Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/75

Book I. own cannon would sink her, if she should be brought into an engagement. On the 3d of September the French squadron anchored four leagues to the south of Madrass, having on board the troops, artillery and stores intended for the siege. Here a part of the troops was landed, and marching along the coast advanced the next day within cannon shot of the town, where the rest of the soldiers were landed. The whole consisted of 1,100 Europeans, 400 Caffres, and 400 Indian natives disciplined in the European manner. There remained on board of the squadron 1,800 European mariners. Mr. De la Bourdonnais directed his attack against the White Town, in which the English resided: the northern side of this division could not be attacked by cannon, as the houses of the next division almost touched the wall, which separated them from each other: the eastern side could only be battered from the sea; but the south and west lay open to the plain. On the 7th of September the French began to bombard the town, from a battery of nine mortars, which they erected to the westward, under the shelter of a large house, within 500 yards of the walls. In the evening three of their largest ships drew as near as the depth of water would permit, and cannonaded the town. In the night Mr. De la Bourdonnais was flung into great perplexity, by intelligence that some large ships were seen to the southward of Pondicherry; which indeed was contradicted in the morning: but the first report caused so much alarm in the French camp, that they were preparing to reship their heavy cannon.

On the 8th of September the French had finished a battery of five mortars to the south, and bombarded the town without intermission until the next morning, when two English deputies went to their camp, to treat with Mr. De la Bourdonnais, who insisted that the town should be delivered up to him on his own terms: and threatened, in case of refusal, to make a general assault. This resolution arose from his apprehension of the return of the English squadron. As soon as the deputies returned, the bombardment recommenced, and continued until the evening, when it was suspended