Page:Dictionary of Indian Biography.djvu/80

 'Secretary of the Academy of Inscriptions : Member of the Institute of France since 1832 : a great European Orientalist : died May 28, 1852.

BURRELL, LITTELLUS (1753–1827)

Maj-General : born in 1753 : entered the E. I. Co.'s Bengal Army as a volunteer in 1770 : Corporal, 1771; Serjeant, 1772; Serjeant-Major, 1775; Ensign, 1779; Maj-General, 1821 : was at the battle of Cutra, April 23, 1774 : in the capture of Gwalior under Popham in 1780 : fought under Col. John Gardiner at Malavilli : and Seringapatam, 1799 : engaged in Mysore, in Lord Lake's campaigns of 1803, and 1804–5 : commanded a Brigade in 1817 against the Pindaris, and, later, the British forces in Oudh, and at Cuttack : after 1821 he retired, and died Sep. 13, 1827.

BURROW, REUBEN (1747–1792)

A distinguished mathematician and astronomer : born Dec. 30, 1747. son of a farmer : educated at Leeds : became a clerk, usher, schoolmaster, assistant astronomer and schoolmaster at Greenwich, arithmetical teacher at the Tower, edited the Royal Almanack, went to India in 1782, learnt Sanskrit : wrote to Warren Hastings, then Governor-General : appointed to teach mathematics to the Engineers, and on the Survey of Bengal : an early member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, for whom, and the Asiatic Researches, he contributed eleven papers about the mathematics and astronomy of the Hindus : died at Baxar, June 7, 1792.

BURTON, SIR RICHARD FRANCIS (1821–1890)

Traveller, author and linguist : son of Colonel J. Netterville Burton : born March 19, 1821 : educated on the continent, without system, and was at Trinity College, Oxford, for 5 terms from 1840 : to India, 1842, in the Bombay Native Army : made himself proficient in Oriental languages and studied Muhammadan life and customs thoroughly, at Baroda and in the Sind Survey : wrote on Pushto and Beluchi : while in England, from 1849 to 1853, he published works on languages and his Indian experiences. In 1853 he made the pilgrimage to Mecca in disguise, without being detected, and wrote a full account of it. In 1854 he visited Somaliland with the leave of the Bombay Government : wrote Footsteps in E. Africa : in 1855, served in the Crimean war in the Bashibazouks : on leave from India, led an expedition with Speke to discover the sources of the Nile, 1856–9 : gained the gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society, 1859 : left the Indian service, only visiting that country again in 1876, to Aden, Sind and Goa. The rest of his life was spent in the Consular service at Fernando Po, in Brazil, Damascus, Trieste (1872–90), and in extensive travels in North and South America, on the Gold Coast, and in other countries adjacent to his consular appointments. His literary work was very considerable. He wrote on Camoens and translated the Lusiad : planned a great Book of the Sword : and translated the Arabian Nights, with a fulness of text and notes which laid bare his minute knowledge of Oriental nature : his works exceeded 50 volumes. His wife accompanied him wherever possible in his appointments and travels : and wrote a life of him, which was corrected by another account : made K.C.M.G. in 1885 : died at Trieste, Oct. 20, 1890.

BUSSY-CASTELNAU, CHARLES JOSEPH PATISSIER, MARQUIS DE (1718–1785)

French officer : was in La Bourdonnais' expedition to India in 1746 : through his influence, Salabat Jang was made Nizam of Hyderabad in 1751, on the death of Muzaflfar Jang : Bussy secured French ascendency at Hyderabad and the grant of the Northern Sircars : fighting for the Nizam, he defeated the Nawab of Savanore, but was, through jealousy, ordered in 1756 to leave the Nizam's territory : soon regained his supremacy : refused assist- ance to Sturajuddaula, Nawab Nazim of Murshidabad in 1757 : he seized Vizagapatam and other English fortresses, and secured Daulatabad for Salabat Jang. In June, 1758, when at the zenith of his power, he was recalled by Lally, the new French Governor-General at Pondicherry : in the battle of Wandiwash, in which Sir Ejnre Coote defeated Lally, in Jan., 1760, Bussy was taken prisoner by the English, but released. After the capture of Pondicherry on Jan. 16, 1761, no mention is made of Bussy in India until 1783, when