Page:History of the French in India.djvu/522

 496 CHANDRANAGAR AND THE DAKHAtf. chap, sufficient to magnify tenfold the number of men by whom _ XI '„. , ne was accompanied ; that it would keep the entire force 1756. °f * ne enemy on the qui vive, expecting an attack, not daring to make one. He knew that it would have the effect of preventing a single man being sent to reinforce the party that had been detached against Law. The result proved the clearness and excellence of his judgment. Not only did Shah Nawaz Khan make every preparation against attack, but he even recalled the troops that he had detached the previous day to assist in the destruc- tion of Law. Meanwhile, that leader, on receiving Bussy's letter, had given the order to march. At 9 o'clock on the evening of the 14th, he set out, leading the advance himself ; leaving the rear, the post of honour, to d'Arambure. The country between Meliapur and the little river Kin- goram consisted of a long and difficult defile of four miles in length, which, during their four days' rest at Meliapur, the enemy had considerably strengthened. This defile led into a thick copse, between which and the river the country was comparatively open ; between the river and the town of Haiatnagar, a distance of six miles, the country bore the same open character. Once arrived at that place, nothing could prevent their effect- ing a junction with Bussy. During that long night the French laboured vigor- ously to burst through the four miles of defile. In endeavouring to effect this movement, the brunt of the action fell upon d'Arambure; for Kandagla, the Maratha chieftain who had not been gained over, entering the pass with his cavalry and infantry, took every opportunity of harassing and charging their rear-guard, whilst the party in advance, slowly and with difficulty, surmounted the obstacles in front of them. These obstacles consisted of felled trees, strong positions occupied by the enemy, sharp turns in the rock round which the guns had to be moved amid a continued fire. So great were they, that