Page:History of the French in India.djvu/585

 MUTINY OF THE FRENCH ARMY. 559 other causes detained him another week, and when, at chap. last, he did set out for the camp of Basalat Jang, who X1L all this time had been anxiously awaiting his arrival, it 1150. was only to be recalled by the distressing intelligence that the army at W audi wash had mutinied. It was too true. At daybreak, on October 17, the Earopean por- tion of the French army, at a given signal, took pos- session of the field artillery, and, leaving their officers and colours, marched six miles in the direction of Madras. Here they halted, and elected officers from amongst their sergeants, in the place of those they had abandoned, one La Joie, Sergeant-Major of the regiment of Lorraine, being appointed Commander-in-chief. The new officers, having first made every disposition for the order and defence of the camp, then drew up and des- patched a letter to Lally, in which they expressed their willingness to allow him four days for reflection, and for the payment of the arrears due to them ; on the ex- piration of that time, should these demands not be complied with, they would proceed to extremities. The fact was that the soldiers, themselves ten months in arrear, had been deceived by the reports, industri- ously circulated, as to the amount hoarded by Lally himself, and despatched by him in a frigate to France. It fortunately happened, however, that the Sergeant- Major La Joie, thoroughly well-disposed towards his general, had only accepted the office with a view to bring the revolters promptly to their duty. His endea- vours in this respect were seconded by the prudent conduct of Lally. As soon as the intelligence of the revolt reached him he assembled the Council, and appealed to the patriotism of its members to assist him in this urgent need by their subscriptions, he himself heading the list with a donation of 20,000 rupees. Many of those present, including Father Lavaur, M. Boileau, and the Chevalier de Crillon, responded heartily to the call. De Leyrit, net content with