Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/114

108 judged that it would be destruction to no purpose to have attempted an escalade against such superior numbers as were in the city; for even the Colleries fight well behind walls. The day after his arrival some cavalry advanced near his post, but were driven back by a few discharges from the field-pieces, with the loss of two men. Skirmishes of this kind passed every day after, and on some without any loss on either side. On the 13th of September the renter Moodilee arrived in the camp with two companies of Sepoys, which had escorted him from Tritchinopoly through the countries of the two Moravars, and the next day he continued his journey towards Tinivelly. The Pulitaver, Catabominaigue, and the other Polygars of Tinivelly, took time to consider how they should act in consequence of the revolution at Madura, and the Jemautdars there, not finding them so ready to join as they had expected, began to think of preserving some openings to a reconciliation with the presidency. Accordingly they wrote letters apologizing for the revolt, and ascribed it intirely to their necessities for want of pay: and lowered their demands to 400,000 rupees. All the force which could be spared from the immediate 'service of the Carnatic being at this time required for the recovery of the Company's settlements in Bengal, the presidency empowered Captain Calliaud at Tritchinopoly either to treat with the Jemautdars, or to employ such other means as he should judge expedient to recover Madura. On this authority Captain Calliaud sent his interpreter from Tritchinopoly to Maphuze Cawn, who, in the very first conference, unable to keep his temper, avowed that he thought himself very ill used by the appointment of another renter, and that he would never give up Madura until the Tinivelly countries were granted to him upon the same terms as they had been let to Moodilee. The interpreter seeing no likelihood of accommodation with him, tried with the Jemautdars, offering to pay 50,000 rupees immediately, although he had brought no money, and 150,000 more after they should have evacuated the city. The Jemautdars agreed to these terms, and went to Mahomed Issoof's camp in order to obtain his confirmation, who not thinking himself sufficiently