POLITICAL HISTORY
replied by a long' narrative of his grievances and difficulties, and ended by entrusting the doctor with a letter for the Chief, in which he attributed his disobedience to the Company's orders to the restraint laid upon him by the rabble of sibbandis and others that had gathered around him. Mr. Chamier, in reply, offered to employ force against these obstructions, but to this no answer appears to have been received.
On the tidings of these events reaching Madras, the Governor, Sir Charles Oakeley, himself addressed a letter to Viziaráma Rázu, informing him that the Company would settle every just demand of his troops, and requiring him to repair forthwith to Vizagapatam accompanied by his common attendants only. In the event of his declining compliance with this summons, he was warned that he must be considered in a state of armed and willful disobedience to the Government; that the Commanding Officer would proceed against him so soon as he might be prepared for that purpose, and use the most effectual means in his power for dispersing his people and securing his person and the persons of his principal adherents. No reply was received from Viziaráma Rázu, and on the 5th July Colonel prendergast was directed to enforce the orders of Government, after giving the Rája twenty-four hours for the necessary preparations for his departure.
On the 8th and 9th idem scouts brought the intelligence that the Rája and all his men had sworn to die, sword in hand; maháprasádam, or food that had been offered in the temple at Padmanábham, having been distributed by the Rája with due solemnity to his chiefs. Early on the morning of the 10th all was over. The following brief report from Colonel Prendergast was received at Vizagapatam the same evening: — ' I arrived at Padmanábham at half past five o'clock this morning, and finding the Rája's troops all arrived and prepared, attacked them, and after a severe conflict for about three-quarters of an hour, dispersed them. The Rája was killed, with many of his followers. Further returns tomorrow.'
The loss on the Company's side was thirteen killed and sixty-one wounded. The casualties amongst their opponents were far more numerous. No correct list of the wounded was ever procured, but no less than three hundred and nine were killed. Of these, two hundred and eight were Rájputs, and the bodies of forty Rájputs, of the first rank in the country, formed a rampart round the corpse of Viziaráma Rázu. The Dátlas, the Dantalúris, the Ságis, the Chintalapátis, the Gótimukkalas, the Vajarlas, the Pennumetsas, all left their dead on the
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