guest of Dupleix, at Pondicherry.

"On the receipt of the news of the battle of Ambur, Mr. Floyer, who is
governor at Fort Saint David, sent at once to Chunda Sahib to
acknowledge him as nawab; which, in the opinion of everyone here, was
a very foolish step. Muhammud Ali had fled to Trichinopoli, and sent
word to Mr. Floyer that he could hold the place, and even reconquer
the Carnatic, if the English would assist him. I know that Admiral
Boscawen, who was with the fleet at Fort Saint David, urged Mr. Floyer
to do so, as it was clear that Chunda Sahib would be a mere tool in
the hands of the French.

"When Chunda Sahib delayed week after week at Pondicherry, Mr. Floyer
began to hesitate, but he could not make up his mind, and Admiral
Boscawen, who had received orders to return home, could no longer act
in contravention to them, and was obliged to sail.

"The instant the fleet had left, and we remained virtually
defenceless, Chunda Sahib, supplied with troops and money by Dupleix,
marched out from Pondicherry and joined Muzaffar Jung, with the avowed
intention of marching upon Trichinopoli. Had he done this at once, he
must have taken the place, and it was a question of weeks and days
only of our being turned altogether out of Southern India. Nothing,
indeed, could have saved us.

"Muzaffar Jung and Chunda Sahib, however, disregarding the plan which
Dupleix had marked out for them, resolved, before marching on
Trichinopoli, to conquer Tanjore, which is the richest city in
Southern India. The rajah had, only a few weeks before, made peace
with us; and he now sent messengers to Nazir Jung, Muzaffar's rival in
the Deccan, and to the English, imploring their assistance. Both
parties resolved at once to grant it, for alone both must have been
overwhelmed by the alliance between the two Indian princes and the
French; and their only hope of a successful resistance to this
combination was in saving Trichinopoli.

"The march of these allies upon Tanjore opened the road to
Trichinopoli; and Captain Cope, with a hundred and twenty men, were at
once despatched to reinforce Muhammud Ali's garrison. Of this little
force, he sent off twenty men to the aid of the Rajah of Tanjore, and
these, under cover of the night, passed through the lines of the
besiegers and into the city, which was strongly fortified and able to
stand a long siege.

"The English at once entered into a treaty with Nazir Jung, promising
him six hundred Englis