Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/256

248 that were due from him, gave security for the punctual discharge of the revenues of his district in future.

From hence the Nabob detached his brother Abdullwahab Khan with 1000 horse to Arcot, appointing him his lieutenant of the countries to the north of the river Paliar; and the rest of the army marching by Verdachelum, proceeded to Trivadi, where they arrived on the 6th of July, and found a garrison of French Sepoys in the pagoda, who surrendered on the first summons. The troops then encamped in the neighbourhood, and major Lawrence leaving the command to captain Gingen, went for the recovery of his health into Fort St. David. This place was no longer the seat of the presidency, which, by orders from England, had been removed, two months before, to its ancient residence at Madrass. The death of Chunda-saheb, and the capture of Seringham, struck the inhabitants of Pondicherry with the deepest consternation; for excepting those who received advantages from their employments in the war, few had ever approved of the ambitious views of their governor, and fewer were personally attached to him. The haughtiness and arrogance of his spirit disgusted all who approached him; he exhibited on all occasions the oriental pomp, and marks of distinction, which he assumed as the Great Mogul's viceroy in the countries south of the Kristna: insomuch that he had more than once obliged his own countrymen to submit to the humiliation of paying him homage on their knees. This domineering insolence had created him many enemies, who, with a spirit of malice common to violent prejudices, were not sorry to find their own sense of his romantic schemes justified, by the late signal disasters, which they hoped would deter him from prosecuting them any farther. But they did not know the man: difficulties and disappointments, instead of depressing him, only suggested the necessity of exerting himself with more vigour. And indeed his plan of gaining vast acquisitions in the Decan had been laid with so much sagacity, that the successes of his arms to the northward already ballanced the disgrace they had suffered at Seringham.

In the month of February of the preceeding year, Salabat-jing the new Soubah, with the French troops under the command of Bussy,