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 I

Chap. X.] ARRIVAL OF THE EXPEDITION IN THE HOOGHLY. 5^1

be declared Tlie lateness of the season nearly proved fatal to the fleet. The a.d. itsh. northern monsoon was setting in, and the currents from the nortli were so strong that during the first twelve days, instead of making progress, it was canied six degrees of latitude to the south of Madras. As the only ])racticable Tiie voyage passage it was necessary to cross the Bay of Bengal, and then ])roceeding north along the eastern coast, where the currents are less felt, recro.ss when opposite to Balasore, and thus gain the entrance to the Hooghly. The fire-ship, unable to stem the violence of the monsoon, bore away to Ceylon ; the Marl- borough, sailing heavily, fell behind; and the Cumberland and Salisbury, in making for Balasore Roads, struck on a sandliank, which stretches out several miles from Point Palmyras. Both got off, but the Cumberland, unable to continue her course, was driven south to Vizagapatam. Ultimately, on the 20th of December, more than two months after leaving Madras, and exactly half a year from the day when Calcutta was taken, Fulta was reached by the whole squadron, except the Cumberland and Marlborough. Their absence was a serious loss, as 250 of the European troops were on board the one, and most of the heavy artillery had been shipped in the other. Little addition to their strength was obtained at Fulta, for half of the detachment imder Major Kilpatrick were dead, and the remainder so sickly that not more than thirty were fit for duty. Some degree of order, however, had been restored by a despatch from the court of directors, appointing Mr. Drake and three other members of council a select committee for the conduct of all political and military affairs. M.ajor Kilpatrick, previously associated with them, and Admiral Watson, and Colonel Clive now added, increased the whole number to seven.

Letters had been procured at Madras from Mr. Pigott, the governor, Mahomed oiwr.itions Ali, Nabob of Arcot, and Salabut Jung, Soubahdar of the Deccan, exhorting """"'""^ Surajah Dowlah to give recb*ess for the wrongs he had inflicted; and these, along with others, written by Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive, were sent open to Monichund, governor of Calcutta. On receiving for his answer that he durst not forward to his master letters couched in such menacing terms, it was resolved to commence hostilities forthwith. Accordingly the whole fleet, includ- ing the vessels previously at Fulta, quitted it on the 27th December, and next day anchored ten miles below the fort of Budge Budge. This fort, situated on a commanding point on the same side of the river as Calcutta, and only twelve miles south-west from it by land, though double that distance by water, was the first object of attack. It was not expected to oflfer any resistance, and the only anxiety felt was to make prisoners of the garrison while they were making their escape. With this view an ambuscade was devised. At sunset Clive landed with 500 men of the battalion, and all the sepoys, and proceeded, under the direction of Indian guides, across a country full of swamps, and intersected by numerous deep rivulets. The mere march must have been full of hardship, but this was greatly increased by the neglect to provide any bullocks for draught