Page:Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan.djvu/155

Rh destiny had declared against him on the western coast, where his commanding officer, Hussén Alí, was signally defeated by Colonel Hartley; while the Governor of Bombay, General Abercromby, landing at Tellicherri, reduced Cannanore, so that by the end of 1790 the whole of Malabar was freed from Tipú's sway. It must be admitted, however, that by his energy and the celerity of his movements Tipú had for a time checked and discomfited his opponents, who, instead of occupying any part of his territory, found themselves attacked in the very centre of their own possessions.

At the end of January, 1791, Lord Cornwallis, the Governor-General, who had arrived at Madras in the previous month, assumed personally the command of the army then assembled at Vellore, and determined to undertake the siege of Bangalore. Tipú, on hearing of his advance towards the Mysore country, hastened to prevent his ascending the Gháts from the Báramahál. But Lord Cornwallis, by a feigned march on Ambúr in that district, took the main army first north, and then due east, to the Múgli Pass, which he reached in four days without opposition. The ascent was found to be comparatively easy, and in a few more days he was joined by his siege-train. When his equipments were perfected, he marched towards Bangalore by way of Kolár and Hosakote, both of which places made no resistance, and encamped fifteen miles from the object of attack. Tipú endeavoured to harass his movements by his cavalry and rocket-men, and next day