gitives. The Rajah refused to comply with such counsel, and after
some months spent in negotiations, Tippoo attacked the wall that runs
along the northern frontier of Travancore.

"That was about six months ago. Yes, it was on the 28th of
December--so it is just six months. His troops, fourteen thousand
strong, made their way without difficulty through a breach, but they
were suddenly attacked by a small body of Travancore men. A panic
seized them. They rushed back to the breach, and in the wild struggle
to pass through it, no less than two thousand were either killed or
crushed to death.

"It was nearly three months before Tippoo renewed his attack. The
lines were weak, and his army so strong that resistance was
impossible. A breach, three-quarters of a mile in length, was made in
the wall, and marching through this, he devastated Travancore from end
to end.

"His unaccountable delay, before assaulting the position, has been of
great advantage to us. Had he attacked us at once, instead of wasting
his time before Travancore, he would have found the Carnatic as
defenceless and as completely at his mercy as Hyder did. He would
still have done so, had it depended upon Madras, but as the
authorities here did nothing, Lord Cornwallis took the matter into his
own hands. He was about to come here himself, when General Meadows,
formerly Governor of Bombay, arrived, invested by the Company with the
offices of both governor and of commander-in-chief.

"He landed here late in February, and at once set to work to prepare
for war. Lord Cornwallis sent, from Calcutta, a large amount of money,
stores, and ammunition, and a battalion of artillerymen. The Sepoys
objected to travel by sea, as their caste rules forbade them to do so,
and he therefore sent off six battalions of infantry by land, and the
Nabob tells me they are expected to arrive in four or five weeks'
time. The Nabob of Arcot and the Rajah of Tanjore, both of whom are
very heavily in debt to the government, are ordered, during the
continuance of the war, to place their revenues at its disposal, a
liberal allowance being made to them both for their personal expenses.

"Tippoo is still in Travancore--at least, he was there ten days ago,
and has been endeavouring to negotiate. The Nabob tells me he believes
that the object of General Meadows, in advancing from Trichinopoly to
Caroor, is to push on to Coimbatoor, where he will, if he arrives
before Tippoo, cut him off fr