Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/232

226 stances of the times: for there is no country in which the slightest successes and mischances of war weigh so much in the opinions both of friends and enemies, as in Indostan, and a large body of Morratoes had encamped a few days before on the western frontiers of the Carnatic, threatening the Nabob to enter and ravage the province, if their demands were not complied with.

The Nana Balagerow, after his return from Sanore, in the last year, remained at Poni, in appearance attentive only to the affairs of Delhi, and the northern countries of Indostan, to which he detached a very large force in October; but when he saw Salabadjing and Mr. Bussy proceeding with their respective armies, the one to Aurengabad, the other to the ceded provinces, he took the field himself with 60,000 horse, and proceeded to the southward, passed the Kristna, and having purified his army in the streams of the Beamraw, a sacred river in Viziapore, they set off from hence in the middle of February, and marched rapidly towards Mysore, carrying terror and destruction wherever they came. Most of the forts on the way surrendered on the first summons, and such as held out, were invested, or at least watched by detachments, whilst the main body pursued its course without interruption to the capital Seringapatam. It was some apprehensions of this invasion, which had recalled the General, Hyderally, from Dindigul in the beginning of the year; who nevertheless was not sufficiently prepared to resist the invasion, and the Delaway or Regent, being much frightened, they negociated, and agreed to pay Balagerow two millions of rupees. The terms were concluded in the middle of April, and Balagerow, on his return to the northern division of Mysore, continued to reduce the forts he had left in his rear; although many of them were, at this time, in the dependance of this kingdom. The principal of these, and indeed the strongest in the whole country, is Serah, which is likewise called Sirpi. It is situated on a great mountain, 120 miles north of Seringapatam; the Governor resisted in the beginning, but the bribes and batteries of the Morattoe induced him in three weeks to surrender. The rainy season was now approaching, when the Kristna overflows, and becomes impassable;