casualties on board the Lizzie Anderson
amounted to three killed and eight wounded. The former were sewn in
hammocks, with a round shot at their feet, and dropped overboard; the
clergyman reading the burial service. The wounded were carried below,
and attended to by the ship's surgeon and Doctor Rae. The ship's decks
were washed, and all traces of the conflict removed. The guns were
again lashed in their places, carpenters were lowered over the side to
repair damages; and when the ladies came on deck an hour after the
conflict was over, two or three ragged holes in the bulwarks, and a
half dozen in the sails, were the sole signs that the ship had been in
action; save that some miles astern could be seen the two crippled
privateers, with all sails lowered, at work to repair damages.

Two or three days afterwards, Charlie Marryat and his friend Peters
were sitting beside Doctor Rae, when the latter said:

"I hope that we sha'n't find the French in Madras, when we get there."

"The French in Madras!" Charlie exclaimed in surprise. "Why, sir,
there's no chance of that, is there?"

"A very great chance," the doctor said. "Don't you know that they
captured the place three years ago?"

"No, sir; I'm ashamed to say that I know nothing at all about India,
except that the Company have trading stations at Bombay, Madras, and
Calcutta."

"I will tell you about it," the doctor said. "It is as well that you
should understand the position of affairs, at the place to which you
are going. You must know that the Company hold the town of Madras, and
a few square miles of land around it, as tenants of the Nawab of the
Carnatic, which is the name of that part of India. The French have a
station at Pondicherry, eighty-six miles to the sou'west of Madras.
This is a larger and more important town than Madras, and of course
the greatest rivalry prevails between the English and French.

"The French are much more powerful than the English, and exercise a
predominating influence throughout the Carnatic. The French governor,
Monsieur Dupleix, is a man of very great ability, and far-seeing
views. He has a considerable force of French soldiers at his command,
and by the aid which he has given to the nawab, upon various
occasions, he has obtained a predominating influence in his councils.

"When war was declared between England and France, in the year '44,
the English squadron under Commodore Barnet was upon the coast, and
the Company sent ou