eeing that there was little fear of their returning to succour
Pondicherry, the English now determined to complete the blockade of
that place. In order to have any chance of reducing it by famine, it
was necessary to obtain possession of the country within the hedge;
which, with its redoubts, extended in the arc of a circle from the
river Ariangopang to the sea. The space thus included contained an
area of nearly seven square miles, affording pasture for the bullocks,
of which there were sufficient to supply the troops and inhabitants
for many months. Therefore, although the army was not yet strong
enough to open trenches against the town, and indeed the siege
artillery had not yet sailed from Madras, it was determined to get
possession of the hedge and its redoubts.

Before doing this, however, it was necessary to capture the fort of
Ariangopang. This was a difficult undertaking. The whole European
force was but two thousand strong, and if eight hundred of these were
detached across the river to attack the fort, the main body would be
scarcely a match for the enemy, should he march out against them. If,
on the other hand, the whole army moved round to attack the fort, the
enemy would be able to send out and fetch in the great convoy of
provisions collected at Jinji.

Mr. Pigot therefore requested Admiral Stevens to land the marines of
the fleet. Although, seeing that a large French fleet was expected,
the admiral was unwilling to weaken his squadron; he complied with the
request, seeing the urgency of the case, and four hundred and twenty
marines were landed.

On the 2nd of September two more men-of-war, the America and Medway,
arrived, raising the fleet before Pondicherry to seventeen ships of
the line. They convoyed several Company's ships, who had brought with
them the wing of a Highland regiment.

The same evening Coote ordered four hundred men to march to invest the
fort of Ariangopang; but Colonel Monson, second in command, was so
strongly against the step that, at the last moment, he countermanded
his orders. The change was fortunate, for Lally, who had heard from
his spies of the English intentions, moved his whole army out to
attack the--as he supposed--weakened force.

At ten at night fourteen hundred French infantry, a hundred French
horse, and nine hundred Sepoys marched out to attack the English, who
had no suspicion of their intent. Two hundred marines and five hundred
Sepoys proceeded, in two colum