d side, it was only approachable by a causeway
across the swamp, and this was guarded by a strong ravelin, which is
the military name for an outwork erected beyond the ditch of a
fortress. It was, in all respects, capable of a prolonged defence. In
form it was an irregular parallelogram, about eight hundred yards in
length and six hundred yards wide, and on the walls were eleven strong
bastions. The morass which surrounded it was of from three to eighteen
feet in depth.

On the approach of Forde, Conflans evacuated the town; which, also
surrounded by swamps, and lying two miles to the northwest of the
fort, was itself a most defensible position; and retired across the
narrow causeway, more than a mile long, to the fort.

Chapter 27: Masulipatam.

"I am heartily glad that you have come, Marryat," Colonel Forde said,
as Charlie rode up. "I have got here at last, as you see, but that is
a very different thing from getting in. An uglier place to attack I
never saw; and in other respects, matters are not bright.

"Anandraz is a constant worry and trouble to me. He has everything to
gain by our success, and yet will do nothing to aid it. His men are
worse than useless in fight, and the only thing which we want and he
could give us--money--he will not let us have.

"Will you ride with me, to the spot where I'm erecting my batteries,
and you will see the prospect for yourself?"

The prospect was, as Charlie found when he saw it, the reverse of
cheerful. The point which Forde had selected to erect his batteries
was on some sandbanks, eight hundred yards from the eastern face of
the fort. It would be impossible to construct approaches against the
walls; and, should a breach be made, there still remained a wide creek
to be crossed, beyond which lay the deep, and in most parts absolutely
impassable, swamp.

Charlie and his men were employed in bringing in provisions from the
surrounding country; but a short distance in the rear, a French column
under Du Rocher, with two hundred European and two thousand native
troops, with four field pieces, watched the British, and rendered the
collection of provisions difficult. Du Rocher had several strong
places, with European and Sepoy garrisons, near him, in which to
retire in case Forde should advance against him.

"Well, Mister Charles," Tim said, one morning, "this is altogether a
quare sort of a siege. Here we are, with a place in front of us with
ten times as many guns as