Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/533

 Chap. VI.] SIEGE OF TRICHINOPOLY. 499

greater part of its supplies after Tanjore had ceased to send them. According! j'-, a.d. 1754 on the very second night after their defeat, M, Maissin, the French commander, with all his Europeans, 3000 sepoys, and 2000 hor.se, suddenly entering that country, began to commit every species of ravage. The Polygar Tondeman, who had some warning of their approach, had caused his people to remove with their cattle and all their effects into the depth of the forests, whither it was impos- sible to follow them. The invaders, in consequence, could do nothing more than gratify their impotent malice by burning empty villages. Disappointed of the plunder which they had anticipated, they carried their depredations into Tanjore.

Major Lawrence, in expectation that the rajah, on seeing his country thus '^1'^''^'!*^'"' attacked, would apply to him for assistance, set out with his anny in order that ante from he might be at hand to comply with the application as soon as it shomd be ofTaujore made, and thus bind the rajah by interest to an alliance of a more durable nature than any he had yet been able to form with him. He, at the same time, ordered the reinforcement at Devicotta to effect a junction with as little delay as pos- sible. The very next day after his arrival, a message from the rajah amved, urging him to hasten his approach. The cause of this urgency was soon explained. The invaders, not contented with pillaging the country, had been guilty of an atrocious proceeding, which threatened to doom a large portion of it to perpetual barrenness. It has been already mentioned that at Coilady the Coleroon and Cauvery woiJd again unite were the junction not prevented by an artificial mound. At this point the level of the Colei'oon is about twenty feet lower than that of the Cauvery, and the object of the mound is to prevent the whole from being precipitated into the Coleroon, when it would run waste to the sea, and preserve the Cauvery as a separate and independent stream, which, employed in irrigating the plains of Tanjore, renders them almost fabulously fertile. The invaders had cut across this moimd, and afterwards cannonaded the workmen sent to repair it.

This attempt to starve a whole population in order to compel their sovereign imiwUcy to adopt a certain political com-se, proved as impohtic as it was imqmtous ; for of tiie imi the only effect was to inspire the rajah with a deep hatred of those who had JeeOiugs'^ employed such abominable means to effect his ruin, and convince him that his ^^^ French, only security against the repetition of such malice was a close and cordial alli- ance with the British presidency. Another event, which took place at the same time, formed an additional inducement to this alliance. On the invasion of Tanjore the rajah despatched Ganderow, with 1500 horse, to Tricatopoly. Morari Row, who, after quan-elling with Nunjeraj, had fixed himself at Pitchandah, on the north bank of the Coleroon, watching for any change of circumstances which he might be able to turn to account, no sooner heard of the approach of Gan- derow than he resolved to encounter him. If he succeeded in giving him a defeat, one of two objects would be gained. The rajah, already frightened by the French and Mysorean invasion, would be glad to pay a large sum as the