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lILSTUitV «jr INJJIA.

[Book III.

Appoariiiice i)t Hjilal)iit J lint; with an iirmv

and tlio intrijTuers who were leajjued with him.

A.D. 1750. to regret the iiitermiiialjle delays to which he had heen subject, for intelHgence arrived that a new enemy was al>out to enter the fiehi

Coniians, after his defeat, had sent letters to Salaljut Jung earnest!}- uiging him to march with his army from Il^deraba^J to Masulipatam. There, Vjy uniting their forces, they miglit Ijoth destroy the British troops and punisli Anunderauz for his revolt. When the souhalidar received the.se letters, he had 1:)egun to reap the Ijitter fruits of Bassy's departure, and, indolent as he was, would gladly have made any exertion that might have the effect of inducing him to return. Such an event would have been most distasteful to Nizam Aii

At the .same time, they were anxious to take advan- tage of any change which might facihtate their re- covery of the ceded pro- vinces; and hence, after wavering as to the course to be pursued, became con%anced that Salabut Jung might be allowed to march with his army to Ma.sulipatam. Basalut Jung, entertainincr view.^ which made the Mend- ship of the French desir- able, brought a bodv of troops from his govern- ment of Adoni. After joining, near the Kistna, the united force mu.stered 15,000 hoi-se and 20,000 foot. Forde had thus the alarming prospect of encomiteriiig, instead of one, three armies. A soldier of less nerve would have paused before committing himself to a contest with such fearful odds. His courage and decision, on the contrary, rose with the danger, and he determined to proceed. On the 6th of March, he came in sight of Masulipatam, and on the same day received the gratifying intelligence that Lally had been compelled to raise the siege of Madi-as. Masxilipatam consisted of a town and a fort. The town, a place of great extent, occupied a rising ground between two morasses, and was separated from the sea by a narrow belt of sandliills. The fort, situated south-east of the town, and communicating with it across one of the morasses by a broad cause- way 2000 3'ards in length, formed an in'egular parallelogram 800 yards long fi'om north to south, and about 600 yards broad. On the west, north, and east

Ba.stions and Defences.

a, Francois,. . 8 guns.

b, Dutch, ... 5 „

c, St. John's, .18 ,,

d, Cameleon, .10 .,

e, Small gate, 8 ,,

f, Churchyard, 8 ,,

g, Great gate. .8 ,,

5 guns.

h. Ravelin, i, Pettah, ... 6 „ k, Engodour,. 8 ,, 1, Saline,. . 8 ,, m, St. Michael, 8 ,, n, Watergate, .4 ,, o, Battery on other side of the water to flank

English batteries, 4 guns.

The Attack. p, 2 guns 12-pounders. q. -^ „ 18 „ 2 „ 24 and 2 mortars, r, 2 guns 18-pounders, ■ and 2 guns 24 poimdera.

Miisidi- patam and its fort.