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 248 FRENCH INDIA AT ITS ZENITH. chap, feeling, that Dupleix, seeing the gathering storm, and _, apprehending not only the failure of his hopes, but 1749. danger to French interests, sent positive orders to Duquesne to break off the negotiation, and to attack Tanjur. Duquesne obeyed; and his vigorous measures had a decisive effect. On December 26, he captured three redoubts about 600 yards from the walls ; three days later, after some fruitless negotiations, he assaulted and carried one of the gates of the town. This so intimidated the raja, that he at once gave in, and on the 31st signed a treaty whereby, amongst other stipula- tions, he agreed to pay to Muzaffar Jang and Chanda Sahib 7,000,000 rupees ; to remit from the French East India Company the annual ground rent of 7,000 rupees, which it paid him ; to add to the French possessions at Karikal territory comprising eighty-one villages ; and to pay down to the French troops 200,000 rupees. But, meanwhile, Nasir Jang had succeeded in collecting an enormous army, and was on his march to crush his nephew and rival. Intelligence of this had already been conveyed by the English to the Raja of Tanjur, and this monarch had recourse to all the arts of which he was master to lengthen out the term of payment. By send- ing out, in satisfaction of the sum he had agreed to pay, sometimes plate, sometimes obsolete coin, sometimes jewels and precious stones, he detained Chanda Sahib for some weeks longer under his walls, and it was not until a pressing message from Dupleix informed him that Nasir Jang had entered the Karnatik, that this chieftain renounced the hope of obtaining, even by those instalments, the promised ransom. Even then Dupleix recommended vigorous measures. He urged him to seize Tanjur at once, both as a means of punish- ing the faithless raja, and of providing himself with a place of refuge. Chanda Sahib was willing enough to act upon this advice, but his troops refused to follow him. They too had heard the rumours of the approach