Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/449

Book X. skirts of Malrawzes wood, 12 miles to the N. w. of Madrass. The Polygar, with an agent who had been sent to him by the governor, came to the camp, and promised to bring 2000 Peons and a supply of rice: but, finding no money was intended to be given him, returned the next day into his wood, and appeared no more. Mahomed Issoof, as soon as the camp was pitched, rode with a party of horse as far as Maskelyne's garden, which stands two miles N. w. of Fort St. George, where most of the oxen belonging to the French army were kept under the care of a guard of Sepoys and black horse; whom Mahomed Issoof's party put to flight, and seized most of the cattle. The next day the whole body of French cavalry, who were 300, and Rajahsaheb's who were 800, encamped to the north of the garden, and on the 29th one of their parties routed one of Abdulwahab's, and took ten prisoners. The attention to this army, since their arrival in the neighbourhood, diminished the activity of the enemy's operations against the fort, by the detachments they were obliged to send and recal on different reports and alarms. Their approach, just as the enemy's works were advanced so near the defences increased the alacrity of the garrison. On the 30th, at 11 in the forenoon, a sail was descried to the southward; when nearer, her colours were discerned to be English, and her form that of one of the Company's ships. All the French vessels, which were five, flung out English colours likewise; and the two ships, the Harlem and Bristol, prepared to get under weigh. A catamaran was immediately dispatched from the fort, warning the stranger to beware of them; in the evening Mr. Dalrymple was sent in a boat, with farther instructions to the captain. The catamaran got on board before the ship came to an anchor, which was not until nine at night; and soon after the Bristol came up, received and returned a broadside, and fell to leeward. The ship was the Shaftsbury East Indiaman, commanded by captain Nathaniel Ingliss, and one of those which were bringing Draper's regimeut from Bombay: but, sailing much worse than the others, they made her the hospital ship, and left her off the south of Ceylon on the 7th of the month, after, which, a luckier vein of wind and current brought her to her port before them. The sick, who were