Page:Dupleix and the Struggle for India by the European Nations.djvu/150

Rh the English. If he could but hold it, the English were doomed. Lawrence recognised this fact on the moment Instantly he acted. Suddenly with his whole force he smote the French in front and on their flank, and drove them headlong from the rock, capturing two guns and calmly defying all the efforts of the Maráthá cavalry to break his square as it retired. To Astruc the defeat was so mortifying that he resigned his command, and returned to Pondichery. He was succeeded by M. Brennier.

Brennier had no better fortune. Lawrence having moved eastward to escort into the fort provisions of which the garrison was in great need, Brennier thought the opportunity good to attempt to storm the place. As a preliminary, he sent into it disguised a Frenchman named De Cattans to sketch the defences. De Cattans was caught in the act by Dalton. Dalton promised to intercede with Lawrence for his life, provided he would indicate to Brennier such points of attack as Dalton should point out. This was done. The stratagem, however, came to nothing, as when the paper reached Brennier he was occupied with another plan, that of intercepting and destroying Lawrence and his convoy.

But in this he was foiled. From the summit of the Trichinopoli Rock, which rises to the height of 1878 feet above the plain, Dalton was able to signal to Lawrence the positions occupied by the French. The consequence was that in the battle which followed, and which was most severely contested, Brennier