Chap. XT. 1 EXPEDITION AGAINST TANJORE. 601
sepoys, with ten European artillerymen, and 300 Colleries, or native peons, a.d. itss.
drawn from the neighbouring poly gars. But if the King of Tanjore was
unable to cope with his enemy in the open field, he was at least his equal in
diplomacy, and opened a negotiation, which, whatever might be its issue, would
at least have the effect of procuring a respite. Lally was within six miles of
the city of Tanjore, when he received a message from the king, proposing that
a conference should be held with a view to arrange the terms of accommo- Delusive
negotiation.
dation. Nothing was more anxiously desired by the French commander, who probably had begun to feel that the enterprise in which he was engaged was of very doubtful policy, inasmuch as it was only delaying the execution of other enterprises of far more importance. In order, therefore, that not a moment might be lost, he halted his army, and sent forward two deputies, a captain and a Jesuit, with full powers to treat. Their first demand was pay- ment of the principal and interest of the bond granted to Chunda Sahib. The king made an offer so paltry that it might at once have been rejected. The deputies, however, deemed it necessary to report ^it to Lally, who sent them hack with a demand strangely modified. Instead of the whole sum due under the bond, he would accept 1,000,000 rupees in money, 600 draught bullocks, and 10,000 lbs. weight of gimpowder. As the latter part of the demand would have acquainted the king with the fact that in the hurry of the expedition, this essential element of warfare had been very inadequately provided, the deputies, more prudent than their principal, had the good sense to suppress it. The king refused the bullocks, on the plausible pretext that his religion did not allow him to supply them ; but seemed willing to increase the amount of his money offer. Ijally, when made aware that the gunpowder had not been mentioned, dis- approved of the prudential considerations which had influenced the deputies, and sent them back, not only to mention it, but to insist upon it as an indispensable part of the airangement. Tiie result was as had been anticipated. Monacjee, who was still the king's general, scouted the proposal as an insult, and the nego- tiation terminated abruptly.
Lally, now anxious to recover the time he had lost, immediately moved his Re8"mi>tiou
of hostilities
camp, and took possession without opposition of the pettah or suburbs, on the east side of the city wall. As yet, however, he was totally miprepared for attempting a siege. Only a few pieces of ordnance had accompanied the army, and those shipped for Carrical had not arrived. At last, when some heavy cannon were brought forw^ard, the king became once more alarmed, and to prove liis sincere desire for peace, made a payment of 50,000 rupees to account, on receiving the Jesuit and a lieutenant-colonel as hostages for repayment of this advance in the event of hostilities being renewed. On this footinjj negotiations were renewed, and seemed approaching to a successful result, when Lally, thinking he had obtained proof of the king's insincerity, sent Dubois, the com- missary of his army, to reproach him with his insincerity. At the .same time Vol I. 76
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