Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/586

562 body from Madura, where he was under the necessity of remaining a while longer. The Colleries of Nattam extend 40 miles, from the districts of the lesser Moraver to the western mountains. Their forest skirts the Madura country to the north; and, where opposite, is within twelve miles of the city. It was they who attacked the troops with Colonel Heron in 1755. They are much wilder than the colleries to the North of them in the territory of Tritchinopoly, and differ still more from those of Madura and Tinivelly, having neither forts nor military array. They acknowledge no considerable chiefs, and live in small parcels, connected by choice or relation; so that their disputes rarely exceed the private revenge of individuals. They regard all other people as booty; but robbery amongst themselves as the greatest crime: and any one of them escorting a stranger is a sufficient protection against all the rest; but without this safeguard, which is always paid for, the traveller risques his life at every step. Contemptible in the open field, where they rarely trust themselves, they are much more dexterous than any of these races in the practices of ambuseade and theft. They had plundered the country up to the gates of Madura of all the cattle, robbed all the villages, and continued to way lay whatsoever parties were returning to the city with provisions from other quarters. As all of the troops with Mahomed Issoof were fit for hostilities against such an enemy, he resolved to employ them in attacking their haunts, whilst his levies were forming to better discipline. He, however, attended the service himself, which appeared more like one of the general huntings peculiar to Asia, than a military expedition. Avenues were cut into the forest, and the inhabitants shot as they fled but some were reserved to be released, or executed, on occasion. A month was, however, employed before he had completed this revenge, and reduced them to beg quarter, and pay cattle, their only money, mostly collected by theft; which, with others he procured, to the amount of 1000 beeves, and 2000 sheep, were sent to Tritchinopoly, from whence they were forwarded at different times by Captain Joseph Smith to the sea-coast, for the use of the squadron,