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Rh were to march with artillery, and placed his best infantry in ambuscade at every available point. The English troops had not proceeded more than four miles, when an alarm was given that the enemy was on their flank. They immediately formed, but, finding the attack was not serious, continued their march. The road lay through an avenue of banyan-trees, with jungle on both sides; and on their entrance into this road they were again attacked on their flanks by the enemy opening two or three guns, and commencing a fire of some musketry from the thick part of the jungle. The British instantly halted, and immediately afterwards endeavoured to take the guns, but the darkness frustrated their efforts: they were, however, silenced by the superior execution of the English artillery; and all reason for delay being at an end, everything was prepared to continue the march.

Colonel Baillie, however, determined to prolong the halt, his own words to Captain Baird being, "I am determined to halt till daylight, that I may have an opportunity of seeing about me." This has generally been regarded as the master-error of the day; for had he continued his march, there seems little doubt that he would either have actually joined Sir Hector Munro, or, at least, have advanced so near to him as to have insured all the advantages expected from the junction. The delay enabled the enemy to withdraw his cannon to a point where they could again be employed in embarrassing the English troops; while it also allowed Hyder time to become apprised of their situation, and to take his measures accordingly.

At daylight, on. the 10th, the British recommenced their march; and as the column moved out of the avenue into the plain, a battery of eight guns opened upon it, supported by a strong body of cavalry and infantry. Colonel Baillie immediately ordered Captains Kennedy and Gowdie, with the native Grenadiers, to attack them; they did so, and succeeded in taking most of the guns and driving back the troops who supported them. But