Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/561

Book XI. moon was risen, and the Europeans with the ladders were nevertheless at the foot of the wall before they were discovered by the garrison, who immediately thronged and fired; which the Sepoys at the crest of the glacis, who shared part of it, returned in much hurry and confusion, and then ran away; on which Captain Smith seeing no farther probability of success, ordered the Europeans to retreat likewise. Thirty of them had continued in the boats, unable to move with swelled legs, acquired by sitting 60 hours up to their knees in water; and nine, who were foreigners, had deserted. The next day he received intelligence of he repulse of the English troops at Vandiwash, signified with apprehensions of evil consequences from the ill success; and this news, with the mischances of his party, and the preparation of the garrison rendered farther perseverance imprudent. In the morning the disabled men, were sent off to Atchaveram, and the rest followed in the afternoon. The swelling of the rivers had prevented Home's detachment from advancing beyond Tanjore; and if they had, the news of the repulse at Vandiwash, would equally have prevented the attempt on Chilambarum; and they were ordered to return to Tritchinopoly. Captain Smith followed, with his own detachment, and all the stores, through the country along the south bank of the Coleroon, and arrived on the 24th. The small boats were burnt for want of hands to carry them back, but the two larger were left to be towed up, as soon as the freshes were passed.

All the revenues collected by the French government, even when their possessions were most extended, had never sufficed for the expences of the field. Much ground had lately been recovered by the English; whose reinforcements, and their late, although unsuccessful, attack on Vandiwash alarmed the country on the south of the Paliar; in which many of the villagers were quitting their fields, which gave the renters specious pretexts to require abatements oil their leases from the administration of Pondicherry. No money, and many debts remained in the treasury there: and the late revolt demonstrated that the troops could not be trusted for the time to come any longer than they should be strictly paid. The only part of the province