the batteries increased, and by the 13th of January the
enemy's fire was completely silenced. The provisions in the town were
wholly exhausted, and on the 16th the town surrendered, and the next
morning the English took possession. Three days afterwards Lally was
embarked on board ship, to be taken a prisoner to Madras; and so much
was he hated that the French officers and civilians assembled, and
hissed and hooted him; and, had he not been protected by his guard,
would have torn him to pieces. After his return to France he was tried
for having, by his conduct, caused the loss of the French possessions
in India, and being found guilty of the offence, was beheaded.

At Pondicherry two thousand and seventy-two military prisoners were
taken, and three hundred and eighty-one civilians. Five hundred cannon
and a hundred mortars, fit for service; and immense quantities of
ammunition, arms, and military stores fell into the hands of the
captors.

Pondicherry was handed over to the Company; who, a short time
afterwards, entirely demolished both the fortress and town. This hard
measure was the consequence of a letter which had been intercepted,
from the French government to Lally, ordering him to raze Madras to
the ground, when it fell into his hands.

Charlie, after the siege, in which he had rendered great services,
received from the Company, at Colonel Coote's earnest recommendation,
his promotion to the step of lieutenant colonel; while Peters was
raised to that of major. A fortnight after the fall of Pondicherry,
they returned to Madras, and thence took the first ship for England.
It was now just ten years since they had sailed, and in that time they
had seen Madras and Calcutta rise, from the rank of two trading
stations, in constant danger of destruction by their powerful
neighbours, to that of virtual capitals of great provinces. Not as
yet, indeed, had they openly assumed the sovereignty of these
territories; but Madras was, in fact, the absolute master of the broad
tract of land extending from the foot of the mountains to the sea,
from Cape Comorin to Bengal; while Calcutta was master of Bengal and
Oressa, and her power already threatened to extend itself as far as
Delhi. The conquest of these vast tracts of country had been achieved
by mere handfuls of men, and by a display of heroic valour and
constancy scarce to be rivalled in the history of the world.

The voyage was a pleasant one, and was, for the times, quic