, to place the command
in the hands of the officer upon whom he most relied.

On the night of the 6th of April Clive set out; with a force composed
of four hundred English, seven hundred Sepoys, three thousand Mahratta
cavalry, a thousand Tanjore cavalry, six light guns and two heavy
ones. Descending the river, he crossed the island at a point three
miles to the east of Law's camping ground, and marched to Samieaveram,
a town nine miles north of the island, and commanding the roads from
the north and east.

The movement was just made in time. Dupleix, utterly disgusted with
Law, had resolved to displace him. D'Auteuil, the only officer he had
of sufficient high rank to take his place, had not, when previously
employed, betrayed any great energy or capacity. It appeared,
nevertheless, that he was at any rate superior to Law. On the 10th of
April, therefore, he despatched D'Auteuil, with a hundred and twenty
French, and five hundred Sepoys, with four guns and a large convoy, to
Seringam, where he was to take the command. When he arrived within
fifteen miles of Samieaveram, he learned that Clive had possession of
that village, and he determined upon a circuitous route, by which he
might avoid him. He therefore sent a messenger to Law, to acquaint him
with his plans, in order that he might aid him by making a diversion.

Clive, in the meantime, had been at work. On the day after his arrival
at Samieaveram, he attacked and captured the temple of Mansurpet,
halfway between the village and the island. The temple was lofty, and
stood on rising ground, and commanded a range of the country for many
miles round.

On its top, Clive established a signal station. Upon the following day
he carried the mud fort of Lalgudi, which was situated on the north
bank of the river, two miles to the east of Paichandah, which now
remained Law's only place of exit from the island.

D'Auteuil, after sending word to Law of his intentions, marched from
Utatua, where he was lying, by a road to the west which would enable
him to move round Samieaveram to Paichandah. Clive captured one of the
messengers, and set off with his force to intercept him. D'Auteuil,
however, received information by his spies of Clive's movement, and
not wishing to fight a battle in the open, with a superior force, fell
back to Utatua, while Clive returned to Samieaveram.

Law, too, had received news of Clive's movement. Here was a chance of
retrieving the misfortunes of