Page:Final French Struggles in India and on the Indian Seas.djvu/262

234 age nor sex was spared, and Sombre consummated his diabolical villainy by the murder of Mr. Ellis's infant child, from which it may be inferred that Mrs. Ellis was amongst the female sufferers in this dreadful catastrophe." Upwards of fifty civil and military officers and a hundred European soldiers, perished on this occasion. One officer, Dr. Fullarton, whose medical abilities had gained even the regard of Mír Kásim, had been allowed to reside on the Dutch factory, and escaped some days later. Four Serjeants also who had been sent for from Purníá by Mír Kásim overpowered the crew of the boat in which they were being conveyed, and escaped.

From this date the fate of Sombre was allied to that of the deadliest enemies of the English. Thenceforward his life was a purgatory. He could expect but one fate should he fall into the hands of the countrymen of his murdered victims. He therefore always carried about with him poison to avoid a catastrophe which he never ceased to dread. Sombre took part in the battle of Patna (May 2nd, 1764), fought by Mír Kásim; and in that of Baksar, fought by the Vizier of Oudh against the English (23rd October, 1764). In both these he displayed his usual shiftiness, retreating on the very suspicion of danger. After the ruin of Mír Kásim (1764) he had transferred himself and his brigade to the Vizier of Oudh, but he left him for the Jats in August, 1765.

Whilst serving with the Játs Sombre purchased at Dehli a dancing girl, named Zeb-úl-Nissa, afterwards