Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/638

614 cherry; but the importance of Karical rose with the season, and the encreasing distresses of the capital; for becoming, with the change of the monsoon, the windward station, all their vessels arriving on the coast might get their first intelligence here, and, if the road were not occupied by a superior force, were always sure of water, and fresh provisions from the fort, which the foreign settlements of Negapatam and Tranquebar might or might not supply. The grain of the districts, which was considerable, was gathered, and, with what might be purchased in the plentiful country of Tanjore, would become a great resource to Pondicherry, continually losing its own districts by the successes of the army; for it might be conveyed from Karical in the boats of the country, which, favoured by the wind and current, would almost make the passage in a night, and with little risque, even if discovered and pursued, as they can keep close to the surf, in shallow soundings, and along the shore swell of the sea, where vessels of European construction seldom chuse to venture. The French government already repented of the loss of such another possession in Devicotah, although not commanding equal advantages; and had made a strong attempt to recover it. On the 24th of February, a detachment from Chilambrum of 30 troopers, 40 European infantry, and 400 Sepoys, with two field-pieces, invested the fort. On the 27th, they were joined by 80 Europeans and Coffrees from Pondicherry, when the whole intrenched themselves within 200 yards of the walls. The breaches which their garrison had made when they abandoned it, were not completely repaired; and on the 29th in the morning, the enemy made an assault on that which was most practicable; the fire lasted an hour, when they were repulsed, with the loss, as the serjeant supposed, of two officers, and 20 of their Europeans and Coffrees, and more of their Sepoys killed and wounded. They, however, during their stay, and on their retreat, sent and carried away a considerable quantity of grain, which had just been got up from the harvest of the districts. The Presidency of Madrass now became anxious to get possession of Karical, before the French squadron should arrive on the coast; but, as it was intended that the army should as soon as possible