Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/349

Book V could not be detected. It might have been asked, by what means they arrived at this conviction; and the English deputies might have added, as the natural consequences of this principle laid down by their adversaries, that if Mahomed-ally could avail himself of such arts, Mr. Dupleix might have made use of them likewise: this argument, however, was not produced, either because it did not occur, because it would have exploded the pretentions arising from patents on both sides: but this the English ought to have wished, since it would have reduced the conference to a plan of equality, which would give them a right to demand an equal share of the countries to the northward, or to insist that the French should relinquish them; after which the English might have consented to recede from this demand, on condition that Mr. Dupleix should acknowledge Mahomed-ally in the Carnatic; but arguments have very little influence in treaties, and both sides had already made use of such sharp invectives on the conduct of their adversaries during the war, that it was manifest neither had any hopes of bringing about a reconciliation. Thus the conference broke up on the eleventh day after it began, leaving both sides more exasperated than ever.

In the mean while hostilities did not cease. The body of 1200 Morattoes, who had slipped by Gauderow, pushed through the kingdom of Tanjore even to the sea-coast; plundering and burning the villages, destroying the grain, and driving off the cattle: the consternation and mischief which they spread through the country, convinced the king of his imprudence in having set so little value on the alliance of the English, as well as on the abilities of his general Monac-gee; and with the usual suppleness of weak minds when involved in dangerous circumstances, he now strenuously sollicited major Lawrence to march to his relief; and reinstated Monac-gee in the command of the army. The violent rains had swelled the rivers, and rendered the roads so bad, that it was impossible for the English to march into his country; but Monac-gee went in quest of the enemy without delay, at the head of 3000 horse. The Morattoes, ignorant of the country, had imprudently got between two branches of the Caveri near the sea, and a sudden flood swelled both the channels so much, that they