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 Chap. V.] MAHOMED ALL 453

had even planted the posts leading to it with cannon, which had been brought a.d. n&i. forward several days before. A battle ensued, which was decided by the fire of the French ai-tillery, but the victory cost Muzzuffer Jung his life. In pursuing the fugitives he came up with the Nabob of Kuniool, who, finding escape im- possible, turned at bay with a handfid of troops. Both instantly prepared for a personal encounter, and drove their elephants right in the face of each other. Muzzuffer Jung had his sword uplifted to strike, but the nabob anticipated him, and drove the point of his javelin through his forehead, into his brain.

The French were returning with the acclamations of victory when the' saiabuuimg

111' 1 1 r» " proclaimed

learned, to their dismay, that they had sustained a worse loss than defeat. Boubahdar. M. Bussy did the best that covdd be done in the circumstances, by urging the immediate appointment of a successor. There was considerable room for choice, for, besides an infant son of Muzzuffer Jimg, three of his uncles, the brothers of Nazir Jung, were in the camp. Necessity dictated the exclusion of the infant, and the choice fell on Salabut Jimg, who, as the eldest of the brothers, had the next best claim. M. Bussy, who had a chief share in his elec- tion, took care that the interests of his company were not forgotten, and procured from him a confirmation of all the grants made to the French by his predecessor, and the promise of still greater advantages. On these conditions Dupleix recognized him as soubahdar, and placed M. Bussy 's detachment at his sei-vice.

CHAPTER V.

Intrigues of Mahomed Ali — Vacillating conduct of the Madras government — Siege of Trichinopoly —

Capture of Arcot.

ii|AHOMED ALI was in the camp when Nazir Jung was renjiexiii™

St 1 111/" 1 11' m-i- 1 ofMiiliomed

B assassniated, and fled for the tlurd time to Trichinopoly. au. W His prospects were now gloomy in the extreme. The Eug- Wi lish, after sending him assistance, had withdrawn in disgust > and left him to his fate, and it was not likely that Chunda Sahib would allow him to escape, as before, by repeating the blunder into whicii he fell when, instead of laying siege to Trichinopoly, he invaded Tanjore. Dupleix could doubtless control his movements, and would tiike care that they were conducted more skilfully. Mahomed Ali, while thus threatened and per- plexed, wjis incapable of coming to any manly decision, and followed the true bent of his nature by weaving an intricate web of policy. While applying to every quarter from which any aid could be anticipated — to the Mahrattas, the Mysoreans, and the British presidency — he entered into secret communications