Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/342

334 The procession was now magnificent and immense, consisting of a great army, all the nobles, and most of the inhabitants of one of the first cities in Indostan. The pomp, when arrived at the palace, was saluted by numerous and repeated discharges of cannon. As soon as the court was ranged, Sallabadjing made presents to Mr. Bussy, of the same kind and value as he had just before received from him, and then dismissed the assembly. Mr. Bussy then proceeded to the house of Seid Laskar Khan, who confirmed and swore to the executing the terms which Mr. Bussy had insisted upon. They were, that "the provinces of Mustaphanagar, Elore, Rajamundrurn, and Chicacole, should be given for the support of the French army; and that the patents should be delivered in three days: that the sums which Jaffer ali Khan, at that time governor of those provinces, might have collected before Mr. Bussy should be able to settle the administration of them, should be made good from the Soubah's treasury, in case Jaffer ali Khan himself should delay, or evade the payment of them: that the French troops should, as before the separation, have the guard of the Saubah's person: that he should not interfere in any manner in the affairs of the province of Arcot; and that all other affairs in general, should be conducted with the concurrence of Mr. Bussy. In return, Mr. Bussy swore to support and befriend Seid Laskar Khan in his office of Duan." The patents for the four provinces were prepared without delay, and delivered to Mr. Bussy, who sent them immediately to Mr. Moracin, the French chief at Masulipatnam, with instructions, to take possession. These acquisitions added to Masulipatnam, and the province of Condavir, made the French masters of the sea-coast of Coromandel and Orixa, in an uninterrupted line of 600 miles from Medapilly to the pagoda of Jagernaut. These countries are bounded by a vast chain of mountains, which run nearly in the same direction as the sea-coast, and are in most places about eighty or ninety miles distant from it, although in some few not more than thirty. They are covered with impenetrable forests of bamboes, and in their whole extent there are no more than three or four passes, which according to Mr, Bussy 's