Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/463

Book X. and either from the malignant pleasure of insulting his superior in distress, or from his dread of the French, if they should prove successful, or both, he refused either to admit the Nabob into the city, or to pay him a visit without the walls: nor heeded the representations of Calliaud endeavouring to correct his contumacy. The news likewise frightened the shroff at Tritchinopoly so much, that he retracted his promise, and refused to supply money upon any terms. However, 50 of the horse were assembled at Condore on the bank of the Coleroon, 10 miles north of the city, and Calliaud, in order to encourage the rest to follow, went thither likewise. The next day, which was the 28th, a detachment of 500 Sepoys, which he had ordered from Tritchinopoly to escort the Nabob, passed by in their way to Negapatam; and on the 1st of January he received from Mr. Norris, the member of the council who had accompanied the Nabob from Madrass, 10 of 20,000 pagodas which had been sent by the Presidency to defray the expences of the garrison of Tritchinopoly: but although this supply obviated the pretexts of delay, the king sent out no more horse. On the 5th, major Calliaud visited the Nabob at Aimapettah, and accompanied him to Pondi, a village 7 miles from Tanjore, where the illness of the Nabob's wife detained them the two succeeding days, during which major Calliaud went again to the city, when his exhortations, seconded by the appearance of the escort, prevailed; and the king visited the Nabob on the 8th with the usual ceremonies in a choultry on the road. Major Calliaud, to dignify the Nabob's appearance in his own territory, and at his earnest request, judiciously put himself at the head of the escort, and marched with him to Tritchinopoly: they arrived there on the 10th, but Calliaud returned the next day to Condore; where no more horse had hitherto joined the first party; his letters and messages, for he resolved not to visit the king again, availing as little as before, he returned to Tritchinopoly on the 17th, in hopes of levying a body of horse in the adjacent country; and on his departure expressed, intending it should be conveyed, the utmost indignation at the king's evasions. He however left agents at Condore to