Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/441

Book V to Masulipatnam. from the incessant attacks of the Morattoes, as well as Salabad-jing's cavalry, which were approaching: and if they should gain their way to this place, other evils would be the consequence of their success; since the enemy accompanying their progress would carry the ravages of war into the ceded provinces; and by ruining the revenues, would cut off the only resource which remained for the maintenance of the army." He therefore proposed that "they should stand their ground where they were; that altho' the city itself was too extensive and too weak to be defended by their force, there was a post at hand capable of containing the army and all its equipments; in which they should defend themselves to extremity, in expectation of the reinforcements he had requested from Pondicherry, and not without hopes that the good disposition of Salabad-jing himself might prevail over the evil intentions of his ministers and produce a reconciliation, which in all probability would be precluded for ever, if the army retreated to such a distance as Masulipatnam: at all events they could at last retreat."

All the officers concurred in opinion with their general. The post they resolved to take, was a palace of retirement from business, built by the kings of Golcondah, when mighty. It is called the garden of Charmaul, and is an enclosure of 600 by 500 yards: it is situated on the strand of the river Moussi, and in the north-west angle of the city: in the middle is a great tank of water, square, and lined to the bottom with steps of stone: at some distance, are four great buildings, one facing each side of the tank, separated from each other, and all together capable of lodging a multitude. Early in the morning of the 5th of July, the day after the council, the French army began to move from their camp; at the same time the advanced guards, established towards the enemy's camp, remained in their posts; for the Morattoes were in the field; who nevertheless did not venture to attack any part of the line, excepting the last troops as they were quitting the advanced posts, by whom they were repulsed; but still hovered around. Mr. Bussy therefore waited in the plain until the evening, when the whole army entered the garden without interruption.