Page:History of the French in India.djvu/244

 222 THE FIRST STRUGGLE IN THE KARNAT1K. CI * r AP - gratulate themselves on the success which had attended — v — ✓ their defensive operations. They began even to entertain ] 748. the hope of keeping Ariakupum secure from the enemy. But, at this crisis, one of those accidents from which no army is absolutely secure occurred to dash their hopes. A large store of gunpowder within the fort was suddenly ignited and exploded. The effect was most disastrous. Nearly a hundred men of the garrison were killed and wounded, and, what was of greater importance, a convic- tion was produced in the mind of their leader, that the place could no longer be successfully defended. They accordingly blew up the walls and the cavaliers, and retreated at once within Pondichery. Still, however, their success against the English had produced a great effect upon the garrison of that city. Their confidence too was increased by observing the caution of the English commander. Admiral Boscawen, indeed, occupied Ariakupum on its evacuation by the French, but, instead of moving at once upon Pondichery, he remained five days to repair the fortifications of a place which was useless to him, and which, in its dis- mantled state, could not be used to any purpose by the enemy. On the 6th September, however, Boscawen moved on Pondichery, taking possession of a redoubt in the north- west angle of the prickly pear hedge. But it was not until the 10th that he opened ground, and then only at a distance of 1,500 yards from the covered way. The next day 150 men having been detached to make a lodge- ment about a hundred yards nearer, 1,200 men of the garrison* under the command of Paradis, made a sortie, attacking both trenches at once. But the fall of Paradis, who was mortally wounded early in the sally, threw the party into disorder, and it was repulsed with the loss of seven officers and a hundred men. The death of Para- — Dapleix.
 * The French garrison consisted of 1,800 Europeans and 3,000 sipahis.