posed impracticability of the fort, and
therefore came to the resolution of keeping possession of it for
himself. The great natural strength of this hill seemed to defy the
combined power of the world. Human art and labour had also added to its
strength. The idea of ever being able to ascend such a place seemed
absurd and romantic, and to effect a breach would have been equally
impracticable. To mine it was beyond the power of human skill. From its
base to its summit was about two miles high, and, on a perpendicular
rock, from a hundred and fifty to two hundred feet high, stood strong
fortifications, with some very heavy cannon and ginjalls. In the centre
stood their grand mosque, with its two sharp spires pricking holes in
the clouds. At a considerable distance from this temple was a large
sheet of water, fed by a beautiful spring; and the troops could shelter
themselves from our shells in excavated rocks. The fort was about two
miles long, by three-quarters broad. On the south side was their
cuttrah, or walled town, and at the principal entrance above the town
innumerable underworks and bastions had been erected for its defence.
When the sun shed its bright beams on its gigantic and variegated sides,
it was truly beautiful. On the following morning I rose early to
accompany the general, who commenced his inspection of the spots pointed
out for our batteries. The top of the fort seemed entombed in the
slumbering clouds, and it was some time before they dispersed. The
position pointed out by the engineer, was upon a hill about two-thirds
of the way up the ascent to the perpendicular rock, and then our guns
were so elevated that we were obliged to sink the trail in the ground,
and, having but little or no room to recoil, they were much injured, and
we could do but little, if any good, except by knocking off the
defences. Indeed, success seemed out of the question, and the only
prospect we could foresee was to shell them into obedience. Our
shelling, therefore, went on systematically, and with great vigour.

One night, having dined with an officer of the Madras army, during the
time that we were before this place, and partaken rather too freely of
the Tuscan grape, I started towards home on my favourite mare, whose
speed not a horse in camp could equal, and lost my way. There was a
considerable space between the camp where I dined, and our own
encampment, the lights of which I thought I was standing fair for; but,
after r