Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/712

688 overflowed in the rainy season, of which the signs encreased every day; and on the 6th the whole army marched off by the left, and encamped on the ridge of the Red-hill, a mile and half nearer the bound-hedge than their first encampment at Perimbé, but to the left of that ground. The heighth and sandy soil of this situation drained and dried the wet as fast as it fell, and secured at least the troops from this inclemency under foot, and large caserns of mat and bamboo were built to shelter them from the other.

At one the next morning, firing of cannon and musketry was heard in the road of pondicherry. Besides smaller craft, three French ships, the Hermione, the Baleine, and the Compagnie des Indes were at anchor before the town, as near the surf as prudence permitted, and under the command of 100 guns, mounted along the works on this side, and the strand, to protect the road. These ships were intended to wait until the stormy weather, and then sail to ports to the southward, and return with provisions, of which the prevention would in that season become precarious, even should the English squadron be able to continue in sight of Pondicherry. Mr. Stevens had for some time determined to cut them out of the road. His squadron always continued at anchor before Cuddalore. A fortnight before the present, a night had been fixed; but the ships beginning to hoist out their boats before it was dark, they were perceived by telescopes from Pondicherry; and men were immediately sent from the shore to reinforce the French ships; which was likewise discovered by the squadron, and obliged Mr. Stevens to defer the design, until the enemy's suspicions should have ceased. In the mean time the Tyger of 60 guns was sent to continue near Pondicherry, and anchored a little to the south, two miles from the shore. On the night of the 6th, the enterprize was resumed. The boats, six and twenty, were hoisted out after dark, and manned with 400 sailors, mostly volunteers, and sailed to the Tyger, where all assembled at 12. Soon after they perceived the lights in the great cabin of the nearest ship, the Hermione, extinguished, and concluding that the officers were gone to rest, set off for the attack. The boats moved in two divisions, one allotted to the Hermione, the other to the next ship, the