Page:Dupleix and the Struggle for India by the European Nations.djvu/123

116 Englishmen and 1300 trained sipáhis, he set out, February 22, 1752, to find his enemy. The latter, more numerous, for they counted 400 Frenchmen and 4000 natives, of whom 2500 were horsemen, had quitted the vicinity of Madras as soon as they had heard of Clive's arrival there, and had marched towards the fort of Arcot in the hope of surprising it. Failing in that attempt, they had doubled back, confident that Clive would soon be on their track, and, in the hope of enticing him into an ambuscade, had taken post at Káveripák, in a strong position, which Clive must traverse on his road to Arcot, and which he, with his impetuous nature, would, they calculated, reach after night had fallen. Their calculations had been made with the greatest accuracy. Clive fell into the trap: reached the position just as darkness was setting in, was completely surprised, was almost beaten; when, with the coolness and daring which characterised him, he took advantage of the darkness to attempt the strongest point of the hostile position, which, he thought, might have been left unguarded; succeeded, and changed a defeat into one of the most decisive victories over achieved. The victory of Kávoripák changed the position in Southern India. It cleared North Arcot of enemies, and enabled Clive to return to Fort St. David to take part, under Stringer Lawrence, in an expedition which was not only to relieve Trichinopoli, but to render that fortress and the country around it the grave of the soaring aspirations of Dupleix.