Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/404

396 be annexed to its government; they remonstrated, not only that the expedition was in itself a breach of the truce with Mr. Godeheu, but that these countries belonged to themselves in virtue of various rights derived from Chundasaheb, and the king of Mysore. Their arguments were answered by pretensions equally specious; and Mr. Deleyrit the governor of Pondicherry, naturally a man of moderation, did not think it worth while to interrupt the expedition at the risque of renewing the war so early after the cessation of hostilities; but on the first occasion acted as the English had set the example.

There lieth about thirty milies north of Tritchinopoly, and immediately N. W. of the straights of Utatoor, a large tract of woodland country, called Terriore, of which the chief is stiled Rheddy, a diminutive of Rajah or king. This country during the war before Tritchinopoly had been overrun by a detachment of the Mysore army, assisted by some of the French troops, who deposed the Rheddy then reigning, and placed one of his cousins in his stead. The Mysoreans, when they retreated from Tritchinopoly to their own country, left the French government the representatives of all their rights and pretensions in the Carnatic; and the new Rheddy having for some time evaded to pay his tribute, Mr. Deleyrit, in the month of June sent 500 Europeans and 1000 Sepoys, under the command of M. Maissin, to punish his disobedience. Captain Calliaud, who had lately been appointed to the command of Tritchinopoly, prepared to oppose the attempt; but was forbidden by the presidency of Madrass, who having enquired into the titles which the French asserted to the vassalage of Terriore, was satisfied of their validity. M. Maissin after some opposition took the principal town in the middle of the woods, deposed the Rheddy, and reinstated his antecessor. Encouraged by this success, and more by the forbearance of the English, he marched against the Polygars of Arielore and Wariore pollam. The woods of these chiefs are almost contiguous, and both are extensive. That of Arielore begins about fifty miles to the N. E. of Tritchinopoly, and stretches north to the river Valaru; but Wariore lies farther to the Eastward, and extends Southward almost to the Coleroon. Both Polygars had at different times, during the war of Tritchinopoly paid money to redeem the skirts of their country from the ravages of the