Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/246

238 sacred of all to an Indian soldier, on his sabre and poniard, wishing they might be turned to his own destruction if he failed in his engagements, which were to send away Chunda-saheb as soon as he came into his quarters, with an escort of horse, to the French settlement of Karical. At the same time a Tanjorine officer assured Mr. Law that he was appointed to command the escort, and shewed the pallankin and other preparations which were intended for the journey. Mr. Law and the officer then repaired to a choultry, were Chunda-saheb himself, with a few attendants, waited the result of the conference. As soon as he had heard it related, he proceeded with the Tanjorine to Monack-jee's quarters, where, instead of the escort he expected, he was met by a guard patroling for him, who carried him with violence into a tent, where they immediately put him into irons.

The news was instantly communicated to the Nabob, the Mysorean and Morattoe, and kept them up all night debating on the fate of the prisoner. The next morning they repaired together with Monack-jee to major Lawrence's tent, in whose presence they held a council. Each of them insisted that Chunda-saheb ought to be delivered to himself, supporting the demand with the superior importance each thought he bore in the general cause; but Monack-jee firmly refused to give his prize out of his own hands. The major had hitherto remained silent, but finding that the dissention was irreconcileable, proposed that the English should have the care of him and keep him in one of their settlements. They were all of them averse to this scheme, and broke up the conference without coming to any resolution: the three competitors in high indignation against one another, and against Monack-jee, who had moreover the mortification of seeing that the treachery he had committed was so far from being acknowledged as a service rendered to the general cause, that the Mysorean, the Morattoe, and perhaps the Nabob himself, wished in the bottom of their hearts that Chunda-saheb had not been taken, since they had not the disposal of him in their own power.

Immediately after the conference, major Lawrence sent another summons to Mr. Law, more peremptory than the former: for a decisive answer was demanded before noon the next day: after which