Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/340

332 from his illness, hesitated; but was soon after determined by a peremptory letter from Mr. Dupleix, threatening to make him responsible for the consequences of his absence from the important command with which the nation had intrusted him with such unlimited confidence. He left Masulipatnam about the end of June, having previously sent orders to all the detachments stationed abroad, to be at Hyderabad, about the time that he expected to arrive there himself. He arrived on the 23rd of July, and found all his troops assembled in the city; they were 500 Europeans and 4000 Sepoys. This force, and his own presence, imposed respect upon the governor, and all the other officers of Sallabadjing's administration. They immediately consented to furnish some money in part of the arrears, which the Duan had withheld with so much artifice, and Mr. Bussy out of his own stock, and by his credit with the bankers, procured more, which all together was sufficient to appease the troops; whom, nevertheless, in the first days after his arrival, he had with much difficulty been able to restrain from open tumult and violence in the city. But although the present distress was removed, yet no provision was made for the future; and from the late practices, every obstacle was still to be expected from the disposition of the Duan, who, at this very time, refused to furnish the pay, and subsistance of the small detachment which had accompanied Sallabadjing to Aurengabad. Mr. Bussy saw the only remedy; and determined to proceed with his whole force to that city, as soon as the rains should cease, which, in that part of the Decan, continue from the beginning of July to the end of September. The march from Golcondah to Aurengabad is at least 300 miles: nevertheless, he found means from his own resources to make the necessary preparations, and left Golcondah in the beginning of October. Notwithstanding the evil disposition of Seid Laskar Khan, and his adherents, Mr. Bussy had several friends, who were men of importance in the court of Aurengabad; Sallabadjing himself was at this time very much in debt to his own army, and moreover, in apprehensions of another rupture with Ragogee the Morattoe; so that the boldness of Mr. Bussy's resolution, in marching uncalled for to Aurengabad,