Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/739

Book XIII. to Gingee, and the payment of 500,000 rupees for their assistance, and proffered substantial shroffs as security; how this wary tribe of money-changers were induced to this venture, when there was not so much in Pondicherry, nor likely to come, remains unaccountable. Either Vizvazipunt himself must have encouraged them to stand forth in appearance, that he might obtain the highest terms from the Nabob; or some secret enemy of the Nabob, who was to gain advantage by the march of the Morattoes into the Carnatic, and the supprt of Pondicherry, must have proved to the shroffs the certainty of producing the money before the payment should fall upon their security; in this case we see no one but Hyderally to conjecture. The Nabob's agents were so perplexed by the fact, that they rose by degrees from the same sum of 500,000 rupees with which they had began, and concluded for two millions, of which one was to be paid in 20 days, and the other in nine months; on which Vizvazipunt told the French representatives, that they had no assistance to expect from him; and Allen and the Bishop went away with their troops, who were 200 Europeans mounted, and 100 on foot, to Hyderally in Bengalore, which is five days from Cudapanatam. The Nabob, on this important occasion, as indeed on all others ever since he was convinced of the probability of taking Pondicherry, enlarged himself with more decision and spirit than he had ever exerted since his government, and first connexion with the English nation; and as the smallest undissembled excesses of the mind tell more than the whole composure of political reason, he never failed to ask Colonel Coote every day, whether he was sure, and when, Pondicherry would surrender. Advices were at the same time received from Captain Preston, that he had attacked the pettah of Thiagar, which stands on the plain, and after some resistance carried both the mud-walls; on which the French troops who defended it ran to the rock, and saved themselves in the fortifications above, which could only be assaulted by surprize, or reduced by famine or bombardment: he had already begun to throw shells from two howitzers, and was waiting