Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/481

Rh fields, it realizes to the traveller his idea of an oriental city. The plantations of bright green sugar-cane are checkered by patches of brown grain and stubble-fields, and give an air of peace and plenty; while to the student of Indian history the hills and plains suggest thoughts of armed hosts, European and Mohammedan, meeting in bloody battle; of marauding bands of Mahratta horsemen; of victory and defeat, with all their sad train of horrors.

In the year 1791, after the capture of Bangalore, Lord Cornwallis advanced upon Seringapatam, and having captured the formidable hill-forts between the two cities, attacked Tippoo by night, and defeated him with great loss. Compelled to retire within his stronghold, and threatened by an immense array of English and Hindu troops, the proud sultan saw the uselessness of resistance, and made peace, with the surrender of one-half of his territories.

But this bloodthirsty prince, who is reported to have said that he would "rather live two days as a tiger than a hundred days as a sheep," could not remain quiet while English power was absorbing India. War was recommenced, and in May, 1799, an English army again looked down from the heights on which we stood on