Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/245

Book III. who had on all occasions prevented the king from distinguishing him with those marks of gratitude his military services deserved. It was therefore thought not impracticable to separate the interests of the general from those of his sovereign; and this feeble glimmering ray of hope was followed, only because no other presented itself. Monack-jee received the overture, and carried on the correspondence with so much address and seeming complacence, as induced Mr. Law and Chunda-saheb to think they had gained him over to their interest: a large sum of money was paid, and much more, with every other advantage he thought proper to stipulate, promised: but the horn Chunda-saheb was to deliver himself into his hands was not fixed, when on the 31st of May the battering cannon arrived from Devi Cotah, and Mr. Law received a summons to surrender at discretion. Monack-jee now acting as a friend, sent at the same time a message advising Chunda-saheb to come over to him that very night, since, if he delayed to make his escape before the English advanced nearer the pagodas, which they were preparing to batter, his passage to Chuckly-pollam. would afterwards be subject to infinite risques. In order therefore to prevent the English from taking any suspicions of this important resolution before it was carried into effect. Mr. Law, not unsagaciously, made use of the highest spirit of rodomontade in his answer to major Lawrence. He talked of defending the pagoda until the last extremity, unless he was permitted to march away with all the troops under his command wherever he pleased; insisting likewise, that no search should be made after any person under his colours. On these conditions he was willing to deliver up one half of his artillery. As soon as it was night, Mr. Law himself repaired privately to Monack-jee's quarters, where, amongst other precautions, he demanded, that a considerable hostage should be delivered before Chunda-saheb put himself into Monack-jee's power. To this the Tanjorine answered with great calmness, that if any intentions of treachery were entertained, no hostage would be a check to them; and that by giving one, the secret would be divulged, and the escape rendered impracticable. He, however, took an oath, the most