Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/714

690 that the ship had no motion, and resisted by a cable and anchor concealed under her keel; on which the officer who commanded the attack, resolved to leave her. The prisoners below were told, that it was determined to set her on fire, on which they came up readily to be carried off in the boats, which rowed away with them to the Tyger. When arrived on board, the Captain, Digby Dent, said he should send his own men, if the division did not immediately return to bring off the ship. This spirited rebuke prevailed, all the boats set off again and met the ship half a mile nearer; for the land-wind had sprung up and was driving her out.

The dispositions for the attack of the Baleine, were the same, and succeeded more easily. The crew made little resistance; only two men were killed before they surrendered. The rudder of the ship was ashore, but several sails were bent to the yards which sufficed to move and steer her, and she was brought, and anchored near the Tyger, before the Baleine came up. No attempt was made on the Compagnie des Indes.

By this time the want of provisions pressed so hard, that Mr. Lally assembled a general council, and proposed the immediate expulsion of the black inhabitants, who represented that their fidelity alone to those who might condemn them to this severe calamity had left it in their power to inflict it: by their removal likewise, all the Europeans would be deprived of their domestics: and from these considerations the assembly broke up without decisions: but some from fear of the other inconveniences of the blockade during the stormy weather, requested permission of Colonel Coote to send away their families either to the Danish or Dutch settlements on the coast, which were neutral in the war; and passports were granted. Intelligence was received on the 11th, that the garrison intended to march out a detachment of 400 men, to storm the Madrass redoubt in the bound-hedge, and then push on to attack the large redoubt, which the English army had raised to the north of it; on which the picquets of the camp marched, and took post half-way, in order to fall on the rear of the detachment: being discovered, the