Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/235

Book VIII their sanction, might never be relinquished. They had howeverno alternative but to pay or fight; and no contemptible means of resistance were tendered to them at this very time. The Morattoe Morarirow, in consequence of his submissions to Balajerow in the preceding year at Sanore, had joined and accompanied him with 6000 horse in the expedition to Seringapatam. They parted after the reduction of Sirpi, and Morarirow returned to his own country without having got any thing by the campaign, not even the pay of his troops, which Balajerow regarded as military vassals to the Morratoe sovereignty. The Nabob of Cudapah had been summoned to pay the chout, and had refused; on which Baiaventrow had taken Ouscotah, and the Nabob armed. The neighbouring Nabobs of Sanore, Canoul, and Condanore, all, as well as Cudapah, Pitans, took the alarm, and Morarirow, whose territory is contiguous to theirs, pretending to fear as much as they, proposed that all together should make an alliance with the English, the Nabob of Arcot, and the Mysoreans, not only to oppose Balaventrow at present, but to prevent the invasions of Balajerow to the south of the Kristna in future. All consented, and Morarirow, taking the lead, made the proposal to the Nabob and the presidency in the most explicit terms; Cudapah did so likewise; and both proffered to march immediately and give battle to Balaventrow at Cudapanatam, if the English troops would join them there. The presidency could spare no troops, and was as much afraid of them, as of the Morratoes, entering the province; and in this dilemma resolved, if possible, to procrastinate with Armetrow until the arrival of supplies, or intelligence from Europe, should give some certainty to their conduct; and invited him to come to Madrass, who, on the offer of the Nabob to accompany him, consented: they arrived on the 8th of August, and the next day conferred with the governor, who represented the merit of the English nation in preserving the Carnatic from the dominion of the French, from whom the Morratoes would never have received any tribute, since they had paid none for the northern provinces; in the reduction of which he proffered to join Balaventrow with a body of English troops. But both these arguments admitted the claim; and Armetrow perceiving the