_War renewed with the English—Bangalore taken from Tippoo.—
Author and Companions entertain some Hopes of Escaping—
Seem zealous for Tippoo—Obtain Confidence—Trusted with
Arms—Gain Military Employment—Storm a Fort—Meditate an
Escape—Make an Effort—Compelled to Return—Take their
Final Departure—Progress of their Journey—Accidents—
Enter some Mahratta Forts—Alarm—Danger—Seasonable
Relief—Reach a Hospital, under the Care of an English
Doctor—Kindly received—Visit the Mahratta Camp—
Hospitable Treatment—March with the Army—Military
Progress—Extraordinary Death of a Sepoy—Repair to
Madras—Sail for England, and arrive in Safety._
Nearly four tedious years had rolled away, during which we had scarcely
heard of war; at length, Bangalore was taken by Lord Cornwallis: this
was news indeed! but we were forced to dissemble, and affect to be very
sorrowful. How necessary to act the hypocrite in some cases! We soon
learned also—for they were kinder to us now, through fear—that the
Mahrattas were making (to us glorious) inroads into Tippoo’s country,
which afforded us some hopes of one day having an opportunity of making
our escape. The Mahrattas, our allies, had, in the course of a few
months, taken and destroyed two-thirds of the district of Chitteldroog;
when Dowlah Saib, then killadare, or governor, not so unfriendly to the
English as many others in his situation, collected together a force of
about 3500, inclusive of the four battalions in which we were. With
these he frequently made excursions, in order to retake from our allies
what they had taken from him; and in these excursions we were always
excepted.
We now more than ever put our mental powers to work, to effect our
escape; the plan we adopted, was, apparently to be more zealous than
ever we had been, in Tippoo’s service. When we supposed this was
sufficiently noticed, we went to the commandant, who had the sole
direction of the four battalions. We could now all talk the language
fluently, and we appointed Mr. Drake, midshipman of the Hannibal, to
negociate this, to us, important business, in which he acted the
hypocrite admirably, and to our entire satisfaction. On our arrival
before him, after paying our most reverential Mohammedan obedience, we
humbly asked him the reason that we were not taken with our battalions?
He frankly answered us, for he was by no means a cruel Moor, that he was
apprehensive we should leave him. Here he was perfectly right; but
duplicity was our only alternative. We therefore began to work upon his
credulity, giving him to understand, that we had been a long time in the
service, and had long eaten the sultan’s salt, (a common expression
among the Moors;) that many of us had children, and that we were become
as themselves; that we did not consider ourselves deficient in personal
courage, and wished for an opportunity of shewing it. Our reasons had
the desired effect: he placed confidence in our observations, good man;
and the next day each was ordered a musket, bayonet, and twenty rounds
of ammunition, &c.
We were not long unemployed, for our killadare receiving advice that
Tilligore, a mud fort of some little strength, had been taken, not by
the Mahrattas, but by a banditti of Canaries, he ordered his forces to
be in readiness to march the next morning against them. We were taken
with our battalions, and two days brought us near its walls, a distance
of sixty miles. Here we halted for the night, and the next morning our
commander, the killadare himself, sent a summons to the fort to
surrender; but their answer being of a spirited nature, we were ordered
to advance, and such was their tenderness towards us, that we were
selected, and placed in front, like a forlorn hope; with this exception,
that a forlorn hope is generally composed of volunteers, but we had no
choice.
The fort was surrounded by a formidable thicket, which is always the
case in the interior, where wild beasts abound; which we breached with
our bayonets, throwing it in different directions. While doing this, we
were assailed by stones, some of them a pound weight, from slings; one
of our number, which was twelve altogether, was knocked down by a stone,
and lost an eye. On entering the thicket, three more fell; two were
killed, and one was wounded by a ball through his shoulder. The blacks
now came to our assistance on the glacis; but here we had no chance of
doing any execution, unless we could pass a shot through their
loop-holes while they were in the act of firing. Scaling ladders were at
length brought, and the poor wretches who had to erect them were scalded
in a dreadful manner, by the besieged pouring on them boiling oil mixed
with cowdung. However, one ladder was erected, on which about thirty
mounted, when they threw a large log over the wall, which struck the
ladder about the middle, and broke it; they all fell; and several with
their swords through the bodies of their companions. Two small
field-pieces were now brought out, served by Frenchmen, and by
cannonading for about three hours, a breach in the wall was made, and
deemed practicable; but the ladder was found considerably too short.
Here numbers fell; and had they stood to it, they would have repulsed
3500 with about 90 men: but their ammunition failing, they grew timid,
and ran from the breach, which they had defended awhile with bravery.
In short, the fort was stormed, the males were put to the sword, with
the exception of a few, whom I am proud to say we were instrumental in
saving, and who called upon all the deities they ever worshipped, to
bless and preserve us. Mr. Wentworth Augustus Lesage, a midshipman of
the Hannibal, was shot through the heart. He was the next man to me; we
were like brothers, so firm a friendship existed between us, and were
never apart more than necessary. As he was falling, I caught him in my
arms, and at the same instant a black from the fort was deliberately
levelling his musket at me. I fortunately observed him, laid the body of
my unfortunate friend down, took up my musket, and, although it was
unloaded, presented it at the deliberate villain; at which he was
alarmed, and ran from his situation. Thus, by a sudden presence of mind,
I saved my life. Lesage was one of the finest, and perhaps strongest,
young men in India, both in body and mind, and was lamented by all who
knew him, both black and white. He had made such rapid proficiency in a
knowledge of their manners and customs, that, had he lived, he would
have been an honour to his country, and a rival to Sir William Jones in
Asiatic literature. They wished us to leave him where he fell; but
myself and Mr. Drake, whom I have already mentioned, got a camel, (a
blanket made of camel’s hair,) tied the four corners together, put a
pole through it, and in this way carried him to a paddy, or rice field,
where, with our hands and bayonets together, we secured him as well as
we could under ground; but doubtless the jackals, which were remarkably
numerous, soon had him up again. This being done, the night advanced
apace; and when the butchery was over, which is more or less the
consequence of storming, every thing that was inflammable was set on
fire.
We now considered it a fair opportunity of pushing off; but the tears
and forcible entreaties of two of our party, who were wounded, prevented
us for this time. Poor fellows! they knew what their fate would be, had
we left them; besides, they belonged to five of us, who had bound
ourselves many years before never to forsake each other. In short, we
returned to Chitteldroog, after losing about 200 men; and knowing we had
not behaved amiss, expected soon another opportunity, but this did not
offer for three months afterwards.
In the intermediate period, our good commandant, in a fit of madness,
from taking too much opium, cut his throat, and thus saved himself from
reprehension respecting us. Three months elapsed, when one night we were
assembled for an excursion.[22] About half-past ten, we marched from the
fort, and at day break encamped ten miles distant from Chitteldroog,
where we lay inactive for several days. Here they kept a jealous eye
over us, particularly by night, so that it was next to impossible to
effect any thing; knowing this, we were determined to try the day for
the attempt. Noon was agreed on as the most proper time. The five[23] of
us who had long bound ourselves to each other for this purpose,
accordingly stole out of the camp, singly, in different directions, and
met at the distance of a mile, as by agreement; immediately pushing for
a jungle, or wood, which lay about six miles distant, which, if we could
reach, would crush the alarming fears we were under from the pursuit of
their cavalry. We had no arms at this time, but a carbine, which Mr.
Drake carried behind him, covered by his black camel. We were now
pushing on rapidly, when, to our great consternation, we saw a company
of armed men coming the same road we were going. They could not but see
us; we instantly separated, and, providentially for us, a tremendous
shower of rain came on at the moment, which well covered our retreat
back to the camp. We learned, in the evening, that a company of sixty
men were the day before sent on a reconnoitring expedition: this was the
party; and we were not a little rejoiced at our narrow escape.
About eight o’clock in the evening, an order was issued to strike our
tents, and from the hurry and bustle that prevailed, we concluded that
an enemy, or friend to us rather, was near. Immediately, the line took
arms, and was on its march for Chitteldroog. The sky darkened, and an
approach of rain was near, the effects of which they were intent upon
guarding against: this was our time. We belonged to different companies,
but the heavy rain did away with all restrictions. We joined, and pushed
through several battalions which were on our left, in order to gain a
jungle, which was at no great distance. It was now very dark; we entered
the jungle, and slackened our pace. Being in the rear, I thought I could
discern something behind me, when, halting and turning round, I
distinguished a person following us; I asked in Moorish, “Who is that?”
“Richardson,” was the answer. This poor fellow, who was suspicious of
our design, had narrowly watched our motions: we were glad to find it
was he, and asked him what was his motive for this conduct? He replied,
“To go with you.” We gave him our hands, and desired him to come on,
which he did for a quarter of a mile, when he suddenly stopped, and wept
aloud. We asked him the cause of this behaviour, but received no answer
for some time, when we forced him to explain himself. The poor fellow,
then, in broken accents, told us he could not leave his children! He had
two; this wrung my heart, but it did not alter my resolutions! we gave
him all the encouragement we could, but all to no purpose, and he went
back with his heart ready to burst, but made his escape afterwards.
We soon, to our comfort, got out of the jungle; and it then appeared a
little lighter, but not a star was to be seen. Here we should have been
in an awful dilemma, had the winds been variable, as they are in the
western world; but the trade wind, so called, was very much in our
favour; in fact, it was our compass, for keeping it on our right cheek,
we knew we were steering due north, which was our proper course to a
place of safety.
Here a circumstance happened, which had every appearance of proving a
sad misfortune to one of our party. Those who are acquainted with the
interior of India, know what kind of thorns are there, as stiff as
nails, and as sharp as needles. One ran into Whitway’s foot, which
precluded him the possibility of walking. He sat down, and in a manly
tone requested we would make the best of our way, with a “God prosper
you, for I cannot move a step further.” This was a lamentable case, but
we were not disposed to leave him so: we had provided ourselves with
little useful articles for our design; we had in our butwaws,[24] flints
and steel, and one fortunately had some cotton; and, as necessity is the
mother of invention, we put our wits to work. One struck a light,
another rolled up a piece of the cotton, while the other two held a
camel over his head. Mr. Drake stood surgeon, and, with time and
difficulty, extracted the thorn, which was full an inch long. Thus
delivered, he joyfully rose, and away we pushed as cheerfully as
circumstances would admit. Our chief care now was, to preserve our arms
and ammunition in order: these were our secondary dependence; Providence
was our first. We knew not how soon we might want them, for it was
essentially necessary to be all eye and all ear.
We had not gone three miles farther, when we suddenly fell on a party of
armed men, whose numbers we knew not; they were busily employed in
preparing their rice and currie. They left all on our approach, and fled
one way; and ourselves, no less surprised, turned off another; our
business was not fighting, but flying. Shortly after this adventure, we
came to a thicket, which we considered a safe and convenient place to
take a little refreshment. We consumed what we had, with the exception
of a small quantity of raw rice, which we still held good. When the day
began to break, we found ourselves near a rising ground, which we lost
no time in ascending. Here we had a view of two villages, at the foot of
the hill, belonging to Tippoo, where we could discern the people
preparing their food, and at their different employments. We lay snug
the whole of the day, exposed to the scorching heat of the sun, and
torrents of rain, alternately. We could see Chitteldroog at a distance
of about twenty miles. Here more genuine sorrow oppressed me; and not
speaking to an affectionate woman, or even kissing a lovely child,
preyed on my spirits. Great Being! thou, and thou only, knowest what the
joyful, gloomy fluctuations of a mind under similar circumstances are! I
fain would have gone back, could I have done so with safety, yet that
was more dangerous than proceeding: but enough.
About five in the evening, we descended the hill, whilst yet good
day-light; and fortunately for us, since, having a thick jungle to pass,
an attempt to have done it in the dark would have proved fruitless. One
of the party, who carried our poor pittance of rice, unfortunately fell
into a deep pit, and it was with great difficulty we got him out again;
and had we not descended the hill when we did, the obstructions would
have been insurmountable after dark. Here some good being directed our
weary steps. After passing this difficulty,[25] we saw, by the little
light that yet remained, a man driving two or three buffaloes to a
ruined village. He saw us, and hastened his pace; but we neared him, and
desired him to stop: he was terrified, and made the more haste, until we
called out to him in the Tillingey language, which he understood, and
stopped immediately. From this poor fellow, for such he was, we gained
some information; and one branch appeared to us extremely gratifying,
viz. that there was a fort, not more than three miles distant, in the
possession of the Mahrattas. We requested him to shew us the road, which
he promised to do after he had secured his cattle; we desired him to
make haste, which he very reluctantly did. We took the old man with us;
and when we came to the fort, he begged we would suffer him to depart,—
adding, he should lose his life if he were discovered. This we could
easily believe; and after making him swear by his gods, that what he had
told us was strictly true, we rewarded him in the best manner we could,
and dismissed him.
We entered the fort, which we had no sooner done, than we were
surrounded by at least fifty armed men, with pikes, swords, and muskets.
A number of haughty questions were asked us; such as, Where we came
from? What we were? &c. &c. And as they spoke, they closed on us much;
when one roared out, in the Canary language, to seize and bind us: this
they supposed we did not understand. We instantly, for not a moment was
to be lost, charged the thickest of them, not with a design of injuring,
but to intimidate them; it had the desired effect, they fled in all
directions, the two sentinels at the gate only remaining. We addressed
them, saying, we had no intention of hurting any, and particularly those
who were the allies of the English; closing with a request that they
would shew us the way out of the fort. They were very surly, and one of
them asked us which way we came in? Thinking it would be time thrown
away to stand parleying with those wretches, we insisted upon one of
them (it was now about midnight) shewing us the way out of the fort; and
the man who asked us how we came in, prompted by fear, complied with our
demand. This place, we afterwards learned, had recently been taken
possession of by the Mahrattas, but Tippoo’s people were still in it,
who affected to be well disposed towards the former; but supposing it
would soon be in the hands of Tippoo again, would have treated us as
they said, but fear checked them. We were not a little joyful on this
occasion, and reflected severely on one of our party for advising us to
go into the fort. This proved a very fatiguing night’s march indeed. The
red heavy soil sticking to our sandals the thickness of an inch, the
heavy rains lately fallen, the darkness of the night, with scarcely any
rice left, were circumstances truly discouraging; but having no
alternative, we pushed on, one leading the van, who was relieved every
half hour, as nearly as we could guess, he having the most danger to
encounter. This plan was adopted in consequence of three tumbling into a
ditch together, during the first night’s march.
About day-break, we found ourselves near a tallow, or lake; here two of
our number alarmed the other three, by positively asserting they saw a
tiger on the other side of the water. This was very unseasonable, as we
were much exhausted from the efforts we had already made. I could see
nothing of the kind myself, though I rather think they did, as they were
positive afterwards. Here we laid ourselves down, and notwithstanding
our bodies made impressions of three or four inches in the mud, I do not
recollect I ever experienced such refreshing sleep. When we awoke, it
appeared, by the sun’s height, to be about nine o’clock; and after
refreshing ourselves with a few mouthfuls of rice, the last we had, and
some water, adjusting our priming, &c. we pursued our journey. About
eleven, we saw a fort at no great distance, which somewhat alarmed us;
but meeting a person who appeared very intelligent, we learned the state
of the country, and informed him of our affair on the preceding evening.
He gave us to understand, that he was a Mahratta himself, and that there
was no cause for fear now, as the fort was commanded by a Mahratta. With
this news, we cheerfully advanced under its walls; but, to our no small
surprise, found ourselves a second time surrounded! We remonstrated,
but, notwithstanding, were kept nearly two hours, during which time two
officers were sent from the fort to examine us; and, when they had done,
they returned to the killadare’s, to give him an account.
In this interval, we could not tell what to make of it, and particularly
as a few of the guards were gradually closing. We requested them to
stand at a less menacing distance; which they refused, and we insisted
on. Here was all but —— they threatened; we were resolute: they said
they would disarm us; we dared them to it; asking them, at the same
time, whether many of them had not fathers, mothers, brothers or
sisters, wives and children, to lament their loss? and did they suppose
we would submit with impunity? We were on the alert; our bayonets fixed,
and looking as fierce, perhaps, as Falstaff did when giving an account
to Prince Henry of the numbers he had slain. But, waving this, we
expected nothing for awhile but fighting for it. We had arranged our
plan of attack long before this, viz. in case any thing of this kind
should occur, to charge immediately after firing our pieces, with what
effect we could: and I humbly think that none of us would have been
taken alive, for we had well weighed the result in such a case; but,
thank God! we were speedily relieved from this untoward situation by the
arrival of the killadare himself, who, at our request, ordered the
guards to withdraw. He was very inquisitive; in fact, our appearance was
enough to excite curiosity; and as we were very hungry, we said we would
barter with him. He asked, how? We replied, if he would be pleased to
order us something to satisfy our craving appetites, we should then
cheerfully give him all the information in our power. He laughed
heartily, repeating several times, “What a curious barter!” He, however,
readily acceded to our request, ordering some rice, doll,[26] and
ghe,[27] which we soon converted into a good dish of cudgeree,[28] and
while preparing, one or the other was answering his questions, for we
could all talk Moorish, but learned it not from choice. In short, he
appeared pleased with our information, and grew kind; and we were no
less pleased with his bounty. He made us large offers to stay with him,
which we thankfully declined; and after gaining what information we
could relative to the Mahratta camp; where they were? whether any
English were with them? who had the command of them? &c. though, by the
bye, we had learned his name before; and our mentioning it, we
afterwards conjectured, induced him to treat us with kindness;[29] we
heartily thanked him for the refreshment we received, and he as heartily
wished us safe to the Mahratta camp: thus, with mutual good wishes, we
left him.
When we were about a mile distant, we looked back, and saw a man running
after us; we stopped, and waited his arrival: when he came up, he gave
us to understand, that the killadare had sent his salam, (compliments,)
to request a few cartridges. We would sooner have parted with our
clothes, such as they were, than our ammunition, for we knew not what
dangers we had still to encounter: however, we could not refuse without
ingratitude, and we agreed to send him five, one from each, with our
respects, &c.
Towards the evening, we came to a river, which, with much difficulty, we
forded; and, after gaining the opposite side, we began to think of our
night’s lodging, and of preparing the only meal of rice we had left from
the killadare’s bounty. Some little distance from the margin of the
river, we found a spot which suited our purpose; here we pitched, and
after preparing our food and sleeping soundly that night, we found
ourselves in the morning quite refreshed, and cheerfully pursued our
journey.
About twelve o’clock, we saw some men coming towards us; they did not
appear numerous, and we met them: they were eight pulligars, or pikemen,
belonging to a fort in the possession of our allies, which was distant a
coss, or three miles. We asked them who commanded the fort? They
answered, a Moor, and a cheerful good-natured man. This information was
received by us with much pleasure, and we immediately made for the fort,
without fear. On arriving at the gates, we inquired for Eusin Cawn, the
killadare, for we had learned his name from the pulligars; when we were
answered, that he was in the interior of the place, and that they would
send a messenger to him to announce our arrival. On the Moor’s return,
we were informed that the killadare wished to speak to one of us,
unarmed. We had confidence here, and deputed one of our party, disarmed,
to speak to the chief; and on his return, we found every thing to our
wishes, with the additional pleasure of hearing, that at the distance of
eighteen miles there was an English doctor, with a number of sick
Sepoys. This, to us, was news indeed! This killadare was just the man he
had been represented to us; open, generous, and facetious, he formed a
striking contrast to the generality of Asiatic Mohammedans, who are
empty, subtle, and cruel.
We were now led to a choltree,[30] where we were soon informed that the
killadare would pay us a visit. We received, prior to his making his
appearance, provisions of an excellent quality, and while in the act of
preparing it, he, with his guard, was approaching. On his arrival, we
made our salam, which he most cordially returned; then followed
interrogatories: our answers were extremely pleasing to him, and he
appeared highly gratified. He paid us many compliments on our courage in
effecting our escape, and closed by shrewdly observing, “I suppose you
will soon lose sight of the Prophet, now.” To this we made no reply, not
being willing to offend our benefactor. We gave him a hint that we were
hungry, which he quickly understood, and politely withdrew. Here we
staid one night, and fed on the best this good Mussulman could procure
for us; and as our fears and cares were in a great measure removed, we
enjoyed ourselves in a superlative degree.
In the morning, we waited on the killadare, to thank him for his kind
attention to us. He very warmly expressed himself our friend, and most
cordially invited us to tarry with him; adding, that every thing should
be done to make our stay comfortable: but to this we could not accede;
and after many jocose remarks on his part, and mutual good wishes on
both, we proceeded on our journey towards Hurryhur, a place of some
strength, situate on the margin of the Tonguibadra river. At noon we
came within sight of the fort, which we beheld with transports of joy.
We now concluded ourselves safe from the fangs of Tippoo, and fired a
_feu de joie_, in our own way, on the occasion. On our approaching the
gate, the first object that struck our attention was an English Sepoy
sentinel: he very properly asked us, where we came from? and what we
were? and when he received our answers, his heart participated in our
pleasure; for numbers of the Sepoys, taken by Hyder and Tippoo, had
suffered more cruel treatment than the Europeans, and with this they
were well acquainted. He kindly pointed out where the English doctor
resided, whose name he informed us was Little. We immediately went to
his abode, where we found another Sepoy sentinel. We asked him if Dr.
Little was within? He answered in the affirmative. We requested to see
him, and his servant made his appearance at the door. This man was an
English, or, which is all one, a Scotchman. His surprise was so great,
that we could not, for a while, get any words from him; and no wonder,
for he had never seen such a sight before. We were in Tippoo’s full
uniform, that is, all that was left of it; blue turbans on iron hoops,
tiger jackets, with a camel over our shoulders and tied round our loins,
mustaches nearly reaching our ears, two of us sorely wounded by falls,
and the whole, in pushing through thickets, completely scarified.
Finding this man to be the doctor’s servant, we requested to speak to
his master; who soon appeared. His surprise was not less than his
servant’s. He asked, who we were? where we came from? and several other
questions, almost in one breath. We informed him we had been taken in
the Hannibal, 50-gun ship, in the year 1782, by Count de Suffrein, and
delivered over to Hyder Ali; and that we had, after a variety of
hardships, providentially effected our escape. Here a pathetic scene
took place; the good doctor’s sensibility was touched, and the tears
trickled down his face as fast as they could flow. Recovering from his
emotions, he, in broken accents, requested us to walk in, when he kindly
desired us to sit down; but some minutes passed before any conversation
took place. Here we had many good things provided for us, and among them
some French brandy, of which we drank moderately, thankfully, and
cheerfully. The good man partook of our joy, and was very attentive to
every thing we said; in fact, he used every effort in his power to make
our stay comfortable.
Two months elapsed, while we were in this place, when it was announced
that the Mahratta army was within three days’ march of us; and as there
were three battalions of English Sepoys acting in conjunction with their
army, commanded by Major Little, our good friend, the doctor, thought
this a safe and favourable opportunity to send us to the camp. We
accordingly set out, in company with some Sepoys, who were recovered of
their wounds and disorders; mustering about fifty altogether, well armed
and accoutred, and, after three days’ march, we reached the camp.
Here we were treated like little kings; and Major Little, in company
with his officers, was pleased to say, we were an honour to our country.
This observation, from a gentleman of his known courage and ability, was
not a little in our favour; we were respected by all who knew our
circumstances. Here we ranged every day where we pleased, having nothing
to do, but to march with the camp, and strike and pitch our tent when we
came to the ground. The Mahratta army consisted of 40,000, and its
followers three times that number; their infantry was the most
contemptible I ever saw, but the cavalry was good, and has often proved
fatal to troops once broken. Here we had some painful opportunities of
seeing the Bramin women ascend the funeral pile with the dead bodies of
their husbands, apparently with as much composure as we would sit down
to our breakfast.
We were several months in this camp, during which time, the Mahratta
chief, in conjunction with our little detachment, took the important
post of Simoga, with several other places of some strength, and defeated
Riza Saib, and near 10,000 of the sultan’s cavalry. This success flushed
Purso Rhamboo to that degree, that he immediately pushed on for Hyder
Niger, or Bednore, (the fatal spot for General Matthews, which I have
already mentioned,) with an intention of laying siege to it. This was a
wonderful undertaking for a Mahratta army; but in those cases he placed
his confidence in our little detachment, who were always the van in all
danger.
In pursuing our march to the above place, we learned that a body of
Tippoo’s troops was strongly entrenched at the extremity of a thick
bamboo jungle, to dispute the passage. Our brave Major, with his three
battalions, and a weak company of European artillery, was ordered to
proceed through the jungles, to dislodge them. They consisted of 4000
men, and the road would admit of but four abreast. This service was
performed in a most gallant manner, but with heavy loss both of officers
and men. Nine pieces of cannon, with their tumbrils, &c. were brought
into the Mahratta camp, amidst the acclamations of thousands, who were
astonished at the bravery and rapidity of this affair.
Nothing now remained to prevent our reaching the Gauts, which is a range
of hills defended by numerous batteries, at the foot of which we
encamped, and the next day one of the battalions was sent to
reconnoitre; when they opened a fire from several spots at once, but
with little execution, being at too great a distance. Our loss was one
Sepoy, whose death was so singular that it deserves to be recorded. This
poor fellow was struck in the head by a spent shot, a six-pounder, which
lodged there. It was seen by me and thousands more before he was
interred; and although I have witnessed many strange wounds, this
appeared to me the most remarkable, the shot being half in and half out
of his temple.
While these preparations were going on, an express came from Lord
Cornwallis, who was about commencing the siege of the capital, to hasten
our march thither. No time was lost on the part of the Mahrattas; for
the next morning, Purso Rhamboo, the chief, ordered the tents to be
struck early, and by seven o’clock the whole camp was in motion. We were
much elated on this business, under an idea that we should be of great
service to his lordship, knowing every creek and crevice of Patam. The
first day we passed Ananpour, the spot where so much barbarity had been
practised by our troops, as before related; and twelve days brought us
within one day’s march of Tippoo’s retreat, and his lordship’s camp.
Here we applied to Major Little, to quit his camp for the grand army,
assigning as our reasons, the service we might be of, in case of Lord
Cornwallis’s storming Seringapatam. Major Little highly approved of our
plan, and as there was no necessity for an escort, we departed, and
reached his lordship’s camp that evening; but, to our no small
mortification, we found that a capitulation had taken place, and that
Tippoo’s two sons had been received by Lord Cornwallis the day before
our arrival.
The conditions acceded to, on the part of Tippoo, were: to lose half his
territories, which were to be given up to the allies, with a vast sum of
money to defray the expenses of the war; that all prisoners, from the
time of his father to the present period, were to be unconditionally
liberated;[31] and, lastly, that two of his sons were to be surrendered
as hostages,[32] for the due performance of this treaty.
After remaining some days in the camp, we understood that the two men,
whom I have before mentioned, were on the north side of Seringapatam,
with General Abercrombie, who commanded the Bombay army. We repaired
thither, and met them as brothers, supposed to be lost; and after a
mutual detail of our various trials, and the manner of making our
escapes, respectively, &c. &c. we parted, they for Bombay, and ourselves
for Madras.
Here were a number of half-starved Europeans, all deserters, who were
taken in the pittah or suburbs, when our troops followed Tippoo’s over
the Cavery.[33] These were all in irons, and what his lordship did with
them I know not; but suppose, as mercy was a leading feature in his
character, that he did not put them to death. We were now ordered to
Madras, having an escort of Sepoys for our safety; and his lordship
understanding our wishes were to go to England, very humanely gratified
them. With our escort, we quitted the camp at Seringapatam for Madras,
which place we reached in twenty-one days.
On the morning when we heard the surf, our joy was inexpressible, not
having seen the sea for ten years. A few days after our arrival, we
embarked as passengers on board of the Honourable Company’s ship Dutton,
East Indiaman; and after encountering some tremendous gales off the Cape
of Good Hope, which few ships escape in those latitudes, we, through
divine Providence, safely reached the Downs in 1793.
------------------------------------------------------------------------