Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/115

Book VI. authorised, advised them to wait, without departing from the agreement, until it could be ratified by Captain Calliaud; to which they consented. Captain Calliaud approved of the terms, but added as an indispensible condition that Maphuze Cawn and Berkatoolah should be delivered up with the city. To this likewise the Jemautdars seemed to have no objection; on which orders were dispatched to Moodilee to send money and bills for the amount of the agreement without delay from Tinivelly. These various negotiations and correspondences employed 30 days, during which several events happened which contributed to change the state of affairs.

The family of Moodilee by their occupation of renting the countries, had formed connections with most of the Polygars dependant on Tinivelly, more especially with the Pulitaver and Catabominaigue; and on his invitations the Pulitaver and several others met him on the road. Catabominaigue and others sent their agents; all came, as usual, with considerable retinues, and in the midst of this multitude Moodilee entered the town of Tinivelly on the 27th of September, and proclaimed his commission. But the Colleries of the Polygars, whom no consideration can restrain from thieving, committed night robberies in the town and adjacent villages. Several of them were taken and punished by the Company's Sepoys; on which others stole the effects of the Sepoys themselves, who, irritated as much by the insult as the loss, transferred their resentment on Moodilee, because he suffered the Polygars to remain in the town, and continued to treat them with civility. At the same time the troops of Travancore renewed their incursions into the districts about Calacad; and Nabey Cawn Catteck, who had concealed himself ever since the defeat in which Moodemiah was killed, now appeared again, made overtures of reconciliation to Maphuze Cawn, which were accepted; and having enlisted 400 of the horse, which Maphuze Cawn had disbanded, kept traversing the country between Madura and Tinivelly. These disturbances, and the dissention between the renter Moodilee and the Company's Sepoys, had already deterred the bankers from furnishing him with the sums necessary for the commencement of his own business, and the time that he was called upon to supply