Page:Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan.djvu/29

Rh but Dupleix having shortly afterwards seized, through De Bussy's daring, the strong fortress of Jinji, and won over to his side the Pathán Nawábs, Násir Jang was compelled again to take the field. In the short campaign which followed Násir was treacherously killed by the Kadapa Nawáb, while Muzaffar Jang was installed as Nizám by the French, and Muhammad Alí fled precipitately to Trichinopoli. The Mysore troops on this occasion bore themselves bravely. Haidar, with the mercenary instinct of a freebooter, took advantage of the confusion to seize, with the aid of his Bedar followers, a large amount of the late Nizám's treasure, with which he retreated to Mysore. Before doing so, he paid a visit to Pondicherry, where he formed a high opinion of the discipline of the French troops and of the skill of their engineer officers.

In 1751 we find Haidar again on active service, accompanying, as commandant of the cavalry, a Mysore force which was despatched by the Dalwái to co-operate with Muhammad Alí, who promised to cede to Mysore Trichinopoli and all the country south of it to the gháts on the eastward. It is not proposed to discuss the incidents of the long war which now