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CHAPTER II
Capture of Bednúr by General Matthews – Its Recovery by Tipú
When the Bombay Government heard that Colonel Humberstone was threatened in Malabar by Tipú's army, they despatched General Matthews with a small force to relieve him from his precarious position, and to effect a diversion by seizing the territory held by Mysore on the coast. This expedition had accomplished with success the reduction of Rájámandrúg and Honáwar[1] in North Kánara, taking also several of Haidar's ships, when intelligence of that chiefs death induced the Bombay authorities to send peremptory orders to General Matthews to seize Bednúr. Having embarked his small force, Matthews landed at Kundápur, and in three days reached the foot of the Hosan-
- ↑ About twenty miles from Honáwar are the celebrated Gersoppa Falls, on the River Sharavati, which, though of less volume than those of Niagara, form a sublime spectacle. The Rájá Fall (one of four) leaps down a sheer depth of 830 feet into the abyss below, being met halfway down by the Roarer Fall, another tremendous cataract. The whole scenery is of extraordinary beauty. The depth of the great fall was carefully plumbed in 1856 by two officers of the Indian navy, who contrived to sling a cradle across the top of the abyss, and launching themselves in it, let down a line to the bottom.
