ay even comparable to the cities of
the northwest of India, Trichinopoli was a far more important city
than any they had hitherto seen. They ascended the lofty rock, and
visited the fort on its summit, which looked as if, in the hands of a
resolute garrison, it should be impregnable to attack.

The manner in which this rock, as well as that of Elmiseram and others
lying in sight, rose sheer up from the plain, filled them with
surprise; for, although these natural rock fortresses are common
enough in India, they are almost without an example in Europe. After
visiting the fort they rambled through the town, and were amused at
the scene of bustle in its streets; and at the gay shops, full of
articles new and curious to them, in the bazaars.

"They are wonderfully clever and ingenious," Charlie said. "Look what
rough tools that man is working with, and what delicate and intricate
work he is turning out. If these fellows could but fight as well as
they work, and were but united among themselves, not only should we be
unable to set a foot in India, but the emperor, with the enormous
armies which he would be able to raise, would be able to threaten
Europe. I suppose they never have been really good fighting men.
Alexander, a couple of thousand years ago, defeated them; and since
then the Afghans, and other northern peoples, have been always
overrunning and conquering them.

"I can't make it out. These Sepoys, after only a few weeks' training,
fight almost as well as our own men. I wonder how it is that, when
commanded by their own countrymen, they are able to make so poor a
fight of it.

"We had better be going back to camp again, Peters. At any moment,
there may be orders for us to do something. With Major Lawrence and
Clive together, we are not likely to stop here long, inactive."

Chapter 10: The Fall Of Seringam.

Although called an island, Seringam is in fact a long narrow tongue of
land, running between the two branches of the river Kavari. In some
places these arms are but a few hundred yards apart, and the island
can therefore be defended against an attack along the land. But the
retreat of the French by this line was equally difficult, as we held
the narrowest part of the neck, two miles from Koiladi.

Upon the south, our forces at Trichinopoli faced the French across the
river. Upon the other side of the Kolrun, as the northern arm of the
Kavari is called, the French could cross the river and make their