Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/257

Book IV. quitted the country of Cudapah where the unfortunate Murzafa-jing had been killed. On the 15th of March they came to Canoul, the capital of the Pitan Nabob by whose hand that prince was slain, and it was determined that the city should atone for the treachery and rebellion of its Lord. The place was originally well fortified; but since it had been in the possession of Pitans, these people, as avaricious as they are brave, had suffered the defences both of the town and its citadel to fall to decay; and the river which runs close to the city, had lately carried away 200 yards of the wall; there were 4000 Pitans in the place, who attempted to defend this entrance; but not accustomed to the fire of field pieces, were easily put to flight: they retired into the castle, several parts of which were likewise in ruins; and the French troops, animated by their success, and led by Mr. Kirjean, a nephew of Mr. Dupleix, stormed it, with great vivacity, where the breaches were most practicable; by which time the army of Salabat-jing came up, and assisted with good will in putting all the garrison to the sword; many of the inhabitants were likewise massacred. The wife of the late Nabob and her two sons were made prisoners.

The French doubtless intended, by the unmerciful slaughter which they made at the taking of this city, to spread early the terror of their arms, through the countries in which they were going to establish themselves, where no European force had ever before appeared and in order to raise an opinion of their good faith and justice, equal to the reputation of their prowess, Mr. Bussy, immediately after Canoul was taken, obliged Salabat-jing to settle the fortune of Sadoudin Khan, the infant son of Murzafa-jing, their late ally add Soubah. He received the investiture of the government of Adoni, which had been the patrimony of his father, and as a just reparation for the treachery that caused his death, the territory of the Nabob of Cudapah, who planned the conspiracy, and of Canoul, by whose arm he fell, were added to the sovereignty of the young prince, which by the French accounts produced all together an annual revenue of near a million of pounds sterling. An example of generosity, which, if true, could not fail to raise admiration in a country, where the merits of the father are so seldom of advantage to the distresses of the son.