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 44 1

HISTORY OF INDIA.

[Book III.

Death of Anwar u 'Un.

Hill-fort or Amboor. — From Gold's Oriental Drawings.

AD. mo 12,000 cavalry and 8000 infantjy, with which he took up a position with one flank resting on the hill-fort of Ainboor, about fifty miles west of Arcot, and the other on a hill bounding one of the passes into the Caniatic. If he chose this

spot under the idea that it commanded the only prac- ticable entrance into his territories, he was mis- taken; but the enemy, though probably aware of his blunder, did not attempt to profit by it. Their num- bers doubled his, and they doubtless deemed it more creditable to force his posi- tion than to evade or turn it. The brunt of the action on their part fell on the French troops, who gallantly carried the position, after they had been twice repulsed. The contest was now hopeless, but Anwar-u-din continued it with great bravery till he was slain. His two sons, Maplmze Khan and Mahomed Ali, were both present. The former was taken prisoner; the latter tied and took refuge in Trichinopoly, nearly 250 miles distant from the scene of action. The victorious army proceeded at once for Arcot, and entered it without opposition. Muzzuffer Jung and Chunda Sahib immediately assumed the dignities which they had claimed ; the one taking the title of soubahdar and the other of nabob. Much time which ought to have been employed in giving a finishing stroke to the war was consumed in childish ceremonials; but, as if this had not been enough, Dupleix thought it right that his own vanity also should be gratified, and the new soubahdar and nabob made a pompous entry into Pondicherry, where they spent some time vpng with their entertainer in senseless extravagance. French interests at the same time were not forgotten, for Chunda Sahib made the company a grant in per- petual sovereignty of eighty-one villages in the neighbom-hood of their capital. Chunda The ccremonials over, Dupleix, fully alive to the danger of further delay.

Sahib's ex- i i i n t • it i • • i i

pedition to iu"ged the departure of his guests, and laboured to impress them with the neces- '^°'^*' sity of proceeding instantly against Trichinopoly. They expressed complete acquiescence in all his views, and set out as if determined forthwith to carry them into effect. No sooner, however, were they beyond the reach of his importunity, than they followed their own course. They did proceed with their army for the south, but suddenly changed the direction and turned from Trichinopoly to make a campaign in Tanjore. Their motive was to replenish the treasury, which was nearly exhausted. Tanjore seemed the far easier conquest of the two, and they had no doubt that, at the very worst, the king would gladly buy them