now perfectly dry. It lay some ten feet below the surrounding +country, and was bordered with jungle. In the wet season it was full +of water. On the eastern and southern banks lay an abandoned village, +and it was situated about a mile and a half from the fort of Baj-baj. + +Clive was ill, and unable to see after matters himself. Indeed, +accustomed only to the feeble forces of Southern India, who had never +stood for a moment against him in battle, he had no thought of danger. +Upon the other hand the troops of the nabob, who had had no +experience, whatever, of the superior fighting powers of the +Europeans; and who had effected so easy a conquest at Calcutta, +flushed with victory, regarded their European foes with contempt, and +were preparing to annihilate them at a blow. + +Manak Chand, the general commanding the nabob's forces, informed by +spies of the movements of the English troops, moved out with fifteen +hundred horses and two thousand foot. So worn out were the British +upon their arrival at the dried bed of the lake that, after detaching +a small body to occupy a village near the enemy's fort, from which +alone danger was expected; while another took up the post in some +jungles, by the side of the main road, the rest threw themselves down +to sleep. Some lay in the village, some in the shade of the bushes +along the sides of the hollow. Their arms were all piled in a heap, +sixty yards from the eastern bank. The two field pieces stood +deserted, on the north side of the village. Not a single sentry was +posted. + +Manak Chand, knowing that, after marching all night, they would be +exhausted, now stole upon them, and surrounded the tank on three +sides. Happily, he did not perceive that their arms were piled at a +distance of sixty yards from the nearest man. Had he done so, the +English would have been helpless in his hands. After waiting an hour, +to be sure that the last of the English were sound asleep, he ordered +a tremendous fire to be opened on the hollow and village. + +Astounded at this sudden attack, the men sprang up from their deep +sleep, and a rush was instantly made to their arms. Clive, ever +coolest in danger, shouted to them to be steady, and his officers well +seconded his attempts. Unfortunately the artillerymen, in their sudden +surprise, instead of rushing to their cannon, joined the rest of the +troops as they ran back to their arms, and the guns at once fell into +the hands of the enemy. + +These had now climbed the eastern bank, and a fire from all sides was +poured upon the troops, huddled together in a mass. + +"Major Marryat," Clive said, "if we fall back now, fatigued as the men +are, and shaken by this surprise, we are lost. Do you take a wing of +the Sepoy battalion, and clear the right bank. I will advance, with +the main body, directly on the village." + +"Come on, my lads," Charlie shouted, in Hindostanee; "show them how +the men of Madras can fight." + +The Sepoys replied with a cheer, advanced with a rush against the +bank, drove the defenders at once from the point where they charged, +and then swept round the tank towards the village, which Clive had +already attacked in front. + +The loss of Charlie's battalion was small, but the main body, exposed +to the concentrated fire, suffered more heavily. They would not, +however, be denied. Reaching the bank, they poured a volley into the +village, and charged with the bayonet; just as Charlie's men dashed in +at the side. The enemy fled from the village and, taking shelter in +the jungles around, opened fire. The shouts of their officers could be +heard, urging them again to sally out and fall upon the British; but +at this moment, the party which had been sent forward along the road, +hearing the fray, came hurrying up and poured their fire into the +jungle. + +Surprised at this reinforcement, the enemy paused as they were issuing +from the wood, and then fell back upon their cavalry. The British +artillerymen ran out, and seized the guns, and opened with them upon +the retiring infantry. Clive now formed up his troops in line, and +advanced against the enemy's cavalry, behind which their infantry had +massed for shelter. + +Manak Chand ordered his cavalry to charge, but just as he did so, a +cannonball from one of Clive's field pieces passed close to his head. +The sensation was so unpleasant that he at once changed his mind. The +order for retreat was given, and the beaten army fell back, in +disorder, to Calcutta. + + + +Chapter 21: The Battle Outside Calcutta. + + +After the defeat of the enemy, who had surprised and so nearly +annihilated him, Clive marched at once towards the fort of Baj-baj. On +the way he met Major Kilpatrick, who was advancing, with a force which +had been landed from the ships when the sound of firing was heard, to +his assistance. + +The fleet had, at daybreak, opened a heavy fire upon the ramparts; and +by the afternoon effected a breach. As his men were greatly fatigued, +and had had but an hour's sleep, Clive determined upon delaying the +attack until the morning; and a party of two hundred and fifty +sailors, with two guns, were landed to take part in the storming. + +Many of these sailors had drunk freely before landing, and as night +fell, some of them strolled towards the fort. One of the number, named +Strahan, moved along, unobserved by the enemy, to the foot of the +breach, climbed up it, and came suddenly upon a party of its defenders +sitting round a fire, smoking. Strahan immediately fired his pistol +among them, with a shout of, "The fort is mine!" and then gave three +rousing cheers. + +The enemy leaped to their feet and ran off for a little way. Then, +seeing Strahan was alone, they rushed back and attacked him, firing as +they came. Strahan, drawing his cutlass, defended himself vigorously +for some time; but his weapon broke off at the hilt, just as a number +of Sepoys and men of the 39th, who had been awakened from their sleep +by the shouting and firing, came running up. Reinforcements of the +garrison also joined their friends, but these were dispirited by the +sudden and unexpected attack; and, as the troops continued to stream +up the breach, the garrison were pressed; and, losing heart, fled +through the opposite gate of the fort. + +The only casualty on the British side was that Captain Campbell, +marching up at the head of the Sepoys, was mistaken for an enemy by +the sailors, and shot dead. Strahan was, in the morning, severely +reprimanded by the admiral for his breach of discipline; and, retiring +from the cabin, said to his comrades: + +"Well, if I am flogged for this here action, I will never take another +fort, by myself, as long as I live." + +Manak Chand was so alarmed at the fighting powers shown by the English +in these two affairs, that, leaving only a garrison of five hundred +men at Calcutta, he retired with his army to join the nabob at +Moorshedabad. When the fleet arrived before the town, the enemy +surrendered the fort at the first shot, and it was again taken +possession of by the English. + +Major Kilpatrick was at once sent up, with five ships and a few +hundred men, to capture the town of Hoogly, twenty miles farther up. +The defences of the place were strong. It was held by two thousand +men, and three thousand horsemen lay around it. The ships, however, at +once opened a cannonade upon it, and effected a breach before night, +and at daybreak the place was taken by storm. + +Two days after the capture of Calcutta, the news arrived that war had +again been declared between England and France. It was fortunate that +this was not known a little earlier; for had the French forces been +joined to those under Manak Chand, the reconquest of Calcutta would +not have been so easily achieved. + +The nabob, furious at the loss of Calcutta, and the capture and sack +of Hoogly, at once despatched a messenger to the governor of the +French colony of Chandranagore, to join him in crushing the English. +The governor, however, had received orders that, in the event of war +being declared between England and France, he was, if possible, to +arrange with the English that neutrality should be observed between +them. He therefore refused the nabob's request, and then sent +messengers to Calcutta, to treat. + +The nabob had gathered an army of ten thousand foot and fifteen +thousand horse, and advanced against Calcutta, arriving before the +town on the 2nd February, 1757. Clive's force had now, owing to the +arrival of some reinforcements from Europe, and the enlisting of fresh +Sepoys, been raised to seven hundred European infantry, a hundred +artillerymen, and fifteen hundred Sepoys, with fourteen light field +pieces. + +The whole of the town of Calcutta was surrounded by a deep cut, with a +bank behind, called the Mahratta Ditch. A mile beyond this was a large +saltwater lake, so that an enemy advancing from the north would have +to pass within a short distance of Clive's intrenched position outside +the town, affording him great opportunities for a flank attack. On the +day of their arrival Clive marched out, but the enemy opened a heavy +fire, and he retired. + +Clive determined to attack the enemy, next morning. Admiral Watson, at +his request, at once landed five hundred and sixty sailors, under the +command of Captain Warwick of the Thunderer. A considerable portion of +the enemy had crossed the Mahratta Ditch, and encamped within it. The +nabob himself pitched his tent in the garden of Omichund (a native +Calcutta merchant who, though in the nabob's camp from motives of +policy, sympathized entirely with the English), which occupied an +advanced bastion within the Mahratta Ditch. The rest of the army were +encamped between the ditch and the saltwater lake. + +Clive's intentions were to march first against the battery which had +played on him so effectually the day before; and, having carried this, +to march directly against the garden in which the nabob was encamped. +The force with which he started, at three o'clock in the morning of +the 3rd, consisted of the five hundred and sixty sailors, who drew +with them six guns, six hundred and fifty European infantry, a hundred +European artillery, and eight hundred Sepoys. Half the Sepoys led the +advance, the remainder covered the rear. + +Soon after daybreak, the Sepoys came in contact with the enemy's +advanced guard, placed in ditches along a road leading from the head +of the lake to the Mahratta Ditch. These discharged their muskets, and +some rockets, and took to flight. One of the rockets caused a serious +disaster. The Sepoys had their ammunition pouches open, and the +contents of one of these was fired by the rocket. The flash of the +flame communicated the fire to the pouch of the next Sepoy, and so the +flame ran along the line, killing, wounding, and scorching many, and +causing the greatest confusion. Fortunately the enemy were not near, +and Captain Eyre Coote, who led the British infantry behind them, +aided Charlie, who led the advance, in restoring order, and the +forward movement again went on. + +A new obstacle had, however, arisen. With the morning a dense fog had +set in, rendering it impossible for the troops to see even a few yards +in advance of them. Still they pushed on and, unopposed, reached a +point opposite Omichund's garden, but divided from it by the Mahratta +Ditch. + +Presently they heard the thunder of a great body of approaching +cavalry. They waited quietly until the unseen horse had approached +within a few yards of them, and then poured a mighty volley into the +fog. The noise ceased abruptly, and was followed by that of the +enemy's cavalry in retreat. + +The fog was now so dense that it was impossible even to judge of the +directions in which the troops were moving. Clive knew, however, that +the Mahratta Ditch was on his right and, moving a portion of his +troops till they touched this, he again advanced, his object being to +gain a causeway which, raised several feet above the country, led from +Calcutta, across the Mahratta Ditch, into the country beyond. Towards +this Clive now advanced, his troops firing, as they marched, into the +fog ahead of them, and the guns firing from the flanks, obliquely, to +the right and left. + +Without experiencing any opposition Clive reached the causeway, and +the Sepoys, turning to their right, advanced along this towards the +ditch. As they crossed this, however, they came in the line of fire of +their own guns, the officer commanding them being ignorant of what was +taking place in front, and unable to see a foot before him. Charlie, +closely accompanied always by Tim, was at the head of his troops when +the iron hail of the English guns struck the head of the column, +mowing down numbers of men. A panic ensued, and the Sepoys, terror +stricken at this discharge, from a direction in which they considered +themselves secure, leaped from the causeway into the dry ditch and +sheltered themselves there. Charlie and his companion were saved by +the fact that they were a few paces ahead of the column. + +"Run back, Tim," Charlie said. "Find Colonel Clive, and tell him that +we are being mowed down by our own artillery. If you can't find him, +hurry back to the guns, and tell the officer what he is doing." + +Charlie then leaped down into the ditch, and endeavoured to rally the +Sepoys. A few minutes later Clive himself arrived, and the Sepoys were +induced to leave the ditch, and to form again by the side of the +causeway, along which the British troops were now marching. + +Suddenly, however, from the fog burst out the discharge of two heavy +guns, which the enemy had mounted on a bastion flanking the ditch. The +shouts of the officers, and the firing of the men, indicated precisely +the position of the column. The grapeshot tore through it, and +twenty-two of the English troops fell dead and wounded. Immediately +afterwards another discharge followed, and the column, broken and +confused, bewildered by the dense fog, and dismayed by the fire of +these unseen guns, fell back. + +Clive now determined to push on to the main road, which he knew +crossed the fields half a mile in front of him. The country was, +however, here laid out in rice fields, each inclosed by banks and +ditches. Over these banks it was impossible to drag the guns, and the +sailors could only get them along by descending into the ditches, and +using these as roads. The labour was prodigious, and the men, fatigued +and harassed by this battle in darkness, and by the fire from the +unseen guns which the enemy continued to pour in their direction from +either flank, began to lose heart. + +Happily, however, the fog began to lift. The flanks of the columns +were covered by bodies of troops, thrown out on either side, and after +more than an hour's hard work, and abandoning two of the guns which +had broken down, Clive reached the main road, again formed his men in +column, and advanced towards the city. + +The odds were overwhelmingly against him. There were guns, infantry, +and cavalry, both in front and behind them. The column pressed on, in +spite of the heavy fire, crossed the ditch, and attacked a strong body +of the enemy drawn up on the opposite side. While it did so, a great +force of the nabob's cavalry swept down on the rear, and for a moment +captured the guns. Ensign Yorke, of the 39th Foot, faced the rear +company about, and made a gallant charge upon the horsemen, drove them +back, and recaptured the guns. + +Clive's whole army was now across the ditch, and it was open to him +either to carry out his original plan of attacking Omichund's garden, +or of marching forward into the fort of Calcutta. Seeing that his men +were fatigued, and worn out with six hours of labour and marching +under the most difficult circumstances, he took the latter +alternative, entered Calcutta, and then, following the stream, marched +back to the camp he had left in the morning. + +His loss amounted to thirty-nine Europeans killed, and eighteen +Sepoys; eighty-two Europeans wounded, and thirty-five Sepoys; the +casualties being caused almost entirely by the enemy's cannon. + +The expedition, from a military point of view, had been an entire +failure. He had carried neither the battery nor Omichund's garden. Had +it not been for the fog he might have succeeded in both these objects; +but, upon the other hand, the enemy were as much disconcerted by the +fog as he was, and were unable to use their forces with any effect. +Military critics have decided that the whole operation was a mistake; +but although a mistake and a failure, its consequences were no less +decisive. + +The nabob, struck with astonishment at the daring and dash of the +English, in venturing with so small a force to attack him, and to +march through the very heart of his camp, was seized with terror. He +had lost thirteen hundred men in the fight, among whom were +twenty-four rajahs and lesser chiefs, and the next morning he sent in +a proposal for peace. + +A less determined man than Clive would, no doubt, have accepted the +proposal. Calcutta was still besieged by a vastly superior force, +supplies of all kinds were running short, the attack of the previous +day had been a failure. He knew, however, the character of Asiatics, +and determined to play the game of bounce. The very offer of the nabob +showed him that the latter was alarmed. He therefore wrote to him, +saying that he had simply marched his troops through his highness' +camp to show him of what British soldiers were capable; but that he +had been careful to avoid hurting anyone, except those who actually +opposed his progress. He concluded by expressing his willingness to +accede to the nabob's proposal, and to negotiate. + +The nabob took it all in. If all this destruction and confusion had +been wrought by a simple march through his camp, what would be the +result if Clive were to take into his head to attack him in earnest? +He therefore at once withdrew his army three miles to the rear, and +opened negotiations. He granted all that the English asked: that all +the property and privileges of the Company should be restored, that +all their goods should pass into the country free of tax, that all the +Company's factories, and all moneys and properties belonging to it or +its servants, should be restored or made good, and that permission +should be given to them to fortify Calcutta as they pleased. + +Having agreed to these conditions, the nabob, upon the 11th of +February, retired with his army to his capital; leaving Omichund with +a commission to propose to the English a treaty of alliance, offensive +and defensive, against all enemies. This proposal was a most +acceptable one, and Clive determined to seize the opportunity to crush +the French. His previous experiences, around Madras, had taught him +that the French were the most formidable rivals of England in India. +He knew that large reinforcements were on their way to Pondicherry, +and he feared that the nabob, when he recovered from his panic, might +regret the conditions which he had granted, and might ally himself +with the French in an effort, again, to expel the English. + +He therefore determined at once to attack the French. The deputies +sent by Monsieur Renault, the governor of Chandranagore, had been kept +waiting from day to day, under one pretence or another; and they now +wrote to the governor that they believed that there was no real +intention, on the part of the English, to sign an agreement of +neutrality with him; and that they would be the next objects of +attack. Monsieur Renault immediately sent messengers to the nabob, +urging upon him that, if the English were allowed to annihilate the +French, they would be more dangerous enemies than ever; and +Suraja-u-Dowlah, having now recovered from his terror, wrote at once +to Calcutta, peremptorily forbidding any hostilities against the +French. + +To show his determination, he despatched fifteen hundred men to +Hoogly, which the English had abandoned after capturing it, with +instructions to help the French if attacked; and he sent a lac of +rupees to Monsieur Renault, to aid him in preparing for his defence. + +Clive, unwilling to face a coalition between the French and the nabob, +was in favour of acceding to the nabob's orders. The treaty of +neutrality with the French was drawn up, and would have been signed, +had it not been for the obstinate refusal of Admiral Watson to agree +to it. Between that officer and Clive there had never been any cordial +feeling, and from the time of their first connection, at the siege of +Gheriah, differences of opinion, frequently leading to angry disputes, +had taken place between them. Nor was it strange that this should be +so. Both were brave and gallant men; but while Watson had the +punctilious sense of honor which naturally belongs to an English +gentleman, Clive was wholly unscrupulous as to the means which he +employed to gain his ends. + +Between two such men, it is not singular that disagreements arose. +Admiral Watson, impelled by feelings of personal dislike to Clive, +often allowed himself to be carried to unwarrantable lengths. On the +occasion of the capture of Calcutta, he ordered Captain Eyre Coote, +who first entered it, to hold it in the king's name, and to disobey +Clive's orders, although the latter had been granted a commission in +the royal army as lieutenant colonel, and was, moreover, the chief +authority of the Company in all affairs on land. Upon Clive's +asserting himself, Admiral Watson absolutely threatened to open fire +upon his troops. Apparently from a sheer feeling of opposition, he now +opposed the signing of the treaty with the French, and several days +were spent in stormy altercations. + +Circumstances occurred, during this time, which strengthened the view +he took, and changed those of Clive and his colleagues of the council. +Just then, the news reached Suraja-u-Dowlah that Delhi had been +captured by the Afghans; and, terrified at the thought that the +victorious northern enemy might next turn their arms against him, he +wrote to Clive, begging him to march to his assistance, and offering a +lac of rupees a month towards the expense of his army. + +On the same day that Clive received the letter, he heard that +Commodore James and three ships, with reinforcements from Bombay, had +arrived at the mouth of the Hoogly; and that the Cumberland, with +three hundred troops, which had grounded on her way from Madras, was +now coming up the river. + +Almost at the same moment he heard, from Omichund, who had accompanied +the nabob to Moorshedabad, that he had bribed the governor of Hoogly +to offer no opposition to the passage of the troops up the river. + +Clive was now ready to agree to Admiral Watson's views, and to advance +at once against Chandranagore; but the admiral again veered round, and +refused to agree to the measure, unless the consent of the nabob was +obtained. He wrote, however, himself, a threatening, and indeed +violent letter to the nabob, ordering him to give his consent. The +nabob, still under the influence of his fears from the Afghans, +replied in terms which amounted to consent, but the very next day, +having received news which calmed his fears as to the Afghans, he +wrote peremptorily, forbidding the expedition against the French. This +letter, however, was disregarded, and the expedition prepared to +start. + +It consisted of seven hundred Europeans and fifteen hundred native +infantry, who started by land; a hundred and fifty artillery +proceeding in boats, escorted by three ships of war and several +smaller vessels, under Admiral Watson. + +The French garrison consisted only of a hundred and forty-six French, +and three hundred Sepoys. Besides these were three hundred of the +European population, and sailors of the merchant ships in port, who +had been hastily formed into a militia. + +The governor, indignant at the duplicity with which he had been +treated, had worked vigorously at his defences. The settlement +extended along the river banks for two miles. In the centre stood the +fort, which was a hundred and twenty yards square, mounting ten +thirty-two pounder guns on each of its four bastions. Twenty +four-pounder guns were placed on the ramparts, facing the river on the +south. On an outlying work commanding the watergate eight thirty-two +pounders were mounted. Monsieur Renault set to work to demolish all +the houses within a hundred yards of the fort, and to erect batteries +commanding the approaches. He ordered an officer to sink several ships +in the only navigable channel, about a hundred and fifty yards to the +south of the fort, at a point commanded by the guns of one of the +batteries. + +The officer was a traitor. He purposely sank the ships in such a +position as to leave a channel, through which the English ships might +pass; and then, seizing his opportunity, deserted to them. + +On approaching the town Clive, knowing that Charlie could speak the +native language fluently, asked him whether he would undertake to +reconnoitre the position of the enemy, with which he was entirely +unacquainted. Charlie willingly agreed. When, on the night of the 13th +of March, the army halted a few miles from the town, Charlie, +disguising himself in a native dress and accompanied by Hossein, left +the camp and made his way to the town. This he had no difficulty in +entering. It extended a mile and a half back from the river, and +consisted of houses standing in large gardens and inclosures. The +whole of the Europeans were labouring at the erection of the +batteries, and the destruction of the houses surrounding them; and +Charlie and his companion, approaching closely to one of these, were +pounced upon by the French officer in command of a working party, and +set to work, with a number of natives, in demolishing the houses. + +Charlie, with his usual energy, threw himself into the work, and would +speedily have called attention to himself, by the strength and +activity which he displayed, had not Hossein begged him to moderate +his efforts. + +"Native man never work like that, sahib. Not when he's paid ever so +much. Work still less, no pay. The French would soon notice the sahib, +if he laboured like that." + +Thus admonished, Charlie adapted his actions to those of his +companions and, after working until dawn approached, he managed, with +Hossein, to evade the attention of the officer; and, drawing off, +hurried away to rejoin Clive. The latter was moving from the west, by +a road leading to the northern face of the fort. It was at the battery +which Renault was erecting upon this road that Charlie had been +labouring. The latter informed Clive of the exact position of the +work, and also, that although strong by itself, it was commanded by +many adjoining houses; which the French, in spite of their efforts, +had not time to destroy. + +This news decided Clive to advance immediately, without giving the +enemy further time to complete their operations. + + + +Chapter 22: Plassey. + + +As the English troops advanced, they were met on the outskirts of the +settlement by the enemy, who contested bravely every garden and +inclosure with them. The British force was, however, too strong to be +resisted, and gradually the French were driven back, until they formed +in rear of the battery. Clive at once took possession of the houses +surrounding it, and from them kept up, all day, a heavy fire upon the +defenders; until, at nightfall, these fell back upon the fort, after +spiking their guns. The loss of this position compelled the French to +abandon the other outlying batteries, from which, during the night, +they withdrew their guns into the fort. + +The next four days Clive spent in bringing up the guns landed from the +fleet, and establishing batteries round the fort; and on the 19th he +opened fire against it. On the same day the three men of war; the Kent +of sixty-four guns, the Tiger of sixty, and the Salisbury of fifty, +anchored just below the channel, which the governor believed he had +blocked up. The next four days were spent by the fleet in sounding, to +discover whether the statements of the French deserter were correct. + +During this time, a heavy cannonade was kept up unceasingly between +Clive and the fort. In this the garrison had the best of it, silenced +some of the English guns, killed many of the assailants, and would +certainly have beaten off the land attack, had the fleet not been able +to interfere in the struggle. + +All this time, the governor was hoping that aid would arrive from the +nabob. The latter, indeed, did send a force under Rajah Dulab Ram, but +the governor of Hoogly, bribed by Omichund, sent messages to this +officer urging him to halt, as Chandranagore was about to surrender, +and he would only incur the anger of the English, uselessly. + +On the morning of the 23rd, having ascertained that a channel was +free, the fleet advanced. The Tiger, leading, made her way through the +passage and, taking up a position abreast of the northeast bastion of +the fort, opened a heavy fire upon it with her guns, and harassed the +besieged with a musketry fire from her tops. The Kent was on the point +of anchoring opposite the watergate, when so heavy a fire was poured +upon her that, in the confusion, the cable ran out; and the ship +dropped down, till she anchored at a point exposed to a heavy +crossfire from the southeast and southwest bastions. Owing to this +accident, the Salisbury was forced to anchor a hundred and fifty yards +below the fort. + +The French fought with extreme bravery. Vastly superior as were the +English force and guns, the French fire was maintained with the +greatest energy and spirit, the gunners being directed and animated by +Monsieur De Vignes, captain of one of the ships which had been sunk. +No advantage was gained by the Tiger, in her struggle with the +northeast bastion, and the guns of the southwest bastion galled the +Kent so severely that the admiral, neglecting the southeast bastion, +was forced to turn the whole of his guns upon it. + +De Vignes concentrated his fire against one point in the Kent, and +presently succeeded in setting her on fire. The conflagration spread, +a panic ensued, and some seventy or eighty men jumped into the boats +alongside. + +The officers, however, rallied the rest of the crew. The fire was +extinguished, the men returned to their duty, and the cannonade was +recommenced. + +After the battle had raged for two hours, the fire of the fort began +to slacken, as one after another of the guns was dismounted. Monsieur +Renault saw that the place could be no longer defended. Of his hundred +and forty-six soldiers, over ninety had been killed and wounded. +Collecting the remainder, and their officers, with twenty Sepoys, the +governor ordered them to leave the fort immediately; making a detour +to avoid the English, who were aiding the fleet by attacking the land +side, and to march to Kossimbazar to join Monsieur Law, who commanded +there. Then, there remaining in the fort only the clerks, women, and +wounded, he hoisted a flag of truce. + +Terms were speedily arranged. The governor, and all the civilians and +natives, were allowed to go where they chose, with their clothes and +linen. The wounded French soldiers were to remain, as prisoners of +war. + +Chandranagore cost the English two hundred and six men. The attack +upon the French colony was blamed by many, at the time, for in the +hour of English distress they had offered to remain neutral, instead +of joining the nabob in crushing us. Upon the other hand, there was +force in the arguments with which Admiral Watson had defended his +refusal to sign the treaty of neutrality. That treaty would not be +binding, unless ratified by Pondicherry; and to Pondicherry it was +known that the most powerful fleet and army France had ever sent to +India was on its way. It was also known that Bussy, at the court of +the Nizam of the Deccan, was in communication with the nabob. Thus, +then, in a short time English interests in India might be menaced more +formidably than ever before, and the crushing out of the French +colony, almost at the gates of Calcutta, was a measure of extreme +importance. It was hard upon the gallant governor of Chandranagore, +but public opinion generally agreed that the urgency of the case +justified the course adopted by the English authorities at Calcutta. + +Suraja-u-Dowlah was filled with fury, at the news of the capture of +Chandranagore; but hearing a rumour, two days later, that the Afghans +were upon their march to attack him, he wrote letters to Clive and +Watson, congratulating them upon their success, and offering to them +the territory of Chandranagore, on the same terms upon which it had +been held by the French. + +But the young tyrant of Moorshedabad was swayed by constantly +fluctuating feeling. At one moment his fears were uppermost; the next, +his anger and hate of the English. Instead of recalling the army of +Rajah Dulab Ram, as he had promised, he ordered it to halt at Plassey, +a large village twenty-two miles south of Moorshedabad. + +The English were represented at his court by Mr. Watts, who had the +greatest difficulty in maintaining his position, in the constantly +changing moods of the nabob. One day the latter would threaten to +order him to be led to instant execution, the next he would load him +with presents. + +Besides Mr. Watts, the English affairs were conducted by Omichund who, +aided by the Sets, or native bankers, whom Suraja-u-Dowlah had +plundered and despoiled, got up a conspiracy among the nabob's most +intimate followers. + +The history of these intrigues is the most unpleasant feature in the +life of Clive. Meer Jaffier, the nabob's general, himself offered to +Mr. Watts to turn traitor, if the succession to the kingdom was +bestowed upon him. This was agreed to, upon his promise to pay, not +only immense sums to the Company, but enormous amounts to the +principal persons on the English side. So enormous, indeed, were these +demands, that even Meer Jaffier, anxious as he was to conclude the +alliance, was aghast. The squadron was to have two million and a half +rupees, and the same amount was to be paid for the army. Presents +amounting to six millions of rupees were to be distributed between +Clive, Major Kilpatrick, the governor, and the members of the council. +Clive's share of these enormous sums amounted to two million, eighty +thousand rupees. In those days, a rupee was worth half a crown. Never +did an English officer make such a bargain for himself. + +But even this is not the most dishonorable feature of the transaction. +Omichund had, for some time, been kept in the dark as to what was +going forward; but, obtaining information through his agents, he +questioned Mr. Watts concerning it. The latter then informed him of +the whole state of affairs, and Omichund, whose services to the +English had been immense, naturally demanded a share of the plunder. + +Whether or not he threatened to divulge the plot to the nabob, unless +his demands were satisfied, is doubtful. At any rate, it was +considered prudent to pacify him, and he was accordingly told that he +should receive the sum he named. Clive, and the members of the +council, however, although willing to gratify their own extortionate +greed, at the expense of Meer Jaffier, determined to rob Omichund of +his share. In order to do this, two copies of the treaty with Meer +Jaffier were drawn up, on different coloured papers. They were exactly +alike, except that, in one, the amount to be given to Omichund was +entirely omitted. This was the real treaty. The other was intended to +be destroyed, after being shown to a friend of Omichund, in order to +convince the latter that all was straight and honorable. + +All the English authorities placed their signatures to the real +treaty, but Admiral Watson indignantly refused to have anything to do +with the fictitious one; or to be a party, in any way, to the deceit +practised on Omichund. In order to get out of the difficulty, Clive +himself forged Admiral Watson's signature to the fictitious treaty. + +A more disgraceful transaction was never entered into, by a body of +English gentlemen. That Mr. Drake and the members of his council, the +pitiful cowards who fled from Calcutta, and refused to allow the ships +to draw off its brave garrison, should consent to such a transaction +was but natural; but that Clive, the gallant and dashing commander, +should have stooped to it, is sad, indeed. + +It may be said that, to the end of his life, Clive defended his +conduct in this transaction, under the excuse that Omichund was a +scoundrel. The Indian was not, indeed, an estimable character. Openly, +he was the friend and confidant of the nabob while, all the time, he +was engaged in bribing and corrupting his officers, and in plotting +with his enemies. This, however, in no way alters the facts that he +rendered inestimable service to the English; and that the men who +deceived and cheated him were, to the full, as greedy and grasping as +himself; without, in the case of the governor and his council, having +rendered any service whatever to the cause. + +At last, the negotiations were complete. More and more severely did +Clive press upon the nabob. Having compelled him to expel Law and the +French, first from Moorshedabad and then from his dominions, he +pressed fresh demands upon him; until the unfortunate prince, driven +to despair, and buoyed up with the hope that he should receive +assistance from Bussy, who had just expelled the English from their +factory at Vizapatam, ordered Meer Jaffier to advance, with fifteen +thousand men, to reinforce Rajah Dulab Ram at Plassey. + +Clive, in fact, forced on hostilities. His presence, with that of a +considerable portion of his army, was urgently required at Madras. He +was sure, however, that the instant he had gone, and the English force +was greatly weakened, the nabob would again commence hostilities; and +the belief was shared by all in India. He was, therefore, determined +to force on the crisis, as soon as possible; in order that, the nabob +being disposed of, he should be able to send reinforcements to Madras. + +While these negotiations had been going on, Charlie Marryat had +remained in Calcutta. He had been severely wounded in the attack on +Chandranagore, and was carried down to Calcutta in a boat. On arriving +there, he heard that the Lizzie Anderson had just cast anchor off the +fort. He caused himself at once to be conveyed on board, and was +received with the greatest heartiness and pleasure, by his old friend, +the captain; and assiduously attended by the doctor of the ship. In +order that he might have as much air as possible, the captain had a +sort of tent, with a double covering, erected on deck. During the +daytime the sides of this were lifted, so that the air could pass +freely across the bed. + +Charlie's wound was a severe one and, had he been nursed in a hospital +on shore, it is probable that it would have been fatal. Thanks, +however, to the comforts on board ship, the freshness and coolness of +the situation, and the care of all surrounding him, he was, after some +weeks' illness, pronounced convalescent; and was sufficiently +recovered to join the force with which Clive marched against Plassey. + +This force consisted of nine hundred and fifty European infantry, a +hundred artillerymen, fifty sailors, and two thousand one hundred +Sepoys. The artillery consisted of eight six-pounders and two small +howitzers. The army of the nabob was fifty thousand strong, and +against such a force it was, indeed, an adventurous task for an army +of three thousand men, of whom only one-third were Europeans, to +advance to the attack. Everything depended, in fact, upon Meer Jaffier +and his two colleagues in treachery, Rajah Dulab Ram and Yar Lutf +Khan. + +The nabob, on hearing of Clive's advance, had sent to Monsieur Law; +who was, with a hundred and fifty men, at a place over a hundred miles +distant; to which he had, in accordance with the orders of Clive, been +obliged to retire; and begged him to advance to join him, with all +speed. The nabob had with him forty or fifty Frenchmen, commanded by +Monsieur Saint Frais, formerly one of the council of Chandranagore. +These had some field pieces of their own, and also directed the native +artillery, of fifty-three guns; principally thirty-two, twenty-four, +and eighteen pounders. + +Had Clive been sure of the cooperation of Meer Jaffier and his +confederates, who commanded three out of the four divisions of the +nabob's army, he need not have hesitated. But he was, till the last +moment, in ignorance whether to rely upon them. The nabob, having +become suspicious of Meer Jaffier, had obtained from him an oath, +sworn on the Koran, of fidelity; and although the traitor continued +his correspondence with Clive, his letters were of a very dubious +character, and Clive was in total ignorance as to his real intentions. +So doubtful, indeed, was he that, when only a few miles of ground and +the river Bhagirathi lay between him and the enemy, Clive felt the +position so serious that he called a council of war; and put to them +the question whether they should attack the nabob, or fortify +themselves at Katwa, and hold that place until the rainy season, which +had just set in with great violence, should abate. + +All the officers above the rank of subalterns, twenty in number, were +present. Clive himself, contrary to custom, gave his vote first in +favour of halting at Katwa. Major Kilpatrick, who commanded the +Company's troops, Major Grant of the 37th, and ten other officers +voted the same way. Major Eyre Coote declared in favour of an +immediate advance. He argued that the troops were in high spirits, and +had hitherto been everywhere successful, and that a delay would allow +Monsieur Law and his troops to arrive. He considered that, if they +determined not to fight, they should fall back upon Calcutta. Charlie +Marryat supported him, as did five other officers, all belonging to +the Indian service. + +The decision taken, the council separated, and Clive strolled away to +a grove, and sat down by himself. There he thought over, in his mind, +the arguments which had been advanced by both sides. He saw the force +of the arguments which had been adduced by Major Eyre Coote and +Charlie Marryat; and his own experience showed him that the daring +course is always the most prudent one, in fighting Asiatics. At last, +he came to a conclusion. Rising, he returned to the camp; and, meeting +Major Coote on the way, informed him that he had changed his mind, and +would fight the next day. + +Charlie returned to his tent after the council broke up, disheartened +at the result. He was greeted by Tim. + +"Shure, yer honor, Hossein is in despair. The water has filled up the +holes, where he makes his fires, and the rain has soaked the wood. Yer +dinner is not near cooked yet, and half the dishes are spoilt." + +"It does not matter a bit, Tim," Charlie said. "You know I'm not +particular about my eating, though Hossein will always prepare a +dinner fit for an alderman." + +"We are going to fight them tomorrow, yer honor, I hope," Tim said. +"It's sick to death I am of wading about here in the wet, like a duck. +It's as bare as the bogs of ould Ireland, without the blessings of the +pigs and potatoes, to say nothing of the colleens." + +"No, Tim, I'm afraid we're going to stop where we are, for a bit. The +council of war have decided not to fight." + +"Shure and that's bad news," Tim said. "The worst I've heard for many +a day. What if there be fifty thousand of 'em, Mister Charles, haven't +we bate 'em at long odds before, and can't we do it agin?" + +"I think we could, Tim," Charlie replied; "but the odds of fifty-three +heavy cannon, which the spies say they've got, to our ten popguns, is +serious. However, I'm sorry we're not going to fight, and I'm afraid +that you must make up your mind to the wet, and Hossein his to giving +me bad dinners for some weeks to come; that is to say, if the enemy +don't turn us out of this." + +A few minutes later, Lieutenant Peters entered the tent. + +"Is it true, Charlie, that we are not going to fight, after all?" + +"True enough," Charlie said. "We are to wait till the rains are over." + +"Rains!" Peters said, in disgust; "what have the rains got to do with +it? If we had a six weeks' march before us, I could understand the wet +weather being a hindrance. Men are not water rats, and to march all +day in these heavy downpours, and to lie all night in the mud, would +soon tell upon our strength. But here we are, within a day's march of +the enemy, and the men might as well get wet in the field as here. +Everyone longs to be at the enemy, and a halt will have a very bad +effect. + +"What have you got to drink, Charlie?" + +"I have some brandy and rum; nothing else," Charlie said. "But what +will be better than either for you is a cup of tea. Hossein makes it +as well as ever. I suppose you have dined?" + +"Yes, half an hour ago." + +Just as Charlie finished his meal, Major Eyre Coote put his head into +the tent. + +"Marryat, the chief has changed his mind. We cross the river the first +thing in the morning, and move at once upon Plassey." + +"Hurrah!" Charlie shouted; "Clive is himself again. That is good news, +indeed!" + +"You will move your Sepoys down to the river at daybreak, and will be +the first to cross. There is no chance of any opposition, as the spies +tell us that the nabob has not arrived yet at Plassey." + +Several other officers afterwards dropped into the tent, for the news +rapidly spread through the camp. There was, as had been the case at +the council, considerable differences of opinion as to the prudence of +the measure; but among the junior officers and men, the news that the +enemy were to be attacked, at once, was received with hearty +satisfaction. + +"Here, major," a fellow subaltern of Peters' said, as he entered the +tent, followed by a servant; "I have brought in half a dozen bottles +of champagne. I started with a dozen from Calcutta, and had intended +to keep these to celebrate our victory. But as, in the first place, +all heavy baggage is to be left here; and in the second, it has +occurred to me that possibly I may not come back to help to drink it; +we may as well turn it to the good purpose of drinking success to the +expedition." + +Some of the bottles were opened, and a merry evening was spent; but +the party broke up early, for they had a heavy day's work before them, +on the morrow. + +At daybreak, the troops were in movement towards the banks of the +Bhagirathi. They had brought boats with them from Chandranagore, and +the work of crossing the river continued, without intermission, until +four in the afternoon, when the whole force was landed on the left +bank. Here Clive received another letter from Meer Jaffier, informing +him that the nabob had halted at Mankarah, and intended to entrench +himself there. He suggested that the English should undertake a +circuitous march, and attack him in the rear; but as this march would +have exposed Clive to being cut off from his communications, and as he +was still very doubtful of the good faith of the conspirators, he +determined to march straight forward; and sent word to Meer Jaffier, +to that effect. + +From the point where Clive had crossed the Bhagirathi it was fifteen +miles to Plassey, following, as they did, the curves of the river. It +was necessary to do this, as they had no carriage; and the men were +obliged to tow their supplies in boats, against the stream. + +Orders were issued that, as soon as the troops were across, they +should prepare to eat their dinners, as the march was to be resumed at +once. The rain was coming down in a steady pour as the troops, +drenched to the skin, started upon their march. The stream, swollen by +the rains, was in full flood, and the work of towing the heavy-laden +barges was wearisome in the extreme. All took a share in the toil. In +many cases the river had overflowed its banks, and the troops had to +struggle through the water, up to their waists, while they tugged and +strained at the ropes. + +Charlie, as a mounted officer, rode at the head of his Sepoys; who +formed the advance of the force. Three hundred men preceded the main +body, who were towing the boats, to guard them from any sudden +surprise. Tim marched beside him, occasionally falling back, and +taking a turn at the ropes. + +"This is dog's work, Mister Charles," he said. "It's lucky that it's +raining, for the river can't make us wetter than we are. My hands are +fairly sore, with pulling at the ropes." + +"Ah, Tim, you're not fond of ropes, you know. You remember that night +at Moorshedabad." + +"Faith, yer honor, and I'll not forget it, if I live to be as old as +Methuselah. Well, yer honor, it will be hard on us if we do not thrash +them niggers, tomorrow, after all the trouble we are taking to be at +them." + +At one o'clock in the morning, the weary troops reached the village of +Plassey. They marched through it, and halted and bivouacked in a large +mango grove, a short distance beyond. + + + +Chapter 23: Plassey. + + +Scarcely had the soldiers taken off their packs, when the sound of +martial music was heard. Charlie was speaking, at the time, to Major +Coote. + +"There are the enemy, sure enough," the latter said. "That old rascal, +Meer Jaffier, must have been deceiving us when he said that the nabob +had halted at Mankarah. I'm afraid he means to play us false." + +"I expect," Charlie remarked, "that he does not know what he means, +himself. These Asiatics are at any time ready to turn traitors, and to +join the strongest. At present, Jaffier does not know what is the +stronger; and I think it likely enough that he will take as little +share as he can in the battle, tomorrow, till he sees which way it is +going. Then, if we are getting the best of it, the rascal will join +us, for the sake of the advantages which he expects to gain. If the +day is going against us, he will do his best to complete his master's +victory; and should proofs of his intended treachery ever come to +light, he will clear himself by saying that he intended to deceive us +all along, and merely pretended to treat with us, in order to throw us +off our guard, and so deliver us into the hands of his master." + +"Yes," Major Eyre Coote replied. "These Mohammedan chiefs are indeed +crafty and treacherous rascals. The whole history of India shows that +gratitude is a feeling altogether unknown to them; and that, whatever +favours a master may have lavished upon them, they are always ready to +betray him, if they think that by so doing they will better their +position. + +"Now I shall lie down, and try to get a few hours' sleep before +morning. I am wet to the skin, but fortunately in these sultry nights +that matters little." + +"I must go my rounds," Charlie said, "and see that the sentries are on +the alert. If the men were not so tired, I should have said that the +best plan would have been to make a dash straight at the enemy's camp. +It would take them quite unprepared, even if they know, as I daresay +they do, that we are close at hand; and they would lose all the +advantage of their artillery." + +"Yes, if we had arrived an hour before sunset, so as to be able to +learn something of the nature of the ground, that would be our best +course," Major Coote agreed. "But, even if the troops had been fresh, +a night attack on an unknown position is a hazardous undertaking. + +"Good night. I must see Clive, and take his last orders." + +At daybreak the English were astir, and the position of the enemy +became visible. He occupied strongly intrenched works, which the Rajah +Dulab Ram had thrown up during his stay. The right of these works +rested on the river; and extended inland, at a right angle to it, for +about two hundred yards; and then swept round to the north, at an +obtuse angle, for nearly three miles. At the angle was a redoubt, +mounted with cannon. In advance of this was a mound, covered with +jungle. Halfway between the intrenchments and the mango grove were two +large tanks, near the river, surrounded by high mounds of earth. These +tanks were about half a mile from the English position. On the river +bank, a little in advance of the grove, was a hunting box belonging to +the nabob, surrounded by a masonry wall. Clive took possession of +this, immediately he heard the sound of the nabob's music, on his +arrival. + +Soon after daylight, the nabob's troops moved out from their +intrenchments, and it was evident that he was aware of the position of +the English. The French, with their four field guns, took up their +post on the mound of the tank nearest to the grove, and about half a +mile distant from it; and in the narrow space between them and the +river two heavy guns, under a native officer, were placed. + +Behind the French guns was the division of Mir Mudin Khan, the one +faithful general of the nabob. It consisted of five thousand horse, +and seven thousand foot. Extending, in the arc of a circle, towards +the village of Plassey, were the troops of the three traitor generals +Rajah Dulab Ram, Yar Lutf Khan, and Meer Jaffier. Thus, the English +position was almost surrounded; and in advancing against the camp, +they would have to expose themselves to an attack in rear by the +troops of the conspirators. These generals had, between them, nearly +thirty-eight thousand troops. + +From the roof of the hunting box, Clive watched the progress of the +enemy's movements. He saw, at once, that the position which they had +taken up was one which would entail the absolute destruction of his +force, should he be defeated; and that this depended entirely upon the +course taken by the conspirators. Against such a force as that opposed +to him, if these remained faithful to their master, success could +hardly be hoped for. + +However, it was now too late to retreat, and the only course was to +show a bold front. Clive accordingly moved his troops out, from the +mango trees, to a line with the hunting box. The Europeans were formed +in the centre, with three field pieces on each side. The native troops +were on either flank. Two field guns, and the two howitzers, were +placed a little in advance of the hunting box, facing the French +position on the mound. + +At eight o'clock in the morning, of the 23rd of June, a memorable day +in the annals of India, the preparations on both sides were complete; +and Saint Frais opened the battle, by the discharge of one of his guns +at the English. At the signal, the whole of the artillery round the +long curve opened their fire. The ten little guns replied to this +overwhelming discharge, and for half an hour continued to play on the +dense masses of the enemy. But, however well they might be handled, +they could do little against the fire of the fifty pieces of cannon, +concentrated upon them. + +Had these been all served by European artillerymen, the British force +would have been speedily annihilated as they stood. The natives of +India, however, were extremely clumsy gunners. They fired but slowly, +and had the feeblest idea of elevation. Consequently their balls, for +the most part, went far over the heads of the English; and the four +field guns of Saint Frais did more execution than the fifty heavy +pieces of the nabob. At the end of half an hour, however, Clive had +lost thirty of his men, and determined to fall back to the mango +grove. + +Leaving a party in the hunting box, and in the brick kilns in front of +it, in which the guns had been posted, to harass Saint Frais' battery +with their musketry fire, he withdrew the rest of his force into the +grove. Here they were in shelter, for it was surrounded by a high and +thick bank. Behind this the men sat down, while parties set to work, +piercing holes through the banks as embrasures for the guns. + +The enemy, on the retreat of the British within the grove, advanced +with loud shouts of triumph; and, bringing their guns closer, again +opened fire. The British had, by this time, pierced the holes for +their field pieces; and these opened so vigorously that several of the +enemy's cannon were disabled, numbers of their gunners killed, and +some ammunition waggons blown up. On the other hand the English, now +in perfect shelter, did not suffer at all, although the tops of the +trees were cut off, in all directions, by the storm of cannon balls +which swept through them. + +Although the English fire was producing considerable loss among the +enemy, this was as nothing in comparison to his enormous numbers; and, +at eleven o'clock, Clive summoned his principal officers around him; +and it was agreed that, as Meer Jaffier and his associates, of whose +position in the field they were ignorant, showed no signs of drawing +off, or of treachery to their master, it was impossible to risk an +attack upon the front; since they would, as they pressed forward, be +enveloped by the forces in the rear. It was determined, therefore, +that unless any unexpected circumstance occurred, they should hold +their present position till nightfall; and should, at midnight, attack +the enemy's camp. + +A quarter of an hour later, a tremendous tropical shower commenced, +and for an hour the rain came down in torrents. Gradually the enemy's +fire slackened. The English had tarpaulins to cover their ammunition, +which, therefore, suffered no injury. The natives had no such +coverings, and their powder was soon completely wetted, by the deluge +of rain. Mir Mudin Khan, knowing that his own guns had been rendered +useless, believed that those of the English were in a similar +condition; and, leading out his cavalry, made a splendid charge down +upon the grove. + +The English were in readiness. As the cavalry swept up, a flash of +fire ran from a thousand muskets, from the top of the embankments; +while each of the field guns sent its load of grapeshot, through the +embrasures, into the throng of horsemen. + +The effect was decisive. The cavalry recoiled before the terrible +fire, and rode back, with their brave leader mortally wounded. This +blow was fatal to the fortunes of Suraja Dowlah. When the news of the +death of his brave and faithful general reached him, he was struck +with terror. He had long suspected Meer Jaffier of treachery, but he +had now no one else to rely upon. Sending for that general he reminded +him, in touching terms, of the benefits which he had received at the +hands of his father; and conjured him to be faithful to him. Throwing +his turban upon the ground, he said: + +"Jaffier, you must defend that turban." + +Jaffier responded with assurances of his loyalty and sincerity, and +promised to defend his sovereign with his life. Then, riding off, he +at once despatched a messenger to Clive, informing him of what had +happened, and urging him to attack at once. + +As long as Mir Mudin Khan lived, it is probable that Meer Jaffier was +still undecided as to the part he should play. While that general +lived it was possible, even probable, that the English would be +defeated, even should the traitors take no part against them. His +death, however, left the whole management of affairs in the hands of +the three conspirators, and their course was now plain. + +Scarcely had Meer Jaffier left the nabob, than the unhappy young man, +who was still under twenty years old, turned to Rajah Dulab Ram for +counsel and advice. The traitor gave him counsel that led to his +destruction. He told him that the English could not be attacked in +their position; that his troops, exposed to the fire of their guns, +were suffering heavily and losing heart; and he advised him, at once, +to issue orders for them to fall back within their intrenchments. He +also advised him to leave the field himself, and to retire to +Moorshedabad, leaving it to his generals to annihilate the English, +should they venture to attack them. + +Suraja Dowlah, at no time capable of thinking for himself, and now +bewildered by the death of the general he knew to be faithful to him, +and by his doubts as to the fidelity of the others, fell into the +snare. He at once issued orders for the troops to retire within their +intrenchments; and then, mounting a swift camel, and accompanied by +two thousand horsemen, he left the field, and rode off to +Moorshedabad. + +The movement of retirement at once commenced. The three traitor +generals drew off their troops, and those of Mir Mudin Khan also +obeyed orders, and fell back. Saint Frais, however, refused to obey. +He saw the ruin which would follow upon the retreat, and he pluckily +continued his fire. + +Clive, after the council had decided that nothing should be done till +nightfall, had lain down in the hunting box to snatch a little repose, +his thoughts having kept him awake all night. Major Kilpatrick, seeing +the retirement of the enemy; and that the French artillerymen +remained, unsupported, on the mound; at once advanced, with two +hundred and fifty Europeans, and two guns, against it; sending word to +Clive what he was doing. Clive, angry that any officer should have +taken so important a step, without consulting him, at once ran after +the detachment, and severely reprimanded Major Kilpatrick, for moving +from the grove without orders. Immediately, however, that he +comprehended the whole position, he recognized the wisdom of the +course Kilpatrick had taken, and sent him back to the grove, to order +the whole force to advance. + +Saint Frais, seeing that he was entirely unsupported, fired a last +shot; and then, limbering up, fell back in perfect order to the +redoubt at the corner of the intrenchment, where he again posted his +field pieces, in readiness for action. + +Looking round the field, Clive saw that two of the divisions which +formed the arc of the circle were marching back towards the +intrenchments; but that the third, that on the left of their line, had +wheeled round and was marching towards the rear of the grove. Not +having received the letter which Meer Jaffier had written to him, he +supposed that this movement indicated an intention to attack his +baggage; and he therefore detached some European troops, with a field +gun, to check the advance. Upon the gun opening fire, the enemy's +division halted. It ceased its advance, but continued apart from the +rest of the enemy. In the meantime, Clive had arrived upon the mound +which Saint Frais had left; and, planting his guns there, opened fire +upon the enemy within their intrenchments. + +The Indian soldiers and inferior officers, knowing nothing of the +treachery of their chiefs, were indignant at being thus cannonaded in +their intrenchments by a foe so inferior in strength; and horse, foot, +and artillery poured out again from the intrenchments, and attacked +the British. + +The battle now raged in earnest. Clive posted half his infantry and +artillery on the mound of the tank nearest to the enemy's +intrenchments, and the greater part of the rest on rising ground, two +hundred yards to the left of it; while he placed a hundred and sixty +picked shots, Europeans and natives, behind the tank close to the +intrenchments, with orders to keep up a continuous musketry fire upon +the enemy, as they sallied out. + +The enemy fought bravely. Saint Frais worked his guns unflinchingly at +the redoubt, the infantry poured in volley after volley, the cavalry +made desperate charges right up to the British lines. But they had no +leader, and were fighting against men well commanded, and confident in +themselves. Clive observed that the division on the enemy's extreme +left remained inactive, and detached from the army; and it, for the +first time, struck him that this was the division of Meer Jaffier. +Relieved for the safety of his baggage, and from the attack which had +hitherto threatened in his rear, he at once determined to carry the +hill in advance of Saint Frais's battery, and the redoubt occupied by +the French leader. + +Strong columns were sent against each position. The hill was carried +without opposition, and then so heavy and searching a fire was poured +into the intrenched camp that the enemy began to fall back, in utter +confusion. Saint Frais, finding himself isolated and alone in the +redoubt, as he had before been on the mound, was forced to retire. + +At five o'clock the battle was over, and the camp of the Nabob of +Bengal in the possession of the English. The British loss was +trifling. Seven European and sixteen native soldiers were killed, +thirteen Europeans and thirty-six natives wounded. It was one of the +decisive battles of the world, for the fate of India hung in the +balance. Had Clive been defeated, and his force annihilated, as it +must have been if beaten, the English would have been swept out of +Bengal. The loss of that presidency would have had a decided effect on +the struggle in Madras, where the British were, with the greatest +difficulty, maintaining themselves against the French. + +Henceforth Bengal, the richest province in India, belonged to the +English; for although, for a time, they were content to recognize Meer +Jaffier and his successors as its nominal rulers, these were but +puppets in their hands, and they were virtual masters of the province. + +After the battle, Meer Jaffier arrived. Conscious of his own +double-dealing, he by no means felt sure of the reception he should +meet with. It suited Clive, however, to ignore the doubtful part he +had played, and he was saluted as Nabob of Bengal. + +It would have been far better for him, had he remained one of the +great chiefs of Bengal. The enormous debt, with which Clive and his +colleagues had saddled him, crushed him. The sum was so vast that it +was only by imposing the most onerous taxation upon his people that he +was enabled to pay it, and the discontent excited proved his +destruction. + +Omichund had no greater reason for satisfaction, at the part which he +had played in the ruin of his country. The fact that he had been +deceived, by the forged treaty, was abruptly and brutally communicated +to him; and the blow broke his heart. He shortly afterwards became +insane, and died before eighteen months were over. + +Suraja Dowlah fled to Moorshedabad, where the remnants of his army +followed him. At first, the nabob endeavoured to secure their fidelity +by issuing a considerable amount of pay. Then, overpowered by his +fears of treachery, he sent off the ladies of the zenana, and all his +treasures, on elephants; and, a few hours afterwards, he himself, +accompanied by his favourite wife, and a slave with a casket of his +most valuable jewels, fled in disguise. + +A boat had been prepared, and lay in readiness at the wharf of the +palace. Rowing day and night against the stream, the boat reached +Rajmahal, ninety miles distant, on the night of the fourth day +following his flight. Here the rowers were so knocked up, by their +exertions, that it was impossible to proceed further; and they took +refuge in a deserted hut, by the bank. + +The following morning, however, they were seen by a fakir, whose ears +the young tyrant had had cut off, thirteen months previously; and this +man, recognizing the nabob even in his disguise, at once took the news +to Meer Jaffier's brother, who happened to reside in the town. The +latter immediately sent a party of his retainers, who captured the +nabob without difficulty. He was again placed in the boat, and taken +back to Moorshedabad, where he was led into the presence of Meer +Jaffier. + +The wretched young man implored the mercy of his triumphant successor, +the man who owed station and rank and wealth to his grandfather; and +who had, nevertheless, betrayed him to the English. His entreaties so +far moved Meer Jaffier that he was irresolute, for a time, as to the +course he should pursue. His son, however, Mirav, a youth of about the +same age as the deposed nabob, insisted that it was folly to show +mercy; as Meer Jaffier would never be safe, so long as Suraja Dowlah +remained alive; and his father, at last, assigned the captive to his +keeping, knowing well what the result would be. + +In the night, Suraja Dowlah was murdered. His mangled remains were, in +the morning, placed on an elephant, and exposed to the gaze of the +populace and soldiery. + +Suraja Dowlah was undoubtedly a profligate and rapacious tyrant. In +the course of a few months, he alienated his people, and offended a +great number of his most powerful chiefs. The war which he undertook +against the English, although at the moment unprovoked, must still be +regarded as a patriotic one; and, had he not soiled his victory by the +massacre of the prisoners, which he first permitted and then approved, +the English would have had no just cause of complaint against him. + +From the day of the arrival of Clive at Calcutta, he was doomed. It is +certain that the nabob would not have remained faithful to his +engagements, when the danger which wrung the concessions from him had +passed. Nevertheless, the whole of the circumstances which followed +the signature of the treaty, the manner in which the unhappy youth was +alternately cajoled and bullied to his ruin, the loathsome treachery +in which those around him engaged, with the connivance of the English; +and, lastly, the murder in cold blood, which Meer Jaffier, our +creature, was allowed to perpetrate; rendered the whole transaction +one of the blackest in the annals of English history. + + + +Chapter 24: Mounted Infantry. + + +A few days after Plassey, Colonel Clive sent for Charlie. + +"Marryat," he said, "I must send you back, with two hundred men, to +Madras. The governor there has been writing to me, by every ship which +has come up the coast, begging me to move down with the bulk of the +force, as soon as affairs are a little settled here. That is out of +the question. There are innumerable matters to be arranged. Meer +Jaffier must be sustained. The French under Law must be driven +entirely out of Bengal. The Dutch must be dealt with. Altogether, I +have need of every moment of my time, and of every man under my +orders, for at least two years. + +"However, I shall at once raise a Bengal native army, and so release +the Sepoys of Madras. If there be any special and sore need, I must, +of course, denude myself here of troops, to succour Madras; but I hope +it will not come to that. In the meantime, I propose that you shall +take back two hundred of the Madras Europeans. Lawrence will be glad +to have you, and your chances of fighting are greater there than they +will be here. Bengal is overawed, and so long as I maintain the force +I now have, it is unlikely in the extreme to rise; whereas battles and +sieges, great and small, are the normal condition of Madras." + +The next day Charlie, with two hundred European troops, marched down +towards Calcutta. Clive had told him to select any officer he pleased +to accompany him, as second in command; and he chose Peters, who, +seeing that there were likely to be far more exciting times in Madras +than in Bengal at present, was very glad to accompany him. Three days +after reaching Calcutta, Charlie and his party embarked on board a +ship, which conveyed them without adventure to Madras. + +The authorities were glad, indeed, of the reinforcement; for the +country was disturbed from end to end. Since the departure of every +available man for Calcutta, the Company had been able to afford but +little aid to Muhammud Ali, and the authority of the latter had +dwindled to a mere shadow, in the Carnatic. The Mahrattas made +incursions in all directions. The minor chiefs revolted and refused to +pay tribute, and many of them entered into alliance with the French. +Disorder everywhere reigned in the Carnatic, and Trichinopoli was, +again, the one place which Muhammud Ali held. + +The evening after landing, Charlie Marryat had a long chat with +Colonel Lawrence; who, after explaining to him exactly the condition +of affairs in the country, asked him to tell him, frankly, what +command he would like to receive. + +"I have thought for some time," Charlie said, "that the establishment +of a small force of really efficient cavalry, trained to act as +infantry, also, would be invaluable. The Mahratta horsemen, by their +rapid movements, set our infantry in defiance; and the native horse of +our allies are useless against them. I am convinced that two hundred +horsemen, trained and drilled like our cavalry at home, would ride +through any number of them. In a country like this, where every petty +rajah has his castle, cavalry alone could, however, do little. They +must be able to act as infantry, and should have a couple of little +four-pounders to take about with them. A force like this would do more +to keep order in the Carnatic than one composed of infantry, alone, of +ten times its strength. It could act as a police force, call upon +petty chiefs who refuse to pay their share of the revenue, restore +order in disturbed places, and permit the peasants to carry on their +agricultural work, upon which the revenue of the Company depends; and, +altogether, render valuable services. + +"Among the soldiers who came down with me is a sergeant who was at one +time a trooper in an English regiment. He exchanged to come out with +the 39th to India, and has again exchanged into the Company's service. +I would make him drill instructor, if you will give him a commission +as ensign. Peters I should like as my second in command; and, if you +approve of the plan, I should be very much obliged if you would get +him his step as captain. He's a good officer, but has not had such +luck as I have." + +Colonel Lawrence was very much pleased at the idea, and gave Charlie +full authority to carry it out. The work of enlistment at once +commenced. Hossein made an excellent recruiting sergeant. He went into +the native bazaars; and by telling of the exploits of Charlie at Ambur +and Suwarndrug, and holding out bright prospects of the plunder which +such a force would be likely to obtain, he succeeded in recruiting a +hundred and fifty of his co-religionists. In those days, fighting was +a trade in India; and in addition to the restless spirits of the local +communities, great numbers of the hardy natives of northern India, +Afghans, Pathans, and others, were scattered over India, ever ready to +enlist in the service of the highest bidder. Among such men as these, +Hossein had no difficulty in obtaining a hundred and fifty picked +horsemen. + +Charlie had determined that his force should consist of four troops, +each of fifty strong. Of these one would be composed of Europeans, and +he was permitted to take this number from the party he had brought +down. He had no difficulty in obtaining volunteers, for as soon as the +nature of the force was known, the men were eager to engage in it. To +this troop, the two little field pieces would be committed. + +A few days after the scheme had been sanctioned, Ensign Anstey was at +work drilling the recruits as cavalry. Charlie and Peters were +instructed by him, also, in the drill and words of command, and were +soon able to assist. Two months were spent in severe work and, at the +end of that time, the little regiment were able to execute all simple +cavalry manoeuvres with steadiness and regularity. The natives were +all men who had lived on horseback from their youth, and therefore +required no teaching to ride. + +They were also, at the end of that time, able to act as infantry, with +as much regularity as the ordinary Sepoys. When so engaged, four +horses were held by one man, so that a hundred and fifty men were +available for fighting on foot. + +The work had been unusually severe, but as the officers did not spare +themselves, and Charlie had promised a present to each man of the +troop, when fit for service, they had worked with alacrity, and had +taken great interest in learning their new duties. At the end of two +months, they were inspected by Colonel Lawrence and Governor Pigot, +and both expressed their highest gratification and surprise at their +efficiency, and anticipated great benefits would arise from the +organization. + +So urgent, indeed, was the necessity that something should be done for +the restoration of order, that Charlie had with difficulty obtained +the two months necessary to attain the degree of perfection which he +deemed necessary. + +The day after the inspection, the troop marched out from Madras. +Ensign Anstey commanded the white troop, the other three were led by +native officers. Captain Peters commanded the squadron composed of the +white troop and one of the others. A Lieutenant Hallowes, whom Peters +knew to be a hard working and energetic officer, was, at Charlie's +request, appointed to the command of the other squadron. He himself +commanded the whole. + +They had been ordered, in the first place, to move to Arcot, which was +held by a garrison of Muhammud Ali. The whole of the country around +was greatly disturbed. French intrigues, and the sight of the +diminished power of the English, had caused most of the minor chiefs +in that neighbourhood to throw off their allegiance. A body of +Mahratta horse were ravaging the country districts; and it was against +these that Charlie determined, in the first place, to act. + +He had been permitted to have his own way in the clothing and arming +of his force. Each man carried a musket, which had been shortened some +six inches, and hung in slings from the saddle, the muzzle resting in +a piece of leather, technically termed a bucket. The ammunition pouch +was slung on the other side of the saddle, and could be fastened in an +instant, by two straps, to the belts which the troopers wore round +their waists. The men were dressed in brown, thick cotton cloth, +called karkee. Round their black forage caps was wound a long length +of blue and white cotton cloth, forming a turban, with the ends +hanging down to protect the back of the neck and spine from the sun. + +Having obtained news that the Mahratta horse, two thousand strong, +were pillaging at a distance of six miles from the town, Charlie set +off the day following his arrival to meet them. The Mahrattas had +notice of his coming; but hearing that the force consisted only of two +hundred horse, they regarded it with contempt. + +When Charlie first came upon them they were in the open country; and, +seeing that they were prepared to attack him, he drew up his little +force in two lines. The second line he ordered to dismount, to act as +infantry. The two guns were loaded with grape, and the men of the +first line were drawn up at sufficient intervals to allow an +infantryman to pass between each horse. + +With shouts of anticipated triumph, the Mahratta horse swept down. The +front line of English horsemen had screened the movements of those +behind, and when the enemy were within fifty yards, Charlie gave the +word. The troopers already sat, musket in hand, and between each horse +an infantry soldier now stepped forward; while towards each end, the +line opened and the two field pieces were advanced. + +The Mahratta horsemen were astonished at this sudden manoeuvre; but, +pressed by the mass from behind, they still continued their charge. +When but fifteen yards from the English line, a stream of fire ran +along this, from end to end. Every musket was emptied into the +advancing force, while the guns on either flank swept them with grape. + +The effect was tremendous. Scarcely a man of the front line survived +the fire, and the whole mass halted, and recoiled in confusion. Before +they could recover themselves, another volley of shot and grape was +fired into them. Then Charlie's infantry ran back; and the cavalry, +closing up, dashed upon the foe, followed half a minute afterwards by +the lately dismounted men of the other two troops; ten white soldiers, +alone, remaining to work and guard the guns. + +The effect of the charge of these two hundred disciplined horse, upon +the already disorganized mob of Mahratta horsemen, was irresistible; +and in a few minutes the Mahrattas were scattered, and in full flight +over the plain, pursued by the British cavalry, now broken up into +eight half troops. The rout was complete, and in a very short time the +last Mahratta had fled, leaving behind them three hundred dead upon +the plain. + +Greatly gratified with their success; and feeling confident, now, in +their own powers, the British force returned to Arcot. + +Charlie now determined to attack the fort of Vellore, which was +regarded as impregnable. The town lay at the foot of some very steep +and rugged hills, which were surmounted by three detached forts. The +rajah, encouraged by the French, had renounced his allegiance to +Muhammud Ali, and had declared himself independent. As, however, it +was certain that he was prepared to give assistance to the French, +when they took the field against the English, Charlie determined to +attack the place. + +The French had received large reinforcements, and had already captured +many forts and strong places, around Pondicherry. They were, however, +awaiting the arrival of still larger forces, known to be on the way, +before they made a decisive and, as they hoped, final attack upon the +English. + +The rajah's army consisted of some fifteen hundred infantry, and as +many cavalry. These advanced to meet the English force. Charlie +feigned a retreat, as they came on; and retired to a village, some +thirty miles distant. The cavalry pursued at full speed, leaving the +infantry behind. + +Upon reaching the village, Charlie at once dismounted all his men, +lined the inclosures, and received the enemy's cavalry, as they +galloped up, with so heavy a fire that they speedily drew rein. After +trying for some time to force the position, they began to fall back; +and the English force again mounted, dashed upon them, and completed +their defeat. The broken horsemen, as they rode across the plain, met +their infantry advancing; and these, disheartened at the defeat of the +cavalry, fell back in great haste; and, abandoning the town, which was +without fortification, retired at once to the forts commanding it. + +Charlie took possession of the town, and spent the next two days in +reconnoitering the forts. The largest, and nearest, of these faced the +right of the town. It was called Suzarow. The second, on an even +steeper hill, was called Guzarow. The third, which lay some distance +behind this, and was much smaller, was called Mortz Azur. + +Charlie determined to attempt, in the first place, to carry Guzarow; +as in this, which was considered the most inaccessible, the rajah +himself had taken up his position, having with him all his treasure. +Charlie saw that it would be next to impossible, with so small a +force, to carry it by a direct attack, by the road which led to it, as +this was completely covered by its guns. It appeared to him, however, +that the rocks upon which it stood were, by no means, inaccessible. + +He left twenty men to guard his guns, placed a guard of ten upon the +road leading up to the fort, to prevent the inhabitants from sending +up news of his intentions to the garrison, who had, with that of +Suzarow, kept up a fire from their guns upon the town, since his +arrival there. The moon was not to rise until eleven o'clock, and at +nine Charlie marched, with a hundred and seventy men, from the town. +Making a considerable detour, he found himself, at half past ten, at +the foot of the rocks, rising almost sheer from the upper part of the +hill. + +He was well provided with ropes and ladders. The most perfect silence +had been enjoined upon the men and, in the darkness, the march had +been unseen by the enemy. While waiting for the moon to rise, the +troopers all wound pieces of cloth, with which they had come provided, +round their boots, to prevent these from making a noise, by slipping +or stumbling on the rocks. + +When the moon rose, the ascent of the rocks began at the point which +Charlie had, after a close inspection through a telescope, judged to +be most accessible. The toil was very severe. One by one, the men +climbed from ledge to ledge, some of the most active hill men, from +northern India, leading the way, and aiding their comrades to follow +them, by lowering ropes, and placing ladders at the most inaccessible +spots. All this time, they were completely hidden from the observation +of the garrison, above. + +At last, the leaders of the party stood at the foot of the walls, +which rose a few feet from the edge of the cliff. The operation had +been performed almost noiselessly. The ammunition pouches had been +left behind, each man carrying ten rounds in his belt. Every piece of +metal had been carefully removed from their uniforms, the very buttons +having been cut off, lest these should strike against the rocks; and +the muskets had been swathed up in thick coverings. + +The men, as they gained the upper ridge, spread along at the foot of +the walls, until the whole body had gathered there. They could hear +the voices of the sentries, thirty feet above them; but these, having +no idea of the vicinity of an enemy, did not look over the edge of the +wall. Indeed, the parapets of the Indian fortifications were always so +high, that it was only from projecting towers that the foot of the +wall could be seen. + +When the English force were assembled, the ladders, which, like +everything else, had been muffled, were placed against the walls; and, +headed by their officers, the troops ascended. The surprise was +complete. Not until the leaders of the storming party stood upon the +parapet was their presence perceived. The guards discharged their +firelocks, and fled hastily. + +As soon as twenty men were collected on the wall, Charlie took the +command of these, and hurried forward towards the gate. Hallowes was +to lead the next party along the opposite direction. Peters was to +form the rest up, as they gained the wall, and to follow Charlie with +fifty more; while Anstey was to hold the remainder in reserve, to be +used as circumstances might demand. + +The resistance, however, was slight. Taken absolutely by surprise, the +enemy rushed out from their sleeping places. They were immediately +fired upon from the walls. The greater part ran back into shelter, +while some of the more determined, gathering together, made for the +gate. But of this Charlie had already taken possession, and received +them with so vigorous a fire that they speedily fell back. + +When the whole circuit of the walls was in his possession, Charlie +took a hundred of his men, and descended into the fort. Each building, +as he reached it, was searched; and the garrison it contained made to +come out, and lay down their arms, and were then allowed to depart +through the gate. + +Upon reaching the rajah's quarters, he at once came out and +surrendered himself. Two guns were discharged, to inform the little +body in the town of the complete success of the movement; and the +guard on the road then fell back, and joined the party with the guns. + +Thus, without losing a man, the fort of Guzarow, regarded by the +natives as being impregnable, was carried. Fifteen lacs of rupees were +found in the treasury. Of these, in accordance with the rules of the +service, half was set aside for the Company, the remainder became the +property of the force. Of this half fell to the officers, in +proportion to their rank, and the rest was divided among the men. The +share of each trooper amounted to nearly two hundred pounds. + +Knowing how demoralizing the possession of such a sum would be, +Charlie assembled his force next morning. He pointed out to them that, +as the greater part of the plunder was in silver, it would be +impossible for them to carry it on their persons. He advised them, +then, to allow the whole sum to remain in the treasury, to be +forwarded under an escort to Madras; each soldier to receive an order, +for the amount of his share, upon the treasury there. This was agreed +to, unanimously, and Charlie then turned his attention to the other +forts. + +The guns of Guzarow were turned against these, and a bombardment +commenced. Suzarow, which extended partly down the slope, was much +exposed to the fire from Guzarow; and although no damage could be done +to the walls at so great a distance, the garrison, suffering from the +fire, and intimidated by the fall of Guzarow, lost heart. Large +numbers deserted, and the governor, in the course of two days, thought +it prudent to obey the orders which the rajah had, upon being made +captive, sent to him to surrender. The next day the governor of Mortz +Azur followed his example; and Vellore, and its three strong forts, +were thus in the possession of the English. + +At Vellore, Charlie nearly lost one of his faithful followers. Early +in the morning, Hossein came into Charlie's room. + +"Sahib," he said, "something is the matter with Tim." + +"What is the matter?" Charlie said, sitting up in his bed. + +"I do not know, sahib. When I went to him, he did not move. He was +wide awake, and his eyes are staring. When I went beside him, he shook +his head a little, and said, 'S-s-s-h.' He seems quite rigid, and is +as pale as death." + +Charlie leaped out, and hurried to Tim. The latter was lying on the +ground, in the next room. He had carried off three or four cushions, +from the rajah's divan, and had thrown these down, and had spread a +rug over him. He lay on his back, exactly as Hossein had described. + +As Charlie hurried up, Tim again gave vent to the warning "S-s-s-h." + +"What is the matter, Tim? What is the matter, my poor fellow?" + +Tim made a slight motion, with his head, for his master to bend +towards him. Charlie leant over him, and he whispered: + +"There is a sarpent in bed with me." + +"Are you quite sure, Tim?" + +"He woke me with his cold touch," Tim whispered. "I felt him crawling +against my foot, and now he is laying against my leg." + +Charlie drew back for a minute, and consulted with Hossein. + +"Lie quite still, Tim," he said, "and don't be afraid. We will try to +kill him, without his touching you; but even if he should bite you, +with help ready at hand, there will be no danger." + +Charlie now procured two knives; the one a sharp surgical knife, from +a case which he had brought; the other he placed in a charcoal fire, +which one of the men speedily fanned, until the blade had attained a +white heat. Charlie had decided that, if the snake bit Tim, he would +instantly make a deep cut through the line of the puncture of the +fangs, cutting down as low as these could penetrate, and immediately +cauterize it, by placing the hot knife in the gash so made. Six men +were called in, with orders to seize Tim on the instant, and hold his +leg firm, to enable the operation to be performed. Two others were to +occupy themselves with the snake. These were armed with sticks. + +Hossein now approached the bed, from which, hitherto, they had all +kept well aloof. The snake, Tim said, lay against his leg, between the +knee and the ankle, and the spot was marked by a slight elevation of +the rug. + +Hossein drew his tulwar, examined the edge to see that nothing had +blunted its razor-like keenness, and then took his stand at the foot +of the bed. Twice he raised his weapon; and then let it fall, with a +drawing motion. The keen blade cut through the rug, as if it had been +pasteboard; and, at the same instant, Tim sprang from the other side +of the bed, and fainted in the arms of the men. Hossein threw off the +rug, and there, severed in pieces, lay the writhing body of a huge +cobra. + +Tim soon recovered, under the administration of water sprinkled in his +face, and brandy poured down his throat. But he was some time, ere he +thoroughly recovered from the effects of the trying ordeal through +which he had passed. Many of the buildings in the fort were in a very +bad condition, and Charlie had several of the most dilapidated +destroyed, finding in their walls several colonies of cobras, which +were all killed by the troops. + + + +Chapter 25: Besieged In A Pagoda. + + +A few days later Charlie received a message from the Rajah of +Permacoil, saying that he was besieged by a strong native force, aided +by the French. He at once moved his force to his assistance. He found +that the besiegers, among whom were two hundred French troops, were +too strong to be attacked. He therefore established himself in their +rear, attacked and captured convoys, and prevented the country people +from bringing in provisions. Several times the besieging infantry +advanced against him, but before these he at once fell back, only to +return as soon as they retired to their camp. Whenever their horse +ventured out against him, he beat them back, with considerable loss. + +Ten days after his arrival, the enemy, finding it impossible to +maintain themselves in the face of so active an enemy, and suffering +greatly from want of provisions, raised the siege and fell back. + +As soon as they had drawn off, Charlie entered the fort. The rajah +received him with the greatest warmth. He was, however, much +distressed at the capture of a hill fort, at some distance from +Permacoil. In this he had stowed his wives and treasure, thinking that +it would be unmolested. The French, however, had, just before +Charlie's arrival, detached a strong force with some guns, and these +had captured the place. The force which had accomplished this had, he +now heard, marched to Trinavody, a fort and town thirty miles away, +upon the road by which the force which had besieged the town was +retiring. The treasure was a considerable one, amounting to seven lacs +of rupees, and as the rajah stated his willingness that the troops +should take possession of this, if they could but rescue his women, +Charlie at once determined to attempt the feat. + +The main body of the enemy would not reach the place, until the +afternoon of the following day. Charlie soon collected his men and, +making a detour through the country, arrived next morning within a +mile of Trinavody. + +The town was a small one, and the fort one of the ordinary native +forts, built in a parallelogram with flanking towers. The place, +however, contained a very large and solidly built pagoda or temple. It +was surrounded by a wall, forty feet high; and at the gateway stood an +immense tower, with terraces rising one above the other. + +Capturing a native, Charlie learnt that the fort was tenanted only by +the troops of the native rajah of the place, the French detachment +being encamped in the pagoda. He at once rode forward with his troops, +dashed through the native town, and in through the wide gateway of the +tower, into the courtyard within. Beyond two or three straggling shots +from the sentries, he had so far encountered no opposition, and the +native troops in the courtyard, thrown into wild confusion by this +sudden appearance of a hostile force, threw down their arms and cried +for mercy. From the temple within, however, the French infantry, a +hundred strong, opened a brisk fire. + +Charlie sent some of his men on to the tower, whence their fire +commanded the flat roof of the temple, and these speedily drove the +defenders from that post. The field pieces were unlimbered, and +directed towards the gate of the inner temple, while a musketry fire +was kept up against every window and loophole in the building. The +gate gave way after a few shots had been fired, and Charlie led his +party to the assault. + +The French defended themselves bravely, but they were outnumbered and +were driven, fighting, from room to room, until the survivors laid +down their arms. The assault, however, had cost the British a loss of +twenty-five men. + +The Rajah of Permacoil's treasure, and his women, fell into the hands +of the captors. Charlie ordered the chests to be brought down, and +placed in bullock waggons. Just as he was about to order his men, who +were scattered through the temple looting, to form up, he heard a +shout from the tower; and, looking up, saw one of his men there +gesticulating wildly. He ran up the tower, and on reaching the first +terrace saw, to his surprise, the whole of the force which he believed +to be fifteen miles distant, already entering the town. + +The French officer in command, knowing the activity and dash of his +opponent, and fearing that an attempt might be made to carry Trinavody +and recapture the rajah's treasure, had marched all night. When within +a mile of the place, he heard what had happened, and at once pushed +forward. + +Charlie saw that, already, his retreat was cut off; and, running to +the edge of the terrace, shouted to Peters to hurry out with all the +men already in the courtyard, to occupy the houses outside the gate, +and to keep back the advancing enemy. Summoning another party to the +tower, four guns upon the terrace were at once loaded, and these +opened upon the head of the enemy's column, as they entered the street +leading to the temple. + +In a short time, a brisk fight began. The enemy planted guns to bear +upon the tower. The cannon of the fort joined in the assault, the +infantry pressed forward through the houses and inclosures to the +temple, and were soon engaged with the men under Captain Peters, while +the guns and musketry from the tower also opened upon them. + +Having seen that the preparations to repulse an immediate attack were +complete, Charlie again ran down to the courtyard. The weak point of +the defences was the gateway. This was fifty feet wide, and unprovided +with gates; and Charlie at once set a strong party to work, to form a +barricade across it. + +For some hours, the party outside the gates maintained their position, +but they were gradually driven back; and towards evening, by Charlie's +orders, they retired within the temple. The barricade was now eight +feet high. The face was formed of large slabs of stone, piled one upon +another, backed by a considerable thickness of earthwork. This, +however, although capable of resisting a sudden rush of infantry, +would, Charlie knew, be incapable of resisting artillery. + +During the night, he divided his men in two parties, which alternately +slept and worked at the inner defences which he had designed. These +consisted of two walls, running from each side of the gateway to the +temple. They were placed a few feet farther back than the edge of the +gateway, so that an enemy advancing to the storm would not see them, +until within the gate. These walls he intended to be eight feet high; +and to be backed with earth, four feet high, so as to form a bank on +which the defenders could stand, and fire into the space between them. +To obtain materials, he pulled down several buildings forming a part +of the temple. The distance from the gateway to the temple was fifty +yards, and although the men worked without ceasing, the wall had made +but little progress when daylight dawned. + +During the night, Charlie lowered one of his men from the wall +farthest from the enemy; with instructions to make his way, as fast as +possible, to Madras to ask for succour. In the morning, Charlie found +that the enemy had, on their side, been also busy. A house, which +faced the end of the street leading to the temple, had been pulled +down; and a battery of four guns erected there. + +As soon as it was light, the combat began. The enemy had sixteen +pieces of artillery, besides those on the fort; and while the four +guns in front played unceasingly upon the barricade across the +gateway, the others cannonaded the tower, whence the English guns kept +up a fire on the battery in front. So well were these directed, and so +heavy was the musketry, that the enemy's guns were several times +silenced, and the artillerymen driven from them. + +Behind the barricade, a working party threw up fresh earth, to +strengthen the part most shaken by the enemy's fire, and then set to +work to form a similar barricade, in a line with the back of the +gateway. This was completed by nightfall, by which time the enemy's +guns had completely shattered the stone facing of the outer barricade, +rendering it possible for it to be carried with a rush. As, from the +windows of the houses, they could see the new work behind it; they +would, Charlie judged, not attempt an assault, until this also was +destroyed. + +During the night, large quantities of fresh earth were piled on the +outer barricade, which was now useful as forming a screen to that +behind it from the guns. All night the work at the parallel walls +continued, and by morning these had reached a height of three feet. + +During the next two days the fight continued, without much advantage +on either side. Each day the enemy's guns shattered the outer +barricade, but this was as regularly repaired at night, in spite of +the heavy artillery and matchlock fire which they kept up towards the +spot. + +On the fourth day the enemy pulled down a house, standing just in the +rear of their battery, and Charlie found that behind it they had +erected another. It was a solidly built work, of fifteen feet in +height, and the enemy must have laboured continuously at it, every +night. It had a strong and high parapet, of sandbags, protecting the +gunners from the musketry fire of the tower. The muzzles of four guns +projected through embrasures, which had been left for them, and these +opened fire over the heads of the gunners in the lower battery. + +In spite of the efforts of the besieged, the enemy kept up so heavy a +fire that, by the afternoon, the inner as well as the outer barricade +was knocked to pieces. By this time, however, the inner walls were +completed, and the English awaited the storm with confidence. The +doorway of the temple had been closed, and blocked up behind; but the +doors had been shattered to pieces, by the shot which had passed +through the gateway, and the entrance now stood open. + +Inside the temple, out of the line of fire, Charlie had the two little +field pieces, each crammed to the muzzle with bullets, placed in +readiness to fire. The lower floor of the tower had been pierced, +above the gateway, and here two huge caldrons filled with boiling +lead, stripped from the roof, stood ready for action. + +At three in the afternoon, after a furious cannonade, the fire of the +enemy's battery suddenly ceased. They had formed communications +between the houses, on either side of the street; and, at the signal, +the troops poured out from these in large bodies, and rushed to the +assault. + +The guns from the tower, which had been awaiting the moment, poured +showers of grape among them; but, believing that the temple now lay at +their mercy, the enemy did not hesitate, but rushed at the gateway. + +Not a shot was fired, as they entered. Scrambling over the remains of +the two barricades, the enemy poured with exulting shouts into the +courtyard. Then those in front hesitated. On either hand, as far as +the doorway of the temple, extended a massive wall, eight feet high; +roughly built, certainly, but far too strong to be battered down, too +steep to be scaled. They would have retreated, but they were driven +forward by the mass which poured in through the gateway behind them; +and, seeing that their only safety was in victory, they pressed +forward again. + +Not a defender showed himself, until the head of the column had +reached a point two-thirds of the distance across the courtyard. Then +suddenly, on either side, the wall was lined by the British, who at +once opened a tremendous fire on the mass below. At the same moment, +the guns were run into the doorway, and poured their contents into the +struggling mass. + +Pent up between the walls, unable to return the fire poured down upon +them, with lanes torn through them by the discharge of the cannon, the +greater portion of the mass strove to turn and retire. The officer in +command, a gallant Frenchman, called upon the survivors of the fifty +French infantry, who had led the attack, to follow him; and rushed +forward upon the guns. Here, however, Charlie had posted his +Europeans, and these, swarming out from the temple, poured a volley +into the advancing French, and then charged them with the bayonet. + +The pressure from behind had now ceased. Streams of boiling lead, +poured through the holes above the archway, had effectually checked +the advance; and through this molten shower, the shattered remnants of +the assaulting column now fled for their lives, leaving two hundred +and fifty of their best men dead behind them. + +As the last of the column issued out, the guns of the battery again +angrily opened fire. As Charlie had anticipated, the enemy, finding +how strong were the inner defences, abandoned all further idea of +attack by the gateway; and, leaving only two guns there to prevent a +sortie, placed their whole artillery on the western side of the +pagoda, and opened fire to prepare a breach there. + +For a week the siege continued, and then Charlie determined to +evacuate the place. The rajah's treasure was made up into small sacks, +which were fastened to the horses' croups. Had it not been for these +animals, he would have defended the place to the last, confident in +his power to devise fresh means to repel fresh assaults. The store of +forage, however, collected by the enemy for their own use in the +temple, was now exhausted. Charlie directed Peters, with twenty men, +to sally out from the gate at midnight, to enter the nearest house on +the right hand side, and to follow the communications made by the +enemy before the assault, until they came to the end of the street. +Lieutenant Hallowes, with a similar party, was to take the left side. +If they found any guards within the houses, they were to overpower +these; and, rushing straight on, to attack the battery, and spike the +guns. Should they find the houses deserted, they were to gather in the +houses nearest the battery, when Peters was to fire his pistol as a +signal to Hallowes, and both parties were to attack the battery. + +One of the inner walls had been pulled down, and the main body of the +force, having the wounded and the ladies of the rajah's zenana in +their centre, were to sally out, the instant the guns were taken. + +The plan was carried out with the greatest success. The houses on both +sides of the street were found to be deserted, and as Peters fired his +pistol, the party dashed at the flanks of the battery. The French +gunners leaped to their feet and, believing that they were attacked in +front, discharged their cannon. The grapeshot swept along the empty +street, and through the gateway; and Charlie, leading one of the +troops, at once dashed down the street. + +At their first rush, Peters and Hallowes had carried the battery, +cutting down the gunners. Immediately behind, however, the enemy had +posted a support, several hundred strong, and these speedily advanced +to recover the battery. + +Leaving their horses in charge of a small party, Charlie dismounted +his men and joined Peters, and his fire quickly checked the assault. +In the meantime, the rest of the defenders of the temple rode down the +street and, leaving a few men with the horses of Peters' and Hallowes' +detachments, rode out into the open country. After driving back his +assailants, Charlie led his party back to their horses, mounted them, +and speedily rejoined the main body. An hour later they were well on +their way towards Permacoil, which they reached, next day. + +The rajah was delighted at recovering his family. The treasure was +divided, and the portion belonging to the troops was, with the +Company's share, sent down under a strong escort to Madras. + +For a considerable time, Charlie's force were occupied with small +undertakings. Lally had now arrived, from France, and had taken the +command. He had, at his orders, a European force considerably +exceeding any that had hitherto been gathered in India, and he boasted +that he was going to capture Madras, and drive the English out of +India. Nothing could have been more unfortunate for the French than +the choice of such a man, and his appointment was destined to give the +last blow to French influence in India, as the supercession of Dupleix +had given the first. + +Monsieur Lally had one virtue. He was personally brave; but he was +arrogant, passionate, and jealous. He had no capacity, whatever, for +either awing or conciliating those with whom he came in contact. He +treated the natives with open contempt, and was soon as much hated, by +them, as by his own soldiers. + +His first step had been to order Bussy down, from Hyderabad, with the +whole of his force. Bussy, a man of great genius, of extreme tact, of +perfect knowledge of the Indian character; had, for eight years, +maintained French influence supreme at that court, and had acquired +for France the Northern Sirkars, a splendid and most valuable +province, on the seacoast north of Madras. Salabut Jung, the ruler of +Hyderabad, the protege of the French, heard with dismay the order +which Bussy had received. To Bussy himself, the blow was a heavy one, +and he saw that his departure would entail the ruin of the edifice of +French influence, which he had built up by so many years of thought +and toil. + +However, he obeyed at once; and marched, with two hundred and fifty +Europeans and five hundred native troops, into the Sirkars. He made +over the charge of this treaty to the Marquis de Conflans, whom, +although but just arrived from Europe, and entirely new to Indian +affairs, Count de Lally had sent to replace Monsieur Moracin, who had, +for years, ably managed the province. He then marched, with his +troops, to join the main army under Count de Lally. + +This force, having taken Fort Saint David, had operated against +Tanjore, where it had suffered a repulse. The news of this reached the +Northern Sirkars, soon after the departure of Bussy; and Anandraz, the +most powerful chief of the country, rose in rebellion, and sent a +messenger to Calcutta, begging the assistance of the English to drive +out the French. + +While the rest of the Bengal council, seeing that Bengal was, at the +time, threatened with invasion from the north, and menaced with +troubles within, considered that it would be an act little short of +madness to send troops, at a time when they could be so little spared, +to assist a chief, who, even from his own accounts, was only able to +raise three thousand irregular followers, Clive thought otherwise. He +saw the great value of the Northern Sirkars, whose possession would +complete the line of British territory, along the seacoast, from +Calcutta down to Madras. He saw, too, that a movement here would +effect a diversion, in favour of Madras. The situation there appeared +very serious, and he could spare no troops which would suffice to turn +the scale. But even should Madras be lost, the gain of the Northern +Sirkars would almost compensate for the disaster. + +Having gained the council to his views, he sent Lieutenant Colonel +Forde, who commanded the Company's troops in Bengal, with five hundred +Europeans, two thousand natives, and six six-pounders, by sea to +Vizagapatam, a port which Anandraz had seized. These landed on the +20th of October, 1758. + +Had Conflans been an efficient officer, he could have crushed Anandraz +long before the arrival of the English. He had, under his orders, a +force composed of five hundred European troops, men trained by Bussy, +and accustomed to victory; four thousand native troops, and a brigade +of artillery. Instead of marching at once to crush the rebellion, he +sent messenger after messenger to Lally, begging for assistance. It +was only when he heard, from Lally, that he had directed Moracin, with +three hundred European troops, to support him, that he moved against +Anandraz. + +His opportunity had, however, slipped from his hands. He had thrown +away six weeks; and when, upon the march, the news reached him of the +landing of the English, he took up the very strong position within +sight of the fort Peddapur, and intrenched himself there. + +Clive had sent to Madras the news that he was despatching Colonel +Forde to the Sirkars, and begged that any body of troops who might be +available might be forwarded. Charlie's corps had already been +recalled towards Madras, to keep the bodies of French who were +converging in that direction at a distance, as long as possible, so as +to allow the victualling of Madras to go on uninterrupted. Mr. Pigot +now instructed Charlie to hand over the command of that force to +Peters; and, with fifty men, to make his way north and to effect a +junction with Forde, who was entirely deficient in cavalry. + +Avoiding the French force, Charlie reached Vizagapatam upon the 2nd of +December, and found that Forde had marched on the previous day. He +started at once, and on the evening of the 3rd came up to Forde, who +had arrived in sight of the French position. + +Charlie had already made the acquaintance of Colonel Forde in Bengal, +and Forde was glad to obtain the assistance, and advice, of an officer +who had seen so much service. An hour after arriving, Charlie rode out +with his commander and reconnoitred the French position; which was, +they concluded, too strong to be attacked. In point of numbers, the +forces were about even. Conflans had, in addition to his five hundred +Europeans, six thousand native infantry, five hundred native cavalry, +and thirty guns. Forde had four hundred and seventy Europeans, one +thousand nine hundred Sepoys, and six guns. Anandraz had forty +Europeans, five thousand infantry, five hundred horsemen, and four +guns. These five thousand men were, however, a mere ragged mob, of +whom very few had firearms, and the rest were armed with bows and +arrows. His horsemen were equally worthless, and Forde could only rely +upon the troops he had brought with him from Calcutta, and the troop +of fifty natives under Charlie Marryat. + +Finding that the French position was too strong to be attacked, Forde +fell back to a strong position at Chambol, a village nearly four miles +from the French camp. Here, for four days, the two armies remained +watching each other, the leaders of both sides considering that the +position of the other was too strong to be attacked. + + + +Chapter 26: The Siege Of Madras. + + +At last, weary of inactivity, the Marquis de Conflans and Colonel +Forde arrived simultaneously, on the 8th of December, at a +determination to bring matters to a crisis. Conflans had heard, from a +deserter, that Forde had omitted to occupy a mound which, at a short +distance from his camp, commanded the position. He determined to seize +this during the night, and to open fire with his guns, and that his +main army should take advantage of the confusion, which the sudden +attack would occasion, to fall upon the English. Forde, on his part, +had determined to march at four o'clock in the morning to a village +named Condore, three miles distant, whence he could threaten the +French flank. + +Ignorant of each other's intentions, the English and French left their +camps at night. Forde marched at a quarter past four, as arranged with +Anandraz; but the rajah and his people, with the usual native aversion +to punctuality, remained quietly asleep, and a few minutes after +daybreak they were roughly awakened, by a deadly fire poured by six +guns into the camp. The rajah sent messenger after messenger to Forde, +urging him to return; and he himself, with his frightened army, +hurried towards Condore. Forde had, indeed, retraced his steps +immediately he heard the fire of the guns, and soon met the rajah's +rabble in full flight; and, uniting with them, marched back to +Condore. + +Conflans supposed that the fire of his guns had driven the whole of +his opponents in a panic from Chambol; and, determining to take +advantage of the confusion, marched with his force against them. Forde +at once prepared for the battle. In the centre he placed the English, +including the rajah's forty Europeans. Next to these, on either side, +he placed his Sepoys, and posted the troops of Anandraz on the right +and left flanks. He then advanced towards the enemy. + +The French guns opened fire. Forde halted. In the position in which he +found himself, his centre occupied a field of Indian corn, so high +that they were concealed from the enemy. Conflans had moved towards +the English left, with the intention, apparently, of turning that +flank; and after the artillery battle on both sides had continued for +forty minutes, he ordered his troops to advance. + +In Madras, both the English and French dress their Sepoys in white. In +Bengal, however, since the raising of Sepoy regiments after the +recapture of Calcutta, the English had clothed them in red. Conflans, +therefore, thought that the force he was about to attack was the +English contingent; and that, if he could defeat this, the rout of his +enemy would be secured. The French advanced with great rapidity, and +attacked the Sepoys in front and flank, so vigorously that they broke +in disorder. The rajah's troops fled instantly; and, in spite of the +exhortations of Forde, the Sepoys presently followed their example, +and fled with the rajah's troops to Chambol, pursued by the enemy's +horse. + +They would have suffered even more severely than they did, in this +pursuit, had not Charlie Marryat launched his little squadron at the +enemy's horse. Keeping his men well together, he made repeated +charges, several times riding through and through them; until at last +they desisted from the pursuit and, forming in a compact body, fell +back towards the field of battle; Charlie, who had already lost twelve +men, not thinking it prudent again to attack so strong a force. + +Conflans' easy success over the Sepoys was fatal to him. Believing +that he had defeated the English, he gave orders to several companies +of the French troops to press on in pursuit, without delay. They +started off in hot speed, proceeding without much order or regularity, +when they were suddenly confronted by the whole line of English +troops, in solid order, advancing from the high corn to take the place +lately occupied by the Sepoys. In vain, the scattered and surprised +companies of the French endeavoured to reform, and make head against +them. So heavy was the fire of musketry opened by the British line, +immediately they had taken up their position, that the French broke +their ranks, and ran back as fast as they could to regain their guns, +which were fully half a mile in the rear. + +In the meantime, the French Sepoys on their left had been gradually +driving back the English right; but Forde, disregarding this, pressed +forward in hot pursuit of the French with his English, behind whom the +greater portion of the beaten Sepoys had already rallied. Keeping his +men well together, he advanced at the fullest speed, following so +closely upon the enemy that the latter had only time to fire one or +two rounds, with their thirteen guns, before the English were upon +them. The French, who had already lost heart by the serious check +which had befallen them, were unable to stand the shock, and at once +retreated, leaving their guns behind them. + +As Forde had anticipated, the French Sepoys, seeing their centre and +right defeated, desisted from their attack on the English right, and +fell back upon their camp. The English Sepoys at once marched forward, +and joined Forde's force. The rajah's troops, however, the whole of +whom had fled, remained cowering in the shelter of a large dry tank. + +Forde did not wait for them; but, leaving his guns behind him, pressed +forward, an hour after the defeat of the French, against their camp. +To reach this, he had to pass along a narrow valley, commanded by the +French heavy guns. These opened fire, but the English pressed forward +without wavering. The defenders, not yet recovered from the effects of +their defeat in the plain, at once gave way, and retreated in the +utmost confusion towards Rajahmahendri. Had the cavalry of Anandraz +been at hand to follow up the advantage, great numbers might have been +captured. As it was, Charlie Marryat, with his little force, harassed +them for some miles; but was unable to effect any serious damage on so +strong a body. The English captured thirty-two pieces of cannon, and +all the stores, ammunition, and tents of the French. + +Forde at once despatched a battalion of Sepoys, under Captain Knox, in +pursuit; and this officer pressed on so vigorously that he approached +Rajahmahendri the same evening. Two more native battalions reached +Knox during the night. + +So thoroughly dispirited were the enemy, that the sight of the +red-coated Sepoys of Knox, whom they could not distinguish from +English, induced them to abandon Rajahmahendri in all haste, although +it contained a strong mud fort, with several guns. The Godavery is two +miles wide, and all night the passage of the river in boats continued; +and when, at daybreak next morning, Knox broke into the town, he found +fifteen Europeans still on the banks, expecting a returning boat. +These he captured; and seeing, upon the opposite bank, a party about +to disembark guns and stores from another boat, he opened fire from +the guns of the fort towards it; and, although the shot could scarcely +reach halfway across the river, such was the terror of the enemy that +they forsook the boat, and fled. Knox at once sent a boat across, and +brought back that containing the guns. + +The French retreated to Masulipatam, the capital of the province, a +port which rivalled Madras in its commerce. Forde determined to follow +them there, but he was hindered by want of money to pay his troops. +This the Rajah Anandraz, who had promised to supply money, now, +excited and arrogant by the victory which he had done nothing towards +gaining, refused to supply; and many weeks were spent in negotiations, +before Forde was able to move forward. + +Charlie was no longer with him. The very day before the fight of +Condore, letters had arrived from Madras, stating the urgency of the +position there; and, upon the night after the battle, Colonel Forde +ordered Charlie to return to aid in the defence of that city, before +which the French had appeared on the 29th of November. + +Several skirmishes took place outside the city, and the English then +retired within the fort. The force consisted of sixteen hundred white +troops, and two thousand three hundred Sepoys. The nabob, who had also +retired into the town, had two hundred horse and a huge retinue of +attendants. + +On the morning of the 14th the French occupied the town, and the next +day the English made a sortie, with six hundred men. These, for a +while, drove the French before them through the streets of Madras; but +as the French gradually rallied, the fire upon the English was so +heavy that the sortie was repulsed, with a loss of two hundred +soldiers and six officers killed, wounded, and prisoners. The French +loss had been about the same. Had not a large quantity of the French +troops broken into the wine stores on their arrival, and drunk to a +point of intoxication, it is probable that none of the British party +would have returned to the fort. The sortie had, however, the effect +that Saubinet, one of the best of the French officers, was killed, and +Count D'Estaign, an able general, taken prisoner. + +For some time, the siege proceeded slowly, the French waiting for the +arrival of their siege artillery, by ship, from Pondicherry. The fort +of Madras was now a far more formidable post than it had been when the +French before captured it. In the year 1743 Mr. Smith, an engineer, +had marked out the lines for a considerable increase in the +fortifications. The ditch was dug and faced with brick, but on account +of the expense, nothing further had been done. The French had added +somewhat to the fortifications during their stay there in 1750. +Nothing had been done by the English when they recovered the town, +until the news of the preparations which the French were making for +the siege of the place had been received. Four thousand natives were +then set to work; and these, in eighteen months, had completed the +fortifications, as designed by Mr. Smith, just before the arrival of +the French. + +The latter determined to attack from the northern side. Here the fort +was protected by a demi-bastion, next to the sea; and by the Royal +Bastion, the wall between the two being covered by a work known as the +North Ravelin. The defence was also strengthened by the fire of the +northwest lunette, and Pigot's Bastion. + +Against these the French threw up four batteries. Lally's Battery, +erected by the regiment of that name, was on the seashore directly +facing the demi-bastion. To its right was the Burying Ground Battery, +facing the Royal Bastion. Against the western face of this position +the French regiment of Lorraine erected a strong work, while farther +round to the west, on a rising ground, they threw up a battery called +the Hospital Battery, which kept up a crossfire on the English +position. + +To prevent the French from pressing forward along the strip of shore +between the fort and the sea, the English erected a strong stockade, +behind which was a battery called the Fascine Battery. + +A few days after the siege began, it was found that the numbers +crowded up in the fort could scarcely be accommodated; and the rajah +was, therefore, invited to leave by sea, on board a ship which would +land him at the Dutch settlement of Negapatam, whence he might journey +through the Tanjore country to Trichinopoli. This proposal he +willingly accepted, and embarked with his wife, women, and children, +his other followers leaving by the land side, opposite to that +invested by the French. Thus the garrison were relieved of the +embarrassment, and consumption of food, caused by four hundred men and +two hundred horse. + +Charlie rode, with his troop, without interruption through the +country, avoiding all bodies of the enemy until he reached the sea, +fifteen miles north of Madras. Here he hired a native boat and, +leaving the troops under the command of Ensign Anstey, sailed for +Madras; in order to inform the garrison of Forde's victory over the +French, and to concert, with the governor, as to the measures which he +wished him to carry out to harass the enemy. He was accompanied only +by Tim and Hossein. + +The wind was fair and, starting an hour before sunset, the boat ran +into Madras roads two hours later. The Harlem, which had that day +arrived with artillery for the French from Pondicherry, fired at the +little craft; and the native boatmen were about to turn the head of +the craft northward again. Charlie, however, drew his pistol, and +Hossein took his place with his drawn tulwar by the helmsman. The +boatmen, thereupon, again continued their course; and, though several +shots fell near them, they escaped untouched, and anchored just +outside the surf, abreast of the fort. + +The English had taken the precaution of erecting a number of huts +under the walls of the fort for the boatmen, in order to be able to +communicate with any ship arriving, or to send messages in or out. As +soon as the boat anchored, a catamaran put out, and brought Charlie +and his followers to shore. There was great joy at the receipt of his +news, and the guns of the fort fired twenty-one shots towards the +enemy, in honor of the victory. + +Governor Pigot was in general command of the defence, having under him +Colonel Lawrence, in command of the troops. The latter, after +inquiring from Charlie the character of the officer he had left in +command of his troop, and finding that he was able and energetic, +requested Charlie to send orders to him to join either the force under +Captain Preston, at Chingalpatt, or that of a native leader, Mahomed +Issoof, both of whom were ravaging and destroying the country about +Conjeveram, whence the French besieging Madras drew most of their +provisions. Charlie himself was requested to remain in the fort, where +his experience in sieges would render him of great value. + +At daybreak on the 2nd of January, the Lorraine and Lally Batteries +opened fire. The English guns, however, proved superior in weight and +number, dismounted two of the cannon, and silenced the others. The +French mortars continued to throw heavy shell into the fort, and that +night most of the European women and children were sent away, in +native boats. The French batteries, finding the superiority of the +English fire, ceased firing until the 6th, when seven guns and six +large mortars from Lally's Battery, and eight guns and two mortars +from the Lorraine Battery, opened upon the town. + +The cannonade now continued without intermission, but the enemy gained +but little advantage. Every day, however, added to their strength, as +fresh vessels with artillery continued to arrive from Pondicherry. +They were now pushing their approaches from Lally's Battery towards +the demi-bastion. The losses on the part of the besieged were +considerable, many being killed and wounded each day. This continued +to the end of the month, in spite of many gallant sorties by parties +of the besiegers, who repeatedly killed and drove out the working +parties in the head of the French trenches. These progressed steadily, +and reached to the outworks of the demi-bastion. + +On the 25th the Shaftesbury, one of the Company's trading vessels, +commanded by Captain Inglis, was seen approaching. The five French +ships hoisted English colours. A catamaran was sent out to warn her, +and at nine o'clock in the evening she came to anchor. She had on +board only some invalids, but brought the welcome news that three +other ships, with troops, would soon be up. She had on board, too, +thirty-seven chests of silver, and many military stores, among them +hand grenades and large shell, which were most welcome to the +garrison, who had nearly expended their supply. The native boats went +off from the fort, and brought on shore the ammunition and stores. + +In the afternoon the Shaftesbury was attacked by the two French ships, +the Bristol and the Harlem. She fought them for two hours, and then +sailed in and anchored again near the fort. The French ships lay off +at a distance, and these and one of their batteries played upon the +Shaftesbury after she had anchored, and continued to do so for the +next three days. + +Many of the guns of the fort were dismounted by the artillery fire, +which had continued, with scarcely any intermission, for a month. The +parapets of the ramparts were in many places beaten down, and the +walls exposed to the enemy's fire greatly damaged. The enemy now +opened their breaching battery close to the works, and on the 7th two +breaches had been effected, and Lally ordered his principal engineer +and artillery officers to give their opinion as to the practicability +of an assault. + +These, however, considered that the assault would have no prospect of +success, as the guns commanding the ditch were still uninjured, and +the palisades which stormers must climb over before reaching the +breach untouched. So heavy a crossfire could be brought to bear by the +besieged upon an assaulting column, that it would be swept away before +it could mount the breach. These officers added their opinion that, +considering the number of men defending the fort in comparison with +those attacking it, final success could not be looked for, and further +prosecution of the works would only entail a useless loss of life. + +On the 9th of February, the French attacked Mahomed Issoof's men and +those of Captain Preston; the whole under the command of Major +Calliaud, who had come up from Trichinopoli, and had taken station +three miles in rear of the French position. The greater part of the +natives, as usual, behaved badly; but Calliaud, with the artillery and +a few Sepoys, defended himself till nightfall; and then drew off. + +For the next week the French continued to fire, and their approaches +were pushed on. Several sorties were made, but matters remained +unchanged until the 14th, when six English ships were seen standing +into the roads; and that night the French drew out from their +trenches, and retreated. The next morning six hundred troops landed +from the ships, and the garrison, who had so stoutly resisted the +assaults made upon them for forty-two days, sallied out to inspect the +enemy's works. Fifty-two cannon were left in them, and so great was +the hurry with which the French retreated that they left forty-four +sick in the hospital behind. + +The fort fired, during the siege, 26,554 rounds from their cannon, +7502 shells, threw 1990 hand grenades, and expended 200,000 musketry +cartridges. Thirty pieces of cannon and five mortars had been +dismounted during the siege. Of the Europeans, the loss in killed, +wounded, and prisoners was five hundred and seventy-nine. Three +hundred and twenty-two Sepoys were killed and wounded, and four +hundred and forty deserted during the siege. + +In spite of the resolution with which the French had pushed the siege, +it was, from the first, destined to failure. The garrison were well +provisioned, had great stores of ammunition, and plenty of spare +cannon to replace those disabled or dismounted. The works were strong, +and the garrison not greatly inferior in number to the besiegers. The +French, on the other hand, had to bring their artillery, ammunition, +and stores by water from Pondicherry; and the activity of the English +parties in their rear rendered it extremely difficult for them to +receive supplies of food, by land. Lally had disgusted even the French +officers and soldiers by his arrogance, and passionate temper; while +by the Sepoys he was absolutely hated. + +During the siege, Charlie had been most active in the defence. Colonel +Lawrence had assigned no special post to him, but used him as what +would now be called his chief of the staff. He was ever where the fire +was thickest, encouraging the men; and, during the intervals of +comparative cessation of fire, he went about the fort, seeing to the +comforts of the men in their quarters, to the issue of stores, and +other matters. + +Upon the very morning after the French had withdrawn, he asked to be +allowed to rejoin his troop, which was with Major Calliaud, and at +once started to rejoin Colonel Forde. He wished to take the whole of +his corps with him; but Colonel Lawrence considered that these would +be of extreme use in following up the French, and in subsequent +operations, as cavalry was an arm in which the English were greatly +deficient. + +Colonel Forde had been terribly delayed by the conduct of Rajah +Anandraz, and the delay enabled the French again to recover heart. He +was not able to move forward until the 1st of March. On the 6th he +arrived before Masulipatam, and the following day Charlie joined him, +with his troop. + +The fort of Masulipatam stood in an extremely defensible position. It +was surrounded by a swamp, on three sides. The other face rested on +the river. From the land side, it was only approachable by a causeway +across the swamp, and this was guarded by a strong ravelin, which is +the military name for an outwork erected beyond the ditch of a +fortress. It was, in all respects, capable of a prolonged defence. In +form it was an irregular parallelogram, about eight hundred yards in +length and six hundred yards wide, and on the walls were eleven strong +bastions. The morass which surrounded it was of from three to eighteen +feet in depth. + +On the approach of Forde, Conflans evacuated the town; which, also +surrounded by swamps, and lying two miles to the northwest of the +fort, was itself a most defensible position; and retired across the +narrow causeway, more than a mile long, to the fort. + + + +Chapter 27: Masulipatam. + + +"I am heartily glad that you have come, Marryat," Colonel Forde said, +as Charlie rode up. "I have got here at last, as you see, but that is +a very different thing from getting in. An uglier place to attack I +never saw; and in other respects, matters are not bright. + +"Anandraz is a constant worry and trouble to me. He has everything to +gain by our success, and yet will do nothing to aid it. His men are +worse than useless in fight, and the only thing which we want and he +could give us--money--he will not let us have. + +"Will you ride with me, to the spot where I'm erecting my batteries, +and you will see the prospect for yourself?" + +The prospect was, as Charlie found when he saw it, the reverse of +cheerful. The point which Forde had selected to erect his batteries +was on some sandbanks, eight hundred yards from the eastern face of +the fort. It would be impossible to construct approaches against the +walls; and, should a breach be made, there still remained a wide creek +to be crossed, beyond which lay the deep, and in most parts absolutely +impassable, swamp. + +Charlie and his men were employed in bringing in provisions from the +surrounding country; but a short distance in the rear, a French column +under Du Rocher, with two hundred European and two thousand native +troops, with four field pieces, watched the British, and rendered the +collection of provisions difficult. Du Rocher had several strong +places, with European and Sepoy garrisons, near him, in which to +retire in case Forde should advance against him. + +"Well, Mister Charles," Tim said, one morning, "this is altogether a +quare sort of a siege. Here we are, with a place in front of us with +ten times as many guns as we have got, and a force well nigh twice as +large. Even if there were no walls, and no guns, I don't see how we +could get at 'em, barring we'd wings, for this bog is worse than +anything in the ould country. Then behind us we've got another army, +which is, they say, with the garrisons of the forts, as strong as we +are. We've got little food and less money, and the troops are +grumbling mightily, I can tell you." + +On the 18th of March, while his batteries were still incomplete, Forde +received certain news that the Nizam of the Deccan, the old ally of +the French, was advancing with an army of forty thousand men to attack +him. No British commander ever stood in a position of more imminent +peril. + +This completed the terror of Anandraz. Du Rocher had caused reports to +be circulated that he intended to march against that chief's +territories, and the news of the approach of the nizam, who was his +suzerain lord, completed his dismay. He refused to advance another +penny. Colonel Forde had already expended the prize money gained by +the troops, his own private funds, and those of his officers, in +buying food for his troops; and the men were several months in arrear +of their pay. + +"I'm afraid, yer honor," Tim said that evening to Charlie, "that +there's going to be a shindy." + +"What do you mean by a shindy, Tim?" + +"I mane, yer honor, that the men are cursing and swearing, and saying +the divil a bit will they fight any longer. It's rank mutiny and +rebellion, yer honor; but there's something to be said for the poor +boys. They have seen all the prize money they have taken spent. Not a +thraneen have they touched for months. Their clothes are in rags, and +here they are before a place which there's no more chance of their +taking than there is of their flying up to the clouds. And now they +hear that, besides the French behind us, there's the nizam with forty +thousand of his men marching against us. It's a purty kettle of fish +altogether, yer honor. + +"It isn't for myself I care, Mr. Charles. Haven't I got an order in my +pocket, on the treasury at Madras, for three hundred pound and over; +but it's mighty hard, yer honor, just when one has become a wealthy +man, to be shut up in a French prison." + +"Well, Tim, I hope there will be no trouble; but I own that things +look bad." + +"Hossein has been saying, yer honor, that he thinks that the best way +would be for him and me to go out and chop off the heads of half a +dozen of the chief ringleaders. But I thought I'd better be after +asking yer honor's pleasure in the affair, before I set about it." + +To Tim's great disappointment, Charlie told him that the step was one +to which he could hardly assent, at present. + +The next morning, the troops turned out with their arms, and +threatened to march away. Forde spoke to them gently, but firmly. He +told them that he could not believe that men who had behaved so +gallantly, at Condore, would fail now in their duty. He begged them to +return to their tents, and to send two of their number, as deputies, +to him. + +This they did. The deputies came to the colonel's tent, and told him +that all were resolved to fight no more; unless they were immediately +paid the amount of prize money due to them, and were assured of the +whole booty, in case Masulipatam should be taken. Colonel Forde +promised that they would receive their prize money out of the very +first funds which reached him. As to the booty which might be taken in +Masulipatam, he said he had no power to change the regulations of the +Company, but that he would beg them, under consideration of the +hardships which the troops had endured, and their great services, to +forego their half of the plunder. Directly Masulipatam was taken, he +said, he would divide one half among them, and hold the other until he +obtained the Company's answer to his request. Then he would distribute +it, at once. With this answer the troops were satisfied, and returned +at once to their duty. + +On the 25th, the guns of the battery opened fire upon the fort, but +the damage which they did was inconsiderable. On the 27th, news came +that the French army of observation had retaken Rajahmahendri; and +that the nizam, with his army, had arrived at Baizwara, forty miles +distant. Letters came in, from the nizam to Anandraz, ordering him +instantly to quit the English camp, and join him. The rajah was so +terrified that, that night, he started with his troops without giving +any information of his intentions to Colonel Forde; and dilatory as +were his motions in general, he, on this occasion, marched sixteen +miles before daybreak. + +The instant Colonel Forde heard that he had left, he sent for Charlie +Marryat. + +"I suppose you have heard, Marryat, that that scoundrel Anandraz has +bolted. Ride off to him with your troop, and do your best to persuade +him to return." + +"I will do so, sir," Charlie said; "but really, it seems to me that we +are better without him than with him. His men only consume our +provisions, and cause trouble, and they are no more good fighting than +so many sheep." + +"That is so," Colonel Forde said. "But in the first place, his five +thousand men, absolutely worthless as they are, swell our forces to a +respectable size. If Conflans and Du Rocher saw how small is our +really fighting body, they would fall upon us together, and annihilate +us. In the second place, if Anandraz goes to the nizam he will at +once, of course, declare for the French, and will give up Vizapatam +and the rest of the ground we won by the battle of Condore. The whole +of the fruits of the campaign would be lost, and we should only hold +that portion of the Northern Sirkars on which our troops here are +encamped." + +"I beg your pardon, Colonel," Charlie said. "You are right, and I am +wrong. I will start at once." + +Putting himself at the head of his five-and-twenty men, Charlie rode +off at once in pursuit of the rajah. He found him encamped in a +village. Charlie had already instructed his men as to the course which +they were to pursue, and halted them at a distance of fifty yards from +the rajah's tent. Then dismounting, and followed by Tim as his +orderly, and Hossein as his body servant, he walked to the tent. + +He found Anandraz surrounded by his chief officers. The rajah received +him coldly; but Charlie, paying no attention to this, took a seat +close to him. + +"I am come, Rajah," he said, "from Colonel Forde, to point out to you +the folly of the course which you have pursued. By the line which you +have taken so far, it is evidently your intention to cross the +Godavery, and retire to your own country. What chance have you of +accomplishing this? By this time, the cavalry of the nizam will be +scattered over the whole country between this and the Godavery. At +Rajahmahendri is Du Rocher, with his army, who will take you in flank. +Even supposing that you reach your own country, what is the future +open to you? If the English are finally successful, they will deprive +you of your rank and possessions for deserting them now. If the French +are victorious, they and the nizam will then turn their attention to +you; and you cannot hope to escape with life, when your treason has +brought such troubles upon them." + +The rajah looked for a minute doubtful; and then, encouraged by the +murmurs of the officers around him, who were weary of the expedition +and its labours, although their troops had not fired a single shot, he +said obstinately: + +"No more words are needed. I have made up my mind." + +"And so have I," Charlie said, and with a sudden spring he leaped upon +the rajah, seized him by the throat, and placed a pistol to his ear. + +Hossein drew his sword, and rushed to his side. Tim ran outside and +held up his arm, and the little body of cavalry at once rode up; and, +half of them dismounting, entered the tent with drawn swords. + +So astounded were the officers of the rajah, at Charlie's sudden +attack, that for a moment they knew not what to do; and before they +could recover from their surprise, Charlie's troopers entered. + +"Take this man," Charlie said, pointing to the rajah, "to that tree, +and hang him at once. Cut down any of these fellows who move a +finger." + +The rajah was dragged to the tree, almost lifeless with terror. + +"Now, Rajah," Charlie said, "you either give instant orders for your +army to march back to Masulipatam, or up you go on that branch above +there." + +The terrified rajah instantly promised to carry out Charlie's orders, +and to remain faithful to the English. The officers were brought out +from the tent, and received orders from the rajah to set his troops +instantly in motion on their way back. The rajah was led to his tent, +and there kept under a guard, until the army was in motion. When the +whole of it was well on its way, Charlie said: + +"Now, Rajah, we will ride on. We will say no more about this little +affair, and I will ask Colonel Forde to forgive your ill behaviour in +leaving him. But mind, if at any future time you attempt to disobey +his orders, or to retire from the camp, I will blow out your brains; +even if I have to follow you, with my men, into the heart of your own +palace." + +Upon their return to the British camp, Charlie explained to Colonel +Forde the measures which he was obliged to take, to convince the rajah +of the soundness of his arguments; and of these Colonel Forde entirely +approved. He told Charlie that he had sent off, to open negotiations +with Salabut Jung, so as to detain him as long as possible at +Baizwara. + +Without any intermission, the batteries continued to play on the fort +from the 25th of March to the 6th of April. Several houses had been +destroyed, and some breaches effected; but these the French repaired +in the night, as fast as they were made. They were aware of the +position of the English, and regarded the siege with contempt. + +On the morning of the 7th, news came that the nizam was advancing from +Baizwara to attack the English; and that Du Rocher was hurrying from +Rajahmahendri, to effect a junction with him. The same morning, the +senior artillery officer reported to Colonel Forde that only two days' +ammunition for the batteries remained in store. He learned, too, that +a ship with three hundred French soldiers would arrive, in the course +of a day or two. + +The position was, indeed, a desperate one, and there remained only the +alternatives of success against the fort, or total destruction. He +determined to attack. All day, his batteries kept up a heavier fire +than ever, maintaining an equal fire against all the bastions in order +that, if the enemy should obtain any information of the projected +attack, they would not know against which point it was directed. +Colonel Forde had ascertained that fishermen were in the habit of +making their way, across the swamp, to the southwest angle of the +fort, that on the sea face opposite to the British frontiers. He +determined to effect a diversion, by an attack upon that side; and +therefore ordered Captain Knox, with seven hundred Sepoys, to make a +detour to cross the swamp, and to attack upon that side. Still further +to distract the attention of the garrison, he instructed Anandraz to +advance with his men along the causeway, and to open fire against the +ravelin. The main attack, which consisted of the rest of the force, +composed of three hundred and twenty European infantry, thirty +gunners, thirty sailors, and seven hundred Sepoys, was to be delivered +against the breach in the bastion, mounting ten guns, in the northeast +angle of the fort. + +At ten o'clock, the force drew up under arms. The fire of the +batteries was kept up, much later than usual, in order that the enemy +should have no time to repair the breaches. The hour of midnight was +fixed for the attack, as at that time the tide was at its lowest, and +the water in the ditches round the ramparts not more than three feet +deep. + +Captain Knox and his party started first. The main body should have +set out half an hour later, but were detained, owing to the +unaccountable absence of Captain Callender, the officer who was to +command it. As this officer was afterwards killed, the cause of his +absence was never explained. The party started without him, and before +they could reach the ditch, they heard the sound of firing from the +farther corner of the fort, telling that Knox was already at work. + +"Shure, yer honor," muttered Tim, as he made his way through the +swamp, knee deep, beside his master, "this is worse than the day +before Plassey. It was water then, but this thick mud houlds one's +legs fast at every step. I've lost one of my boots, already." + +It was indeed hard work; but at last, the head of the column reached +the ditch, just as a fresh burst of firing told that the Rajah +Anandraz was attacking the ravelin. The French, in their belief in the +absolute security of the place, had taken but few precautions against +an attack; and it was not until the leading party had waded, nearly +breast high, through the ditch; and began to break down the palisade +beyond it, that they were discovered. Then a heavy artillery and +musketry fire from the bastions on the right and left was opened upon +the assailants. + +Captain Fisher with the first division attacked the breach; Captain +Maclean with the second covered them, by opening fire upon the bastion +on their right; while the third, led by Captain Yorke, replied to that +on their left. Charlie, although superior in rank to any of these +officers, had no specific command, but accompanied the party as a +simple volunteer. + +The storming party soon mounted the breach, and Yorke's division +joined it on the top. Yorke, turning to the left, seized the bastion +which was firing on Maclean; while Fisher turned along the ramparts to +the right, to secure the bastions in that direction. + +Just as Yorke was setting out he saw a strong body of French Sepoys, +advancing between the foot of the ramparts and the buildings of the +town. These had been sent, directly the firing was heard, to reinforce +the bastion just carried. Without a moment's hesitation, Yorke ran +down the rampart, seized the French officer who commanded, and ordered +him to surrender at once, as the place was already taken. Confused and +bewildered, the officer gave up his sword, and ordered the Sepoys to +lay down their arms. They were then sent, as prisoners, into the +bastion. + +Yorke now pushed forward, with his men, at the foot of the rampart; +and carried two out of three of the bastions on that side. The men, +however, separated from the rest, and alone in the unknown town, were +beginning to lose heart. Suddenly they came upon a small magazine, and +some of the men called out, "A mine!" Seized with a sudden panic, the +whole division ran back, leaving Yorke alone with two native drummer +boys, who continued to beat the advance. The soldiers, however, did +not stop running until they reached the bastion. + +Captain Yorke went back, and found that many of the soldiers were +proposing to leave the fort, altogether. He swore that he would cut +down the first man who moved, and some of the men who had served with +him in the 39th, ashamed of their conduct, said that they would follow +him. Heading the thirty-six men who had now come to their senses, +Captain Yorke again advanced, with the drummer boys. + +Just as he was setting out, Charlie, who had at first gone with +Fisher's division, hearing an entire cessation of fire on the other +side, ran up to see what was going on. + +"Major Marryat," Captain Yorke said, "will you rally these fellows, +and bring them after me. They've been frightened with a false alarm of +a mine, and have lost their heads altogether." + +Charlie, aided by Tim, exerted himself to the utmost to encourage and +command the soldiers, shaming them by telling them that while they, +European soldiers, were cowering in the bastion, their Sepoy comrades +were winning the town. + +"Unless," he said, "in one minute the whole of you are formed up ready +to advance, I will take care that not one shall have a share in the +prize money that will be won tonight." + +The men now fell in, and Charlie led them after Captain Yorke. The +first retreat of the latter's division had given the French time to +rally a little, and as he now made along the rampart towards the +bastion on the river, the French officer in command there, having +turned a gun and loaded it with grape, discharged it when the English +were within a few yards. Captain Yorke fell, badly wounded. The two +black drummer boys were killed, as were several of the men, and +sixteen others were wounded. + +Charlie, hurrying along with the rest of the party, met the survivors +of Captain Yorke's little band coming back, carrying their wounded +officer. + +"There," Charlie shouted to his men, "that is your doing. Now retrieve +yourselves. Show you are worthy of the name of British soldiers." + +With a shout, the men rushed forward and carried the bastion, and this +completed the capture of the whole of the wall, from the northeast +angle to the river. + +In the meantime Captain Fisher, with his division, was advancing to +the right along the rampart. Maclean's men had joined him, and they +were pushing steadily forward. Colonel Forde continued with the +reserve at the bastion first taken, receiving reports from both +divisions as they advanced, and sending the necessary orders. As fast +as the prisoners were brought in, they were sent down the breach into +the ditch, where they were guarded by Sepoys, who threatened to shoot +any that tried to climb up. + +Meanwhile, all was disorder in the town. Greatly superior as were the +besieged to their assailants in number, they could, if properly +handled, have easily driven them back. Instead, however, of +disregarding the attack by Knox at the southwest angle, which was +clearly only a feint; and that of Anandraz on the ravelin, which might +have been disregarded with equal safety; and concentrating all their +forces against the main attack, they made no sustained effort against +either of the columns, which were rapidly carrying bastion after +bastion. Conflans appeared to have completely lost his head, as +messenger after messenger arrived at his house, by the river, with +news of the progress of the English columns. + +As Fisher's division advanced towards the bastion in which was the +great gate, the French who had gathered there again attempted to check +his progress. But his men reserved their fire, until close to the +enemy; and then, discharging a volley at a few yards' distance, they +rapidly cleared the bastion. Fisher at once closed the great gates, +and thus cut off all the defenders of the ravelin, and prevented any +of the troops within from joining these, and cutting their way through +the rajah's troops, which would have been no difficult matter. + +Just as the division were again advancing, Captain Callender, to the +astonishment of everyone, appeared and took his place at its head. A +few shots only were fired after this, and the last discharge killed +Captain Callender. + +By this time Conflans, bewildered and terrified, had sent a message to +Colonel Forde, offering to surrender on honorable terms. Colonel Forde +sent back to say that he would give no terms whatever; that the town +was in his power and further resistance hopeless; and that, if it +continued longer, he would put all who did not surrender to the sword. +On the receipt of this message, Conflans immediately sent round orders +that all his men were to lay down their arms, and to fall in, in the +open space by the water. + +The English assembled, on the parade, by the bastion of the gateway. +Captain Knox's column was marched round, from the southwest, into the +town. A strong body of artillery kept guard over the prisoners till +morning. Then the gate was opened, and the French in the ravelin +entered the fort, and became prisoners with the rest of the garrison. +The whole number of prisoners exceeded three thousand, of whom five +hundred were Europeans and the rest Sepoys. The loss of the English +was twenty-two Europeans killed, and sixty-two wounded. The Sepoys had +fifty killed and a hundred and fifty wounded. The rajah's people, who +had kept up their false attack upon the ravelin with much more bravery +and resolution than had been expected, also lost a good many men. + +Considering the natural strength of the position, that the garrison +was, both in European troops and Sepoys, considerably stronger than +the besiegers, that the fort mounted a hundred and twenty guns, and +that a relieving army, enormously superior to that of the besiegers, +was within fifteen miles at the time the assault was made, the capture +of Masulipatam may claim to rank among the very highest deeds ever +performed by British arms. + + + +Chapter 28: The Defeat Of Lally. + + +A large quantity of plunder was obtained at Masulipatam. Half was at +once divided among the troops, according to promise, and the other +half retained until the permission, applied for by Colonel Forde, was +received from Madras for its division among them. + +The morning after the capture of the town, the Mahratta horse of +Salabut Jung appeared. The nizam was furious when he found that he had +arrived too late; but he resolved that when the three hundred French +troops, daily expected by sea, arrived, he would besiege Forde in his +turn; as, with the new arrivals, Du Rocher's force would alone be +superior to that of Forde, and there would be, in addition, his own +army of forty thousand men. + +The ships arrived off the port three days later, and sent a messenger +on shore to Conflans. Finding that no answer was returned, and that +the fire had entirely ceased, they came to the conclusion that the +place was captured by the English, and sailed away to Pondicherry +again. Had Du Rocher taken the precaution of having boats in readiness +to communicate with them, inform them of the real state of affairs, +and order them to land farther along the coast and join him, Forde +would have been besieged in his turn, although certainly the siege +would have been ineffectual. + +Rajah Anandraz, greatly terrified at the approach of the nizam, had, +two days after the capture of the place, received a portion of the +plunder as his share, and marched away to his own country; Forde, +disgusted with his conduct throughout the campaign, making no effort +whatever to retain him. + +When Salabut Jung heard that the French had sailed away to +Pondicherry, he felt that his prospects of retaking the town were +small; and, at the same time receiving news that his own dominions +were threatened by an enemy, he concluded a treaty with Forde, +granting Masulipatam and the Northern Sirkars to the English, and +agreeing never again to allow any French troops to enter his +dominions. He then marched back to his own country. + +Colonel Forde sailed with a portion of the force to Calcutta, where he +shortly afterwards commanded at the battle of Chinsurah, where the +Dutch, who had made vast preparations to dispute the supremacy of the +English, were completely defeated; and thenceforth they, as well as +the French, sunk to the rank of small trading colonies under British +protection, in Bengal. + +Charlie returned to Madras, and journeying up the country he joined +the main body of his troop, under Peters. They had been engaged in +several dashing expeditions, and had rendered great service; but they +had been reduced in numbers, by action and sickness; and the whole +force, when reunited, only numbered eighty sabres--Lieutenant Hallowes +being killed. Peters had been twice wounded. The two friends were +greatly pleased to meet again, and had much to tell each other of +their adventures, since they parted. + +The next morning, a deputation of four of the men waited upon Charlie. +They said that, from their share of the booty of the various places +they had taken, all were now possessed of sums sufficient, in India, +to enable them to live in comfort for the rest of their lives. They +hoped, therefore, that Charlie would ask the authorities at Madras to +disband the corps, and allow them to return home. Their commander, +however, pointed out to them that the position was still a critical +one; that the French possessed a very powerful army at Pondicherry, +which would shortly take the field; and that the English would need +every one of their soldiers, to meet the storm. If victorious, there +could be no doubt that a final blow would be dealt to French +influence, and that the Company would then be able to reduce its +forces. A few months would settle the event, and it would, he knew, be +useless to apply for their discharge before that time. He thought he +could promise them, however, that by the end of the year, at latest, +their services would be dispensed with. + +The men, although rather disappointed, retired, content to make the +best of the circumstances. Desertions were very frequent in the Sepoy +force of the Company, as the men, returning to their native villages +and resuming their former dress and occupation, were in no danger +whatever of discovery. But in Charlie's force not a single desertion +had taken place since it was raised; as the men knew that, by leaving +the colours, they would forfeit their share of the prize money, held +for them in the Madras treasury. + +"Have you heard from home lately?" Peters asked. + +"Yes," Charlie said. "There was a large batch of letters lying for me, +at Madras. My eldest sister, who has now been married three years, has +just presented me with a second nephew. Katie and my mother are well." + +"Your sister is not engaged yet?" Peters asked. + +"No. Katie says she's quite heart whole at present. Let me see--how +old is she now? It is just eight years and a half since we left +England, and she was twelve years old then. She is now past twenty. + +"She would do nicely for you, Peters, when you go back. It would be +awfully jolly, if you two were to fall in love with each other." + +"I feel quite disposed to do so," Peters said, laughing, "from your +descriptions of her. I've heard so much of her, in all the time we've +been together; and she writes such bright merry letters, that I seem +to know her quite well." + +For Charlie, during the long evenings by the campfires, had often read +to his friend the lively letters which he received from his sisters. +Peters had no sisters of his own; and he had more than once sent home +presents, from the many articles of jewelry which fell to his share of +the loot of captured fortresses, to his friend's sisters, saying to +Charlie that he had no one in England to send things to, and that it +kept up his tie with the old country; for he had been left an orphan, +as a child. + +The day after the deputation from his men had spoken to Charlie, Tim +said: + +"I hope, yer honor, that whin the troop's disbanded, you will be going +home for a bit, yourself." + +"I intend to do so, Tim. I have been wanting to get away, for the last +two years, but I did not like to ask for leave until everything was +settled here. And what is more, when I once get back, I don't think +they will ever see me in India again. I have sufficient means to live +as a wealthy man in England, and I've seen enough fighting to last a +lifetime." + +"Hooroo!" shouted Tim. "That's the best word I've heard for a long +time. And I shall settle down as yer honor's butler, and look after +the grand house, and see that you're comfortable." + +"You must never leave me, Tim, that's certain," Charlie said. "At +least, till you marry and set up an establishment of your own." + +"If I can't marry without leaving yer honor, divil a wife will Tim +Kelly ever take." + +"Wait till you see the right woman, Tim. There is no saying what the +strongest of us will do, when he's once caught in a woman's net. +However, we'll talk of that when the time comes." + +"And there's Hossein, yer honor. Fire and water wouldn't keep him away +from you, though what he'll do in the colds of the winter at home is +more than I know. It makes me laugh to see how his teeth chatter, and +how the creetur shivers of a cold morning, here. But, cold or no cold, +he'd follow you to the north pole, and climb up it if yer honor told +him." + +Charlie laughed. + +"He is safe not to be put to the test there, Tim. However, you may be +sure that if Hossein is willing to go to England with me, he shall go. +He has saved my life more than once; and you and he shall never part +from me, so long as you are disposed to stay by my side." + +For some months, no great undertaking was attempted on either side. +Many petty sieges and skirmishes took place, each party preparing for +the great struggle, which was to decide the fate of Southern India. + +At last, in January, 1760, the rival armies approached each other. +Captain Sherlock, with thirty Europeans and three hundred Sepoys, were +besieged by the French in the fort of Vandivash, which had shortly +before been captured by them from the French. + +Lally was himself commanding the siege, having as his second in +command Monsieur Bussy, of whom, however, he was more jealous than +ever. Lally's own incapacity was so marked that the whole army, and +even Lally's own regiment, recognized the superior talents of Bussy. +But although Lally constantly asked the advice of his subordinate, his +jealousy of that officer generally impelled him to neglect it. + +When the English, under Colonel Coote, who now commanded their forces +in Madras, were known to be advancing against him, Bussy strongly +advised that the siege should be abandoned, and a strong position +taken up for the battle. The advice was unquestionably good, but Lally +neglected it, and remained in front of Vandivash until the English +were seen approaching. The French cavalry, among whom were three +hundred European dragoons, and a cloud of Mahratta horse moved forward +against the English, whose troops were scattered on the line of march. + +Colonel Coote brought up two guns, and these, being kept concealed +from the enemy until they came within two hundred yards, opened +suddenly upon them, while the Sepoys fired heavily with their muskets. +The Mahrattas rapidly turned and rode off, and the French cavalry, +finding themselves alone, retired in good order. + +Colonel Coote now drew up his army in order of battle, and marched his +troops so as to take up a position in front of some gardens, and other +inclosures, which extended for some distance from the foot of the +mountains out on to the plain. These inclosures would serve as a +defence, in case the army should be forced to retire from the open. + +The French remained immovable in their camp. Seeing this, Colonel +Coote marched his troops to the right, the infantry taking up their +post in the stony ground at the foot of the mountain, at a mile and a +half from the French camp. Some of the French cavalry came out to +reconnoitre; but, being fired upon, returned. + +Finding that the French would not come out to attack, Colonel Coote +again advanced until he reached a point where, swinging round his +right, he faced the enemy in a position of great strength. His right +was now covered by the fire of the fort, his left by the broken ground +at the foot of the hills. + +As soon as the English had taken up their position, the French sallied +out from their camp and formed in line of battle. The French cavalry +were on their right; next to these was the regiment of Lorraine, four +hundred strong; in the centre the battalion of India, seven hundred +strong. Next to these was Lally's regiment, four hundred strong, its +left resting upon an intrenched tank, which was held by three hundred +marines and sailors from their fleet, with four guns. Twelve other +guns were in line, three between each regiment. Four hundred Sepoys +were in reserve, at a tank in rear of that held by the marines. Nine +hundred Sepoys held a ridge behind the position, but in front of the +camp, and at each end of this ridge was an intrenchment, guarded by +fifty Europeans. A hundred and fifty Europeans and three hundred +Sepoys remained in the batteries, facing Vandivash. The whole force +consisted of two thousand four hundred Europeans, and sixteen hundred +Sepoys. The Mahrattas, three thousand strong, remained in their own +camp, and did not advance to the assistance of their allies. + +The English army consisted of nineteen hundred Europeans, of whom +eighty were cavalry, two thousand one hundred Sepoys, twelve hundred +and fifty irregular horse, and twenty-six field guns. The Sepoys were +on the flanks, the Company's two battalions in the centre, with +Coote's regiment on their right and Draper's on their left. The four +grenadier companies of the white regiments were withdrawn from the +fighting line; and, with two hundred Sepoys on each flank, were held +as a reserve. Ten field pieces were in line with the troops; two, with +two companies of Sepoys, were posted a little on the left; the rest +were in reserve. The English line was placed somewhat obliquely across +that of the French, their left being the nearest to the enemy. + +As the English took up their position, Lally led out his cavalry, made +a wide sweep round the plain, and then advanced against the English +horse, who were drawn up some little distance behind the reserve. Upon +seeing their approach, the whole of the irregular horse fled at once, +leaving only Charlie's troop remaining. The Sepoys with the two guns +on the left were ordered to turn these round, so as to take the +advancing French in flank; but the flight of their horse had shaken +the natives, and the French cavalry would have fallen, unchecked, on +Charlie's little troop, which was already moving forward to meet them, +had not Captain Barlow, who commanded the British artillery, turned +two of his guns and opened fire upon them. + +Fifteen men and horses fell at the first discharge, throwing the rest +into some confusion; and at the next deadly discharge, the whole +turned and rode off. Seeing the enemy retreating, many of the +irregular horse rode back, and, joining Charlie's troop, pursued them +round to the rear of their own camp. + +For a short time a cannonade was kept up by the guns on both sides, +the English fire, being better directed, causing some damage. Upon +Lally's return to his camp with the cavalry, he at once gave the order +to advance. Coote ordered the Europeans of his force to do the same, +the Sepoys to remain on their ground. + +The musketry fire began at one o'clock. The English, according to +Coote's orders, retained theirs until the enemy came close at hand. +Following the tactics which were afterwards repeated many times in the +Peninsula, the Lorraine regiment, forming a column twelve deep, +advanced against that of Coote, which received them in line. The +French came on at the double. When within a distance of fifty yards, +Coote's regiment poured a volley into the front and flanks of the +column. Although they suffered heavily from this fire, the French +bravely pressed on with levelled bayonets, and the head of the column, +by sheer weight, broke through the English line. + +The flanks of the English, however, closed in on the sides of the +French column, and a desperate hand-to-hand fight ensued. In this, the +English had all the advantage, attacking the French fiercely on either +side, until the latter broke and ran back to the camp. + +Colonel Coote, who was with his regiment, ordered it to form in +regular order again, before it advanced, and rode off to see what was +going on in the rest of the line. As he was passing on, a shot struck +an ammunition waggon in the intrenched tank held by the French. This +exploded, killing and wounding eighty men, among whom was the +commander of the post. The rest of its occupants, panic stricken by +the explosion, ran back to the next tank. Their panic communicated +itself to the Sepoys there, and all ran back together to the camp. + +Colonel Coote at once sent orders to Major Brereton, who commanded +Draper's regiment, to take possession of the tank, before the enemy +recovered from the confusion which the explosion would be sure to +cause. The ground opposite that which Draper's regiment occupied was +held by Lally's regiment, and in order to prevent his men being +exposed to a flanking fire from these, Draper ordered them to file off +to the right. Bussy, who commanded at this wing, endeavoured to rally +the fugitives, and gathering fifty or sixty together, added two +companies of Lally's regiment to them, and posted them in the tank; he +then returned to the regiment. + +As Major Brereton, moving up his men, reached the intrenchment, a +heavy fire was poured upon him. Major Brereton fell, mortally wounded, +and many of his men were killed. The rest, however, with a rush +carried the intrenchment, and firing down from the parapet on the guns +on Lally's left, drove the gunners from them. Two companies held the +intrenchment, and the rest formed in the plain on its left, to prevent +Lally's regiment attacking it on this side. + +Bussy wheeled Lally's regiment, detached a portion of it to recover +the intrenchment, and with the rest marched against Draper's troops in +the plain. A heavy musketry fire was kept up on both sides, until the +two guns, posted by Draper's regiment, and left behind when they +attacked the intrenchment, came up and opened on the French. These +began to waver. Bussy, as the only chance of gaining the day, put +himself at their head, and endeavoured to lead them forward to attack +the English with the bayonet. His horse, however, was struck with a +ball and soon fell; the English fire was redoubled, and but twenty of +Lally's men kept round him. + +Two companies of the English rushed forward and surrounded the little +party, who at once surrendered. Bussy was led a prisoner to the rear, +and as he went was surprised at the sight of the three hundred +grenadiers, the best troops in the English army, remaining quietly in +reserve. + +While on either flank the French were now beaten, the fight in the +centre, between the European troops of the English and French +Companies, had continued, but had been confined to a hot musketry and +artillery fire. But upon seeing the defeat of their flanks, the +enemy's centre likewise fell back to their camp. + +From the moment when the Lorraine regiment had been routed, four field +pieces kept up an incessant fire into their camp, to prevent them from +rallying. The three English regiments now advanced in line, and +entered the enemy's camp without the least opposition. The Lorraine +regiment had passed through it, a mass of fugitives. The India +regiment and Lally's went through rapidly, but in good order. + +Lally had, in vain, endeavoured to bring the Sepoys forward to the +attack, to restore the day. The French cavalry, seeing the defeat of +Lorraine's regiment, advanced to cover it, their appearance completely +intimidating the English irregular horse. Charlie's troop were too +weak to charge them single handed. + +Reanimated by the attitude of their cavalry, the men of the Lorraine +regiment rallied, yoked up four field pieces which were standing in +the rear of the camp, and moved off in fair order. They were joined in +the plain by Lally's regiment and the India battalion, and the whole, +setting fire to their tents, moved off in good order. The four field +pieces kept in the rear, and behind these moved the cavalry. As they +retired, they were joined by the four hundred and fifty men from the +batteries opposite Vandivash. + +Colonel Coote sent orders to his cavalry to harass the enemy. These +followed them for five miles, but as the native horse would not +venture within range of the enemy's field guns, Charlie, to his great +disappointment, was able to do nothing. + +Upon neither side did the Sepoys take any part in the battle of +Vandivash. It was fought entirely between the two thousand two hundred +and fifty French, not including those in their battery, and sixteen +hundred English, excluding the grenadiers, who never fired a shot. +Twenty-four pieces of cannon were taken, and eleven waggons of +ammunition, and all the tents, stores, and baggage that were not +burned. The French left two hundred dead upon the field. A hundred and +sixty were taken prisoners, of whom thirty died of their wounds before +the next morning. Large numbers dropped upon the march, and were +afterwards captured. The English had sixty-three killed, and a hundred +and twenty-four wounded. + +The news of this victory reached Madras on the following morning, and +excited as much enthusiastic joy as that of Plassey had done at +Calcutta; and the event was almost as important a one. There was no +longer the slightest fear of danger, and the Madras authorities began +to meditate an attack upon Pondicherry. So long as the great French +settlement remained intact, so long would Madras be exposed to fresh +invasions; and it was certain that France, driven now from Bengal, +would make a desperate effort to regain her shaken supremacy in +Madras. + +The force, however, at the disposal of the Madras authorities, was +still far too weak to enable them to undertake an enterprise like the +siege of Pondicherry; for their army did not exceed, in numbers, that +which Lally possessed for its defence. Accordingly, urgent letters +were sent to Clive to ask him to send down, in the summer, as many +troops as he could spare, other reinforcements being expected from +England at that time. The intervening time was spent in the reduction +of Chittapett, Karical, and many other forts which held out for the +French. + +After the battle of Vandivash, Charlie kept his promise to his men. He +represented to Mr. Pigot that they had already served some months over +the time for which they were enlisted, that they had gone through +great hardships, and performed great services, and that they were now +anxious to retire to enjoy the prize money they had earned. He added +that he had given his own promise that they should be allowed to +retire, if they would extend their service until after a decisive +battle with the French. Mr. Pigot at once assented to Charlie's +request, and ordered that a batta of six months' pay should be given +to each man, upon leaving. + +The troop, joined by many of their comrades, who had been at different +times sent down sick and wounded to Madras, formed up there on parade +for the last time. They responded with three hearty cheers to the +address which Charlie gave them, thanking them for their services, +bidding them farewell, and hoping that they would long enjoy the prize +money which they had gallantly won. Then they delivered over their +horses to the authorities, drew their prize money from the treasury, +and started for their respective homes, the English portion taking up +their quarters in barracks, until the next ship should sail for +England. + +"I am sorry to leave them," Charlie said to Peters, as they stood +alone upon the parade. "We have gone through a lot of stirring work +together, and no fellows could have behaved better." + +"No," Peters agreed. "It is singular that, contemptible as are these +natives of India when officered by men of their own race and religion, +they will fight to the death when led by us." + + + +Chapter 29: The Siege Of Pondicherry. + + +As the health of the two officers was shaken by their long and arduous +work, and their services were not, for the moment, needed, they +obtained leave for three months, and went down in a coasting ship to +Columbo, where several English trading stations had been established. +Here they spent two months, residing for the most part among the +hills, at the town of a rajah very friendly to the English; and with +him they saw an elephant hunt, the herd being driven into a great +inclosure, formed by a large number of natives who had, for weeks, +been employed upon it. Here the animals were fastened to trees by +natives, who cut through the thick grass unobserved; and were one by +one reduced to submission, first by hunger, and then by being lustily +belaboured by the trunks of tamed elephants. Tim highly appreciated +the hunt, and declared that tiger shooting was not to be compared to +it. + +Their residence in the brisk air of the hills completely restored +their health, and they returned to Madras perfectly ready to take part +in the great operations which were impending. Charlie, on his return, +was appointed to serve as chief of the staff to Colonel Coote; Captain +Peters being given the command of a small body of European horse, who +were, with a large body of irregulars, to aid in bringing in supplies +to the British army, and to prevent the enemy from receiving food from +the surrounding country. + +Early in June, the British squadron off the coast was joined by two +ships of the line, the Norfolk and Panther, from England; and a +hundred Europeans, and a detachment of European and native artillery +came down from Bombay. + +Around Pondicherry ran a strong cactus hedge, strengthened with +palisades, and the French retired into this at the beginning of July. +They were too strongly posted there to be attacked by the force with +which the English at first approached them, and they were expecting +the arrival of a large body of troops from Mysore, with a great convoy +of provisions. + +On the 17th these approached. Major Moore, who was guarding the +English rear, had a hundred and eighty European infantry; fifty +English horse, under Peters; sixteen hundred irregular horse; and +eleven hundred Sepoys. The Mysoreans had four thousand good horse, a +thousand Sepoys, and two hundred Europeans, with eight pieces of +cannon. + +The fight lasted but a few minutes. The British native horse and +Sepoys at once gave way; and the English infantry retreated, in great +disorder, to the fort of Trivadi, which they gained with a loss of +fifteen killed and forty wounded. Peters' horse alone behaved well. +Several times they charged right through the masses of Mysorean horse; +but when five-and-twenty were killed, and most of the rest, including +their commander, severely wounded, they also fell back into the fort. + +Colonel Coote, when the news of the disaster reached him, determined, +if possible, to get possession of the fort of Vellenore, which stood +on the river Ariangopang, some three miles from Pondicherry, and +covered the approaches of the town from that side. The English +encampment was at Perimbe, on the main road leading, through an avenue +of trees, to Pondicherry. Colonel Coote threw up a redoubt on the hill +behind Perimbe, and another on the avenue, to check any French force +advancing from Pondicherry. These works were finished on the morning +of the 19th of July. + +The next morning the French army advanced along the river Ariangopang, +but Coote marched half his force to meet them, while he moved the rest +as if to attack the redoubts, interspersed along the line of hedge. As +the fall of these would have placed the attacking force in his rear, +Lally at once returned to the town. The same evening the Mysoreans, +with three thousand bullocks carrying their artillery and drawing +their baggage, and three thousand more laden with rice and other +provisions, arrived on the other bank of the Ariangopang river, +crossed under the guns of the redoubt of that name, and entered the +town. + +The fort of Vellenore was strong, but the road had been cut straight +through the glacis to the gate, and the French had neglected to erect +works to cover this passage. Coote took advantage of the oversight, +and laid his two eighteen-pounders to play upon the gate, while two +others were placed to fire upon the parapet. The English batteries +opened at daybreak on the 16th, and at nine o'clock the whole of the +French army, with the Mysoreans, advanced along the bank of the river. + +Coote at once got his troops under arms, and advanced towards the +French, sending a small detachment of Europeans to reinforce the +Sepoys firing at the fort of Vellenore. By this time the batteries had +beaten down the parapet, and silenced the enemy's fire. Two companies +of Sepoys set forward, at full run, up to the very crest of the +glacis. + +The French commander of the place had really nothing to fear, as the +Sepoys had a ditch to pass, and a very imperfect breach to mount, and +the fort might have held out for two days, before the English could +have been in a position to storm it. The French army was in sight, and +in ten minutes a general engagement would have begun. In spite of all +this, the coward at once hoisted a flag of truce, and surrendered. The +Europeans and Sepoys ran in through the gate, and the former instantly +turned the guns of the fort upon the French army. This halted, struck +with amazement and anger, and Lally at once ordered it to retire upon +the town. + +A week afterwards six ships, with six hundred fresh troops from +England, arrived. + +The Mysoreans, who had brought food into Pondicherry, made many +excursions in the country, but were sharply checked. They were unable +to supply themselves with food, and none could be spared them from the +stores in the magazines. Great distress set in among them, and this +was heightened by the failure of a party, with two thousand bullocks +with rice, to enter the town. This party, escorted by the greater +portion of the Mysorean horse from Pondicherry, was attacked and +defeated, and nine hundred bullocks, laden with baggage, captured. +Shortly afterwards the rest of the Mysorean troops left Pondicherry, +and marched to attack Trinomany. + +Seeing that there was little fear of their returning to succour +Pondicherry, the English now determined to complete the blockade of +that place. In order to have any chance of reducing it by famine, it +was necessary to obtain possession of the country within the hedge; +which, with its redoubts, extended in the arc of a circle from the +river Ariangopang to the sea. The space thus included contained an +area of nearly seven square miles, affording pasture for the bullocks, +of which there were sufficient to supply the troops and inhabitants +for many months. Therefore, although the army was not yet strong +enough to open trenches against the town, and indeed the siege +artillery had not yet sailed from Madras, it was determined to get +possession of the hedge and its redoubts. + +Before doing this, however, it was necessary to capture the fort of +Ariangopang. This was a difficult undertaking. The whole European +force was but two thousand strong, and if eight hundred of these were +detached across the river to attack the fort, the main body would be +scarcely a match for the enemy, should he march out against them. If, +on the other hand, the whole army moved round to attack the fort, the +enemy would be able to send out and fetch in the great convoy of +provisions collected at Jinji. + +Mr. Pigot therefore requested Admiral Stevens to land the marines of +the fleet. Although, seeing that a large French fleet was expected, +the admiral was unwilling to weaken his squadron; he complied with the +request, seeing the urgency of the case, and four hundred and twenty +marines were landed. + +On the 2nd of September two more men-of-war, the America and Medway, +arrived, raising the fleet before Pondicherry to seventeen ships of +the line. They convoyed several Company's ships, who had brought with +them the wing of a Highland regiment. + +The same evening Coote ordered four hundred men to march to invest the +fort of Ariangopang; but Colonel Monson, second in command, was so +strongly against the step that, at the last moment, he countermanded +his orders. The change was fortunate, for Lally, who had heard from +his spies of the English intentions, moved his whole army out to +attack the--as he supposed--weakened force. + +At ten at night fourteen hundred French infantry, a hundred French +horse, and nine hundred Sepoys marched out to attack the English, who +had no suspicion of their intent. Two hundred marines and five hundred +Sepoys proceeded, in two columns. Marching from the Valdore redoubt, +one party turned to the right to attack the Tamarind redoubt, which +the English had erected on the Red Hill. Having taken this, they were +to turn to their left and join the other column. This skirted the foot +of the Red Hill, to attack the redoubt erected on a hillock at its +foot, on the 18th July. + +Four hundred Sepoys and a company of Portuguese were to take post at +the junction of the Valdore and Oulgarry avenues. The regiments of +Lorraine and Lally were to attack the battery in this avenue, +Lorraine's from the front, while Lally's, marching outwards in the +fields, was to fall on its right flank. The Indian battalion, with the +Bourbon volunteers, three hundred strong, were to march from the fort +of Ariangopang, across the river, to the villages under the fort of +Vellenore; and, as soon as the fire became general, were to fall upon +the right rear of the English encampment. + +At midnight a rocket gave the signal, and the attack immediately +commenced. The attack on the Tamarind redoubt was repulsed, but the +redoubt on the hillock was captured, and the guns spiked. At the +intrenchment on the Oulgarry Road the fight was fierce, and Colonel +Coote himself brought down his troops to its defence. The attack was +continued, but as, owing to some mistake, the column intended to fall +upon the English rear had halted, and did not arrive in time, the +regiments of Lorraine and Lally drew off, and the whole force retired +to the town. + +The ships arriving from England brought a commission appointing Monson +to the rank of Colonel, with a date prior to that of Colonel Coote; +ordering him, however, not to assert his seniority, so long as Coote +remained at Madras. Coote, however, considered that it was intended +that he should return to Bengal, and so handing over the command to +Monson, he went back to Madras. + +Colonel Monson at once prepared to attack the hedge, and its redoubts. +Leaving sufficient guards for the camp, he advanced at midnight, with +his troops divided into two brigades, the one commanded by himself, +the other by Major Smith. Major Smith's division was first to attack +the enemy, outside the hedge in the village of Oulgarry; and, driving +them hence, to carry the Vellenore redoubt, while the main body were +to make a sweep round the Red Hill, and come down to the attack of the +Valdore redoubt. + +Smith, moving to the right of the Oulgarry avenue, attacked that +position on the left; and the advance, led by Captain Myers, carried +by storm a redoubt in front of the village, and seized four pieces of +cannon. Major Smith, heading his grenadiers, then charged the village, +tore down all obstacles, and carried the place. + +The day had begun to dawn when Colonel Monson approached the Valdore +redoubt. But at the last moment, making a mistake in their way, the +head of the column halted. At this moment the enemy perceived them, +and discharged a twenty-four pounder, loaded with small shot, into the +column. Eleven men were killed and twenty-six wounded by this terrible +discharge, among the latter Colonel Monson himself, his leg being +broken. The grenadiers now rushed furiously to the attack, swarmed +round the redoubt and, although several times repulsed, at last forced +their way through the embrasures and captured the position. + +The defenders of the village of Oulgarry had halted outside the +Vellenore redoubt; but, upon hearing the firing to their right, +retreated hastily within it. Major Smith pressed them hotly with his +brigade, and followed so closely upon their heels that they did not +stop to defend the position, but retreated to the town. Major Smith +was soon joined by the Highlanders, under Major Scott, who had forced +a way through the hedge between the two captured redoubts. + +Thus the whole line of the outer defence fell into the hands of the +English, with the exception of the Ariangopang redoubt on the left, +which was held by the India regiment. Major Gordon, who now took the +command, placed the Bombay detachment, of three hundred and fifty men, +in the captured redoubts; and encamped the whole of the force in the +fields to the right of Oulgarry. + +Major Smith advised that at least a thousand men should be left, near +at hand, to succour the garrisons of the redoubts; which, being open +at the rear, were liable to an attack. Major Gordon foolishly refused +to follow his advice, and the same night the French attacked the +redoubts. The Bombay troops, however, defended themselves with extreme +bravery until assistance arrived. + +Three days later the French evacuated and blew up the fort of +Ariangopang, which the English were preparing to attack, and the India +regiment retired into the town, leaving, however, the usual guard in +the Ariangopang redoubt. + +Colonel Coote had scarcely arrived at Madras when he received a letter +from Colonel Monson, saying that he was likely to be incapacitated by +his wound for some months, and requesting that he would resume the +command of the army. The authorities of Madras strongly urged Coote to +return, representing the extreme importance of the struggle in which +they were engaged. He consented, and reached camp on the night of the +20th. He at once ordered the captured redoubts to be fortified, to +prevent the enemy again taking the offensive; and erected a strong +work, called the North Redoubt, near the seashore and facing the +Madras redoubt. + +A few days later, on a party of Sepoys approaching the Ariangopang +redoubt, the occupants of that place were seized with a panic, +abandoned the place, and went into the town. The English had now +possession of the whole of the outward defences of Pondicherry, with +the exception of the two redoubts by the seashore. + +A day or two later Colonel Coote, advancing along the sea beach as if +with a view of merely making a reconnaissance, pushed on suddenly, +entered the village called the Blancherie, as it was principally +inhabited by washerwomen, and attacked the Madras redoubt. This was +carried, but the same night the garrison sallied out again, and fell +upon the party of Sepoys posted there. Ensign MacMahon was killed, but +the Sepoys, although driven out from the redoubt, bravely returned and +again attacked the French; who, thinking that the Sepoys must have +received large reinforcements, fell back into the village; from which, +a day or two later, they retired into the town. + +The whole of the ground outside the fort, between the river +Ariangopang and the sea, was now in the hands of the English. The +French still maintained their communications with the south by the +sandy line of coast. By this time the attacks, which the English from +Trichinopoli and Madura had made upon the Mysoreans, had compelled the +latter to make peace, and recall their army, which was still hovering +in the neighbourhood of Pondicherry. + +Charlie, who had been suffering from a slight attack of fever, had for +some time been staying on board ship, for change. In the road of +Pondicherry three of the French Indiamen, the Hermione, Baleine, and +the Compagnie des Indes, were at anchor, near the edge of the surf, +under the cover of a hundred guns mounted on the sea face of the fort. +These ships were awaiting the stormy weather, at the breaking of the +monsoon, when it would be difficult for the English fleet to maintain +their position off the town. They then intended to sail away to the +south, fill up with provisions, and return to Pondicherry. + +Admiral Stevens, in order to prevent this contingency, which would +have greatly delayed the reduction of the place, determined to cut +them out. Charlie's health being much restored by the sea breezes, he +asked leave of the admiral to accompany the expedition, as a +volunteer. On the evening of the 6th, six-and-twenty of the boats of +the fleet, manned by four hundred sailors, were lowered and rowed to +the Tiger, which was at anchor within two miles of Pondicherry, the +rest of the fleet lying some distance farther away. + +When, at midnight, the cabin lights of the Hermione were extinguished, +the expedition started. The boats moved in two divisions, one of which +was to attack the Hermione, the other the Baleine. The third vessel +lay nearer in shore, and was to be attacked if the others were +captured. + +The night was a very dark one, and the boats of each division moved in +line, with ropes stretched from boat to boat, to ensure their keeping +together in the right direction. Charlie was in one of the boats +intended to attack the Hermione. Tim accompanied him, but the admiral +had refused permission for Hossein to do so, as there were many more +white volunteers for the service than the boats would accommodate. +They were within fifty yards of the Hermione before they were +discovered, and a scattering musket fire was at once opened upon them. + +The crews gave a mighty cheer and, casting off the ropes, separated; +five making for each side of the ship, while two rowed forward to cut +the cables at her bows. The Compagnie des Indes opened fire upon the +boats, but these were already alongside the ship, and the sailors +swarmed over the side at ten points. + +The combat was a short one. The seventy men on board fought bravely, +for a minute or two, but they were speedily driven below. The hatches +were closed over them, and the cables being already cut, the mizzen +topsail, the only sail bent, was hoisted; and the boats, taking +towropes, began to row her away from shore. + +The instant, however, that the cessation of fire informed the garrison +the ship was captured, a tremendous cannonade was opened by the guns +of the fortress. The lightning was flashing vividly, and this enabled +the gunners to direct their aim upon the ship. Over and over again she +was struck, and one shot destroyed the steering wheel, cut the tiller +rope, and killed two men who were steering. The single sail was not +sufficient to assist in steering her, and the men in the boats rowed +with such energy that the ropes continually snapped. + +The fire continued from the shore, doing considerable damage; and the +men in the boats, who could not see that the ship was moving through +the water, concluded that she was anchored by a concealed cable and +anchor. The officer in command, therefore, called up the Frenchmen +from below, telling them he was about to fire the ship. They came on +deck and took their places in the boats, which rowed back to the +Tiger. + +Upon arriving there Captain Dent, who commanded her, sternly rebuked +the officer; and said that, unless the boats returned instantly and +brought the Hermione out, he should send his own crew in their boats +to fetch her. The division thereupon returned, and met the ship half a +mile off shore, the land wind having now sprung up. + +The Baleine had been easily captured and, having several sails bent, +she was brought out without difficulty. No attempt was made to capture +the third vessel. + +The rains had now set in, but the English laboured steadily at their +batteries. The French were becoming pressed for provisions, and Lally +turned the whole of the natives remaining in the town, to the number +of fourteen hundred men and women, outside the fortifications. On +their arrival at the English lines they were refused permission to +pass, as Colonel Coote did not wish to relieve the garrison of the +consumption of food caused by them. They returned to the French lines, +and begged to be again received; but they were, by Lally's orders, +fired upon, and several killed. + +For seven days the unhappy wretches remained without food, save the +roots they could gather in the fields. Then Colonel Coote, seeing that +Lally was inflexible, allowed them to pass. + +On the 10th of November the batteries opened, and every day added to +the strength of the fire upon the town. The fortifications, however, +were strong, and the siege progressed but slowly. On the 30th of +December a tremendous storm burst, and committed the greatest havoc, +both at land and sea. The Newcastle, man-of-war; the Queenborough, +frigate; and the Protector, fire ship were driven ashore and dashed to +pieces; but the crews, with the exception of seven, were saved. The +Duke of Aquitaine, the Sunderland, and the Duke, store ship, were +sunk, and eleven hundred sailors drowned. Most of the other ships were +dismasted. + + + +Chapter 30: Home. + + +The fire of the batteries increased, and by the 13th of January the +enemy's fire was completely silenced. The provisions in the town were +wholly exhausted, and on the 16th the town surrendered, and the next +morning the English took possession. Three days afterwards Lally was +embarked on board ship, to be taken a prisoner to Madras; and so much +was he hated that the French officers and civilians assembled, and +hissed and hooted him; and, had he not been protected by his guard, +would have torn him to pieces. After his return to France he was tried +for having, by his conduct, caused the loss of the French possessions +in India, and being found guilty of the offence, was beheaded. + +At Pondicherry two thousand and seventy-two military prisoners were +taken, and three hundred and eighty-one civilians. Five hundred cannon +and a hundred mortars, fit for service; and immense quantities of +ammunition, arms, and military stores fell into the hands of the +captors. + +Pondicherry was handed over to the Company; who, a short time +afterwards, entirely demolished both the fortress and town. This hard +measure was the consequence of a letter which had been intercepted, +from the French government to Lally, ordering him to raze Madras to +the ground, when it fell into his hands. + +Charlie, after the siege, in which he had rendered great services, +received from the Company, at Colonel Coote's earnest recommendation, +his promotion to the step of lieutenant colonel; while Peters was +raised to that of major. A fortnight after the fall of Pondicherry, +they returned to Madras, and thence took the first ship for England. +It was now just ten years since they had sailed, and in that time they +had seen Madras and Calcutta rise, from the rank of two trading +stations, in constant danger of destruction by their powerful +neighbours, to that of virtual capitals of great provinces. Not as +yet, indeed, had they openly assumed the sovereignty of these +territories; but Madras was, in fact, the absolute master of the broad +tract of land extending from the foot of the mountains to the sea, +from Cape Comorin to Bengal; while Calcutta was master of Bengal and +Oressa, and her power already threatened to extend itself as far as +Delhi. The conquest of these vast tracts of country had been achieved +by mere handfuls of men, and by a display of heroic valour and +constancy scarce to be rivalled in the history of the world. + +The voyage was a pleasant one, and was, for the times, quick, +occupying only five months. But to the young men, longing for home +after so long an absence, it seemed tedious in the extreme. + +Tim and Hossein were well content with their quiet, easy life, after +their long toils. They had nothing whatever to do, except that they +insisted upon waiting upon Charlie and Peters, at meals. The ship +carried a large number of sick and wounded officers and men, and as +these gained health and strength, the life on board ship became +livelier, and more jovial. Singing and cards occupied the evenings, +while in the daytime they played quoits, rings of rope being used for +that purpose, and other games with which passengers usually wile away +the monotony of long voyages. + +It was late in June when the Madras sailed up the Thames; and, as soon +as she came to anchor, the two officers and their followers landed. +The din and bustle of the streets seemed almost as strange, to +Charlie, as they had done when he came up a boy, from Yarmouth. +Hossein was astonished at the multitude of white people, and inquired +of Charlie why, when there were so many men, England had sent so few +soldiers to fight for her in India; and for once, Charlie was unable +to give a satisfactory reply. + +"It does seem strange," he said to Peters, "that when such mighty +interests were at stake, a body of even ten thousand troops could not +have been raised, and sent out. Such a force would have decided the +struggle at once; and in three months the great possessions, which +have cost the Company twelve years' war, would have been at their +feet. It would not have cost them more; indeed, nothing like as much +as it now has done, nor one tithe of the loss in life. Somehow, +England always seems to make war in driblets." + +Charlie knew that his mother and Kate had, for some years, been +residing at a house which their uncle had taken, in the fashionable +quarter of Chelsea. They looked in at the office, however, to see if +Charlie's uncle was there; but found that he was not in the city, and, +indeed, had now almost retired from the business. They therefore took +a coach, placed the small articles of luggage which they had brought +with them, from the ship, on the front seats; and then, Hossein and +Tim taking their places on the broad seat beside the driver, they +entered the coach and drove to Chelsea. + +Charlie had invited Peters, who had no home of his own, to stay with +him, at least for a while. Both were now rich men, from their shares +of the prize money of the various forts and towns, in whose capture +they had taken part; although Charlie possessed some twenty thousand +pounds more than his friend, this being the amount of the presents he +had received, from the Rajah of Ambur. + +Alighting from the carriage, Charlie ran up to the door and knocked. +Inquiring for Mrs. Marryat, he was shown into a room in which a lady, +somewhat past middle age, and three younger ones were sitting. They +looked up, in surprise, as the young man entered. Ten years had +changed him almost beyond recognition, but one of the younger ones at +once leaped to her feet, and exclaimed, "Charlie!" + +His mother rose with a cry of joy, and threw herself into his arms. +After rapturously kissing her, he turned to the others. Their faces +were changed, yet all seemed equally familiar to him, and in his +delight he equally embraced them all. + +"Hullo!" he exclaimed, when he freed himself from their arms. "Why, +there are three of you! What on earth am I doing? I have somebody's +pardon to beg; and yet, although your faces are changed, they seem +equally familiar to me. Which is it? + +"But I need not ask," he said, as a cloud of colour flowed over the +face of one of the girls, while the others smiled mischievously. + +"You are Katie," he said, "and you are Lizzie, certainly, and this +is--why, it is Ada! + +"This is a surprise, indeed; but I sha'n't beg your pardon, Ada, for I +kissed you at parting, and quite intended to do so when I met again, +at least if you had offered no violent objection. + +"How you are all grown and changed, while you, Mother, look scarcely +older than when I left you. + +"But there, I have quite forgotten Peters. He has come home with me, +and will stay till he has formed his own plans." + +He hurried out and brought in Peters; who, not wishing to be present +at the family meeting, had been paying the coachman, and seeing to the +things being brought into the house. He was warmly received, by the +ladies, as the friend and companion of Charlie in his adventures; +scarcely a letter having been received, from the latter, without +mention having been made of his comrade. + +In a minute or two Mr. Tufton, who had been in the large garden behind +the house, hurried in. He was now quite an old man; and under the +influence of age, and the cheerful society of Mrs. Marryat and her +daughters, he had lost much of the pomposity which had before +distinguished him. + +"Ah! Nephew," he said, when the happy party had sat down to dinner, +their number increased by the arrival of Mrs. Haines, who had a house +close by; "wilful lads will go their own way. I wanted to make a rich +merchant of you, and you have made of yourself a famous soldier. But +you've not done badly for yourself after all; for you have, in your +letters, often talked about prize money." + +"Yes, Uncle. I have earned, in my way, close upon a hundred thousand +pounds; and I certainly shouldn't have made that if I had stuck to the +office at Madras, even with the aid of the capital you offered to lend +me, to trade with on my own account." + +There was a general exclamation of surprise and pleasure, at the +mention of the sum; although this amount was small, in comparison to +that which many acquired, in those days, in India. + +"And you're not thinking of going back again, Charlie?" his mother +said, anxiously. "There can be no longer any reason for your exposing +yourself to that horrible climate, and that constant fighting." + +"The climate is not so bad, Mother, and the danger and excitement of a +soldier's life there, at present, render it very fascinating. But I +have done with it. Peters and I intend, on the expiration of our +leave, to resign our commissions in the Company's service, and to +settle down under our own vines and fig trees. Tim has already elected +himself to the post of my butler, and Hossein intends to be my valet +and body servant." + +Immediately after their arrival, Charlie had brought in his faithful +followers and introduced them to the ladies; who, having often heard +of their devotion and faithful services, had received them with a +kindness and cordiality which had delighted them. + +Lizzie, whose appearance at home had been unexpected by Charlie, for +her husband was a landed gentleman at Seven Oaks, in Kent, was, it +appeared, paying a visit of a week to her mother; and her three +children, two boys and a little girl, were duly brought down to be +shown to, and admired by, their Uncle Charles. + +"And how is it you haven't married, Katie? With such a pretty face as +yours, it is scandalous that the men have allowed you to reach the +mature age of twenty-two, unmarried." + +"It is the fault of the hussy herself," Mr. Tufton said. "It is not +from want of offers, for she has had a dozen, and among them some of +the nobility at court; for it is well known that John Tufton's niece +will have a dowry such as many of the nobles could not give, to their +daughters." + +"This is too bad, Kate," Charlie said, laughing. "What excuse have you +to make for yourself for remaining single, with all these advantages +of face and fortune?" + +"Simply that I didn't like any of them," Katie said. "The beaux of the +present day are contemptible. I would as soon think of marrying a wax +doll. When I do marry; that is, if ever I do, it shall be a man, and +not a mere tailor's dummy." + +"You are pert, miss," her uncle said. + +"Do what I will, Charlie, I cannot teach the hussy to order her +tongue." + +"Katie's quite right, Uncle," Charlie laughed. "And I must make it my +duty to find a man who will suit her taste; though, according to your +account of her, he will find it a hard task to keep such a Xanthippe +in order." + +Katie tossed her head. + +"He'd better not try," she said saucily, "or it will be worse for +him." + +Two days later, Charlie's elder sister returned with her family to her +house at Sevenoaks; where Charlie promised, before long, to pay her a +visit. After she had gone, Charlie and Peters, with Katie, made a +series of excursions to all the points of interest, round London; and +on these occasions Ada usually accompanied them. + +The natural consequences followed. Charlie had, for years, been the +hero of Ada's thoughts; while Katie had heard so frequently of Peters +that she was, from the first, disposed to regard him in the most +favourable light. Before the end of two months, both couples were +engaged; and as both the young officers possessed ample means, and the +ladies were heiresses, there was no obstacle to an early union. + +The weddings took place a month later; and Tim was, in the exuberance +of his delight, hilariously drunk for the first and only time during +his service with Charlie. Both gentlemen bought estates in the +country, and later took their seats in Parliament, where they +vigorously defended their former commander, Lord Clive, in the +assaults which were made upon him. + +Tim married, seven or eight years after his master, and settled down +in a nice little house upon the estate. Although, henceforth, he did +no work whatever; he insisted, to the end of his life, that he was +still in Colonel Marryat's service. + +Hossein, to the great amusement of his master and mistress, followed +Tim's example. The pretty cook of Charlie's establishment made no +objection to his swarthy hue. Charlie built a snug cottage for them, +close to the house, where they took up their residence; but Hossein, +though the happy father of a large family, continued, to the end of a +long life, to discharge the duties of valet to his master. + +Both he and Tim were immense favourites with the children of Charlie +and Peters, who were never tired of listening to their tales of the +exploits of their fathers, when with Clive in India. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WITH CLIVE IN INDIA *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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