VIZAGAPATAM.
man to Bengal to recover Calcutta and avenge the massacre of the Black Hole.
His officers in the Circars, Ibráhím Khán included, now disavowed his authority and refused to pay their tribute. Viziaráma Rázu was the only man there who had the foresight to stand by him.
'He ordered his agents at Hyderabad to assure M. Bussy of his fidelity and the regular payment of his tributes; and one night, when little expected and most wanted, a man came to Charmál, and, being permitted to speak in private with M. Bussy, delivered with the message of Viziaráma Rázu a sum of gold, as much as he could carry under his garments. It was sufficient for the present want, and the same man afterwards furnished more as necessary.' 1[1]
Bussy was eventually relieved by reinforcements from Masulipatam and received back into the Subadar's favour; and at the end of 1756 he marched into the Circars to restore his fallen authority there.
Ibráhím Khán fled in terror at his approach; but Viziaráma Rázu, confident in the proofs of attachment he had given, went to meet him with a body of troops, belonging to himself and others of the local chiefs, which numbered 10,000 men. He was graciously received and employed the favour in which he stood to gratify a long-standing animosity against his bitterest enemy, the chief of Bobbili. He persuaded Bussy that Bobbili was contumacious and must be repressed; and Bussy at length agreed to attack that chief's fort. The details of the horrible tragedy which followed are given on pp.237-241 below. Bobbili defended himself to the utmost, and then, when he saw that further resistance was hopeless, had all the women and children in his fort put to death and, with the remnant of his garrison, died fighting to the last. Three nights afterwards, Viziaráma Rázu was killed in his tent by some of Bobbili's adherents. He was succeeded by Ananda Rázu, the son of a first cousin.
From Bobbili, Bussy marched on into Ganjám, receiving the submission of the various local chiefs and zamindars as he went; sent a body of troops from Masulipatam to capture the English factories at Injaram, Madapollam and Bandamúrlanka in Gódávari (all of which surrendered at once); and then turned back to attack the Vizagapatam settlement in person. This (see p, 44 below) was in a wretched state of defence and also surrendered immediately. Bussy proceeded southwards again and returned eventually to Hyderabad. In July of the next year (1758) he
32
- ↑ 1 Orme (Madras, 1861), ii, 103.
