Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/350

342 were inclosed in an island from which they could not get out again before the waters subsided. Whilst they were waiting for this at the head of the island, Monac-gee marched and encamped to the east-ward of them, near a pass which he knew would be fordable sooner than any other part of the two arms by which they were enclosed; and the instant that the waters were sufficiently fallen, crossed over, and coming upon them by surprize, attacked them in the angle of the island, where it was so narrow that his troops extended from one arm to the other in their front. The Morattoes, thus pent up, seeing no other means to escape but by cutting their way through the Tanjorines, exerted themselves with their usual bravery, augmented by despair: but on the other hand, the Tanjorines were inflamed by the desire of revenging the injuries their country had suffered from these cruel free-booters, and Monac-gee, sensible that the continuance of his master's uncertain favour would depend on the success of this day, animated his troops, who loved him, by his own example; fighting in the thickest throng with the utmost intrepidity. Valour on both sides being thus equal, the superiority of numbers decided the victory; 800 of the Morattoes were killed, and most of the rest were wounded and taken prisoners. To deter them from invading his country in furture, Monac-gee ordered all the dead bodies to be hanged upon trees; and all the prisoners, not excepting those who were wounded, to be impaled alive in sight of the high roads. Having disgraced his victory by this cruelty, he returned with the horses of the slain in triumph to Tanjore. The English hoped that this success would induce the king to send his troops to join them; and the victorious general expected that the service he held rendered would confirm him in his master's favour: but both were disappointed; for the envy of the minister Succo-gee increasing with the merit of his rival, he persuaded the king that there was no longer any necessity to be at the expence of keeping his troops in pay, since the severe blow which the Morattoes had received, would doubtless deter them from making another incursion into his country. The king therefore, after complimenting Monac-gee on his success, told him there was no farther occasion for his service, and disbanded his army.