Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/496

472 those who were defending the gateway; and, on their shout, the troops at the gate rushed in, and in a minute the whole garrison was between two fires, at mercy, every man for himself begging quarter; which was given with more humanity than usual on such exasperation. After all was quiet, Murzafabeg surrendered himself, out of one of the chapels into which he had retired, to some of the Sepoys; but, as they were conducting him to Major Brereton, Mahomed Issoof met them, knew the prisoner, and saying, "These are the terms to be kept with a traitor" with one stroke of his scymetar, almost severed his head from his body. The news of this success was received at Madrass the next day, on which likewise arrived advices of no little importance from Colonel Forde. The Rajah Anunderawze had so little sense of the advantages which might have ensued by pressing on the French immediately after their defeat at Peddipore, that he did not come up with his troops to Rajahmundrum, where Colonel Forde with the English forces were waiting for him, until the 16th of December, which was ten days after the battle, although the distance is only 40 miles. Anunderawze had promised to make the first payment of his treaty, as soon as he should be put in possession of the fort of Rajahmundrum: and, in confidence of his word, Colonel Forde had lent him 20,000 rupees, before he marched with the English from Cossimcotah. This sum, with a supply to the factory at Vizagapatam, and the expences of the field, had absorbed all the money which came from Bengal; and Colonel Forde had nothing but the Rajah's promises to answer the pay of the troops for the month of December. However, still relying on them, he crossed the Godaveri on the 23d, still hoping to appear before Masulipatam before the French had recovered the stun of their late defeat: but the Rajah neither followed with his army, nor sent any money; and, as it would have been vain to have attempted even the march without both, Colonel Forde, with much vexation and resentment, recrossed the river with all the troops on the 26th. The Rajah imagined they were returning to punish him, and, in this fright, fled immediately to the hills which skirt the