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HISTORY f)F INDIA.

[Book III.

A.D. 17:1J.

Mahrattas lironght into tlie (/'arnatic.

Their league with Sufder iUi, Nabob of Arcot.

Siege :iii(l oaptiire of Triciiino-

Clmnda Sahib, who immediately took measures lor his j>rotection, by putting Trichinopoly in a complete state of defence, and intrusting tried friends with his other most important stations.

Sufder Ali and Meer Assud, unable to obtain the nabob's concurrence; in their designs against Chunda Sahib, determined to pursue them without his knowledge, and entered into a negotiation with the Mahrattas. The plan was, that the Mahrattas, under the pretext of levying the chout which the nabob had withheld, should invade his territories, and then, when Cliunda Sahib came to his relief, as it was anticipated he would, suddenly unite their forces with Suf- der Ali, and make a dash at Trichinopoly. By this intricate and tortuous policy, they overshot the mark. Doast Ali, knowing nothing of underhand arrangements with the Mahrattas, saw only that his territories were attacked, and, with more spirit than might have been expected from his age and habits, took post with a handful of men in a pass which was supposed, though eiTone- ously, to be the only one through which the invaders could descend into the low country. He was here encountered, defeated, and slain. Sufder Ali, wdio had misgivings as to the course which the Mahrattas might pursue, retired, on hearing his father's fate, to Vellore, while Chunda Sahib, who had been advancing into Arcot with an auxiliary force, hastened back to secure his own interests at Trichinopoly.

The Mahrattas, aware of the advantage which they had gained, thought no more of their engagements with Sufder Ali, and, as a means of forcing him to any terms which they were pleased to dictate, commenced theii* usual system of plunder and devastation. Sufder, anxious above all things to be immediately confirmed in the succession which had opened to him by his father's death, com- plied with all their demands, and purchased their departure by agi-eeing to pay them, by instalments, 10,000,000 rupees, equivalent to £1,000,000 sterling. This was the only part of the treaty made public, but there was another article, kept secret for very obvious reasons, which handed over Chunda Sahib to their mercy, and left them free to appropriate as much of his territory as they could conquer at their own expense.

On the first news of the invasion of the Mahrattas, the late nabob, as well as Sufder Ali and Chunda Sahib, sent their families and treasure to Pondi- cherry, which they justly regarded as far stronger and every way more secure than any native fortress. Chunda Sahib, moreover, laid in a large store of grain at Trichinopoly, which, if it could not be starved out, promised to with- stand any effort which the Mahrattas could make to take it. The Mahrattas seemed to be of this opinion ; for immediately on their treaty with Sufder Ali, they turned their faces northwards, and commenced their journey, as if deter- mined to lose no time in i-egaining their homes. It was a mere stratagem. They had calculated that Chunda Sahib, as soon as convinced that they were really gone, would consider his stores of grain unnecessary, and turn them into