I
CuAK V.J THE SIEGE OF ARCOT. 465
which palisades were carried along the ends of the trenches up to the parapet, ad. ivsi. One field-piece was placed on one of the towers flanking the breach, and two on the flat roof of a house opposite to it. The enemy, aware of the reception prepared for them, did not yet venture to storm, and proceeded to erect another battery on the south-west.
The garrison, in the meantime, more in the spirit of bravado than the Aneuomioiw anticipation of any important result, thickened the highest tower of the ramparts, and crowned it with a momd of earth. On the top of this mound, which commanded the palace, as it towered above the intervening houses, they hoisted up an enormous gun, said to have been sent from Delhi by Aurungzebe, and transported by 1000 yoke of oxen. The iron balls belonging to it weighed seventy-two pounds. The very first of these, fired from it with a charge of thirty pounds of gunpowder, went right through the palace, to the no small terror of Riijah Sahib and his stafl". It was fired only once a-day, and after four discharges burst. The besiegers, wishing to retaliate in similar style, filled up the interior of a large house with earth well rammed down ; and having thus formed a scjiuire mound, and raised it so high as to overlook every part of the fort, intended it for two small cannon and musketry. The garrison allowed the works to proceed till the cannon were actually mounted, and then opened upon it with their reserved eighteen-pounder, and with such good effect, that in less than an liour it tumbled down with the fifty men stationed upon it.
The perilous position of the garrison being well known at the presidency, Att^mjitto
relieve
it was resolved to reinforce it; and, with this view, a party of 100 Europeans Arwt. and 200 sepoys left Madras under Lieutenant Innes. After a considerable part of the journey was accomplished, they were sm-rounded by 2000 of the enemy, and were only able, after serious loss, to retreat to the fort of Ponamalee, fifteen miles west of Madras. Relief from the presidency having thus become apparently hopeless, Clive opened a communication with Morari Row, the Mahratta chief of Gootee, who had been encamped for some time with GOOO men among the moimtains, thirty miles west of Arcot. He had come as the hired ally of Mahomed Ali, but had remained inactive on seeing the desperate state of his affairs. Olive's name, however, was now beginning to carry a charm along with it ; and Morari Row's answer was, that he would lose not a moment in coming to the assistance of such brave men as the defenders of Arcot, " whose behaviour had now first convinced him that the Engli.sh could fight. " This intelligence alarmed Rajah Sahib, who endeavoured to anticipate the arrival of the Mahrattas by sending a flag of truce to the fort, offering honoimible terms to the garrison, and a large sum of money to Clive, and threatening, if his offers were not accepted, to storm immediately and put every man to the .sword. Olive oidy disdained his bribe, and laughed at his threats.
The reinforcement from Madras, .slightly increa.sed, and commanded by Oaptain Kilpatrick, was again attempting to advance; and a detachment of Vol. I. 59
