t to cut down the hill, so that our large guns
might be dragged up by means of men. This arranged, we pushed on for
about a couple of miles. Our route lay through the bed of a river,
which was then dry, but which, from the enormous trees that had been
washed down its current, must be rapid and destructive during the
monsoons. I believe the whole distance we had accomplished did not
exceed five miles, and we had been upwards of sixteen hours on the move.
By the evening, the enemy had learnt of our being in their country with
a large force, with elephants, guns, &c., which so much alarmed them,
that they dared not so much as take a peep at us. They said that we were
not men, but devils, and that we must have descended from the skies.
Some set forth that we were seen soaring in the air in aerial cars,
drawn by elephants. Thus, their idolatrous superstition frightened them
out of their wits; and until some of them, more courageous than the
rest, had ventured and felt that we were men, they could not be
prevailed upon to return to their posts, nor would they ever believe
that we had ascended the ghaut; and, indeed, to view it even after the
hill had undergone such a metamorphosis, it was then almost beyond
credit that the whole army, with twenty-four pounders, should have been
got up.

Our next object was to keep firm possession of what we had attained with
so much difficulty; for which purpose a small hill was selected for the
general safety, on which we established outlying piquets. From hence we
could reconnoitre the surrounding neighbourhood; but we had scared the
foe far into the woods and hills. The beauteous sun, which had in mercy
dried our wet clothes, was now on the decline, but assumed such an awful
colour, that it looked like a blood-stained banner. It had, when this
idea came across my mind, half buried itself behind the highest hill
visible from our new and exalted situation. When the sun had wholly
retired behind the hills, the golden rays which lingered on the scene
rendered it truly magnificent and ravishing. The mountains in the
distance were so high, that their tops seemed to touch the clear blue
clouds, while those which exceeded the others in height seemed pushing
their smaller neighbours headlong, to crush the foe below.

When the sombre robe of eve began to spread itself over the beauteous
scene, fires were seen as far as the eye could reach. These were signals
of alarm, and we could not expect anythi