422 HTSTOTtY OF TNr)[A. [Book III.
A.D. 1717. sallied out, iuul, joining the nabob's troops, continued the pursuit for six miles. The enemy, l)rought to bay, faced about and offered battle; but it was not thouglit prudent to attack them, and they were pennitted to return unmolested to Pondicherry. Second Dupleix, grievously disappointed at the failure of his attempt, determined
ciuMiiioie. to renew it in a different form, and secretly despatched 500 men in Vjoats, with instructions to proceed to Cuddalore, and take it by surprise, by entering the river, and landing on the east side, where it had no defences. He had under- rated the difficulties. While the boats were passing through the surf, many of the soldiers could only save their lives by throwing aside their arms ; and even after they had reached the river, were so overwhelmed by a hard gale from the south, that they thought themselves fortunate in being able to secure their own safety by putting back to sea. Again disappointed, Dupleix turned his arms in a different direction, and commenced a war of devastation within the nabob's territories adjoining Madras. Mere passion may have suggested this apparently wanton procedure, though subsequent events seem to prove that there was deep design in it. His knowledge of the native character made him perfectly aware that the nabob would dissolve his alliance with the British the moment he was convinced that it was not his intei"est to maintain it. This was the conviction to which Dupleix was now labouring to bring him. He had little difficulty in succeeding. After a short negotiation, the nabob consented to throw his weight into the French scale, recalled liis army from Fort St. David, and sent Maphuze Khan to Pondicherry, where a most pompous reception was given to him, and the new alliance was formally proclaimed. Retirement It now Seemed as if the situation of the British on the Coromandel coast was
of the
Frencii. dcspcratc. They had been abandoned by their only ally, and after looking in vain for assistance from home, had almost ceased to hope for it. Ever since the capture of Madras the only relief which had reached them was by a vessel from Ceylon, which, on the 19th of February, 171; 7, brought a supply of £60,000 in silver for the exhausted treasm-y, and twenty recruits for the garrison of Fort St. David. This relief, paltry though it was, could not have come more oppor- tunely, for on the 2d of March the French were again seen approaching. They were the same troops as before, but the former failure had so far humbled the officers that they had been prevailed on to receive Paradis as their commander. On reaching the banks of the Pennar, they were somewhat surprised to find that the passage was to be contested. The garrison, as if a new spirit had been infused into it, had marched boldly out, and stood posted on the opposite bank, with three field- pieces and a troop of horse, composed chiefly of volunteers. A cannonade commenced, and was kept up with some spirit till the evening, when the French effected a passage at a point out of cannon-shot, and the garrison deemed it prudent to retire. By a singular coincidence the garden was again occupied, only to be precipitately abandoned. A number of ships were descried
