LETTER LX.

Passing through Madura, I arrived at Trichinopoly, where I met Mr.Sullivan, the Resident of Tanjore, who very politely furnished me with a letter to Mr.Hippesley, his Deputy at Tanjore, from whom I received many marks of civility. At that place I had the pleasure of meeting a Gentleman with whom I had been at College, and for whom I had always entertained a great esteem: this was ColonelFullarton. It is an old maxim, that we should say nothing but good of the dead——“De mortuis nil nisi bonum.”It is not a new maxim, I believe, to avoid praising the living: I am aware of the indelicacy of it; and therefore purposely avoid in this, as I shall in other instances, speaking the full opinion I entertain. To the general esteem in which he was held by all ranks of people in India, I refer you to ColonelFullarton’scharacter: it is of such a sort, that I wish to hold it up for your imitation. At a time of life when others have arrived to some perfection in their profession, he made choice of his, and entered for the first time into the arduous military department, with a command for which the training of many years is no more than sufficient to prepare other men. The Ministerof that day gave him this important charge, underwent the clamours of Opposition for it, and was justified in the event. When the Colonel came to act, so far from being deficient, his whole conduct was distinguished, not less for military talent than courage——while the most fortunate command of temper and captivating address subdued the spirit of prejudice, reconciled the most discordant, and gained him, though a King’s Officer, the esteem, as much of the Company’s as King’s troops. In short, all ranks of people, civil as well as military, whether belonging to King or Company, united in approbation of his conduct——a thing not known before, nor since, but in the person of LordCornwallis.

Too much cannot be said of the advantages resulting from a proper command of temper. To promote that in myFrederick, will be attended with little difficulty: on the contrary, my only doubt is, that the placability and mildness of his disposition will too often subject him to imposition.Johnis, however, of a different temper; there is something in it which requires both admonition and good example to repress within proper bounds: to shew him the beauty as well as use of a mild, cool temper, such instances as ColonelFullartonFullartonmay be of weight, and I wish him to reflect upon it. And here I am reminded of a person and a circumstance so exactly in point, that I cannot refrain from noticing them: they convey no inadequate idea of the happiness resulting from a gentleness of nature, and dominion over the mind; and as the person I allude to is dead, I may speak of himwith the greater freedom in that full strain of praise which his shining virtues deserve.

Of all the men I have ever had the good fortune to know, SirArchibald Campbellpossessed, in the highest degree, that heavenly turn of mind, which not only is at peace with itself, but diffuses harmony and cheerfulness around it. No business, however urgent in occasion, restricted in point of time, or embarrassed with difficulty——no accident, however unexpected, or event, however sinister——none of those innumerable minutiæ which fret and chafe the tempers of other men, ever suspended the cool tenor of his thought even for a moment: nothing shook the serenity of his temper——nothing deranged the presence of his mind: uniform and placid, he in all situations had the full dominion of himself, and in the field it gave him a decided superiority: nor was this felicity of nature confined to his public conduct; it attended him at the domestic enjoyments of the fire-side——at the social board——in the private recesses of his closet; and the very same habit of soul which, in his great public duties, rendered him valuable to his Country, and formidable to her enemies, gained him the admiration and esteem of his friends, the unbounded affection of his family, and the blessing of all his dependants.

An incident that occurred in my presence may serve in some measure to decipher the mind of this admirable man——I shall never forget it. Previously to his going to India, he had exerted his interest to obtain from the East India Company some rewardfor my services; and, a few days before his departure, promised to speak again to Mr.Devaynes, Chairman of the East India Company. I waited on him on the day he was setting off; he was just about to depart, and surrounded by a numerous circle. In the midst of this bustle, and the confusion, one would suppose, inseparable from such a crisis, he recollected his promise——told me Mr.Devayneshad that minute taken leave of him, and he had forgot to mention me, but said that he would write to him on the subject; and, though he was at the instant on the point of moving to the carriage that was to carry him off, sat down, and with that amiable sweetness of manners and happily collected mind so peculiarly his own, wrote a letter for me to Mr.Devaynes——holding conversation, the while, in the most lively, engaging manner, with the persons around him. The conciseness and perspicuity of language in which this letter was couched, will serve to elucidate what I have said——I therefore transcribe it for you:

“St. James’s Hotel, Sept. 30,17831783.

“Dear Sir,

“I forgot to mention to you this forenoon, and again to repeat my earnest wishes, you would take the case of Mr.Campbellspeedily into your consideration. His sufferings were of such a nature, and his services so meritorious, that I am persuaded, upon a fair investigation of both, you will give him your firmest support. I have looked into all his papers; and the testimoniesof essential services rendered to the Company by him, do him, in my opinion, the highest honour. Unless such merits are recompensed, few will risk every thing, as Mr.Campbelldid, to promote the success of the Company’s arms in India: but I trust you will see it in its proper light; and in that hope I shall only add, that whatever acts of kindness you shew to him, will be considered as an obligation conferred on,

“Dear Sir,Your faithful and most obedient humble servant,Archibald Campbell.”

“Dear Sir,Your faithful and most obedient humble servant,Archibald Campbell.”

“Dear Sir,Your faithful and most obedient humble servant,Archibald Campbell.”

“Dear Sir,

Your faithful and most obedient humble servant,

Archibald Campbell.”

“To William Devaynes, Esq.”

Be assured, my dear boys, (for now I speak toJohnas well asFrederick), that one act of triumph over the temper is worth a million of triumphs over our fellow-creatures, and that the perfect dominion of our mind is more advantageous and laudable than the dominion over Provinces or Nations. The one attaches merely to our corporeal part, and is buried with our dust in the grave: the other follows our immortal part, and passes with it into eternity.

On my leaving Tanjore, ColonelFullartonhonoured me With the care of a letter to LordMacartney, then Governor of Madras——an extract of which I give you, as it applied to my business particularly:

“Tanjore, March 20, 1783.

“My Lord,

“I had the honour to write to your Lordship on the 8th by CaptainHallam, who carried from hence very large packets to you. The opportunity of CaptainCampbelltempts me to trouble your Lordship, merely to inform you, that all my letters from Bidanore ascribe in a great degree the success of our arms in that quarter, and theromanticRevolution effected there, to the influence he had withHyat Sahib, and to the proposals of surrender which he suggested, and transacted with the General and Jemadar. I think it necessary that you, my Lord, may know how much the Public is indebted to CaptainCampbell, whose good fortune in this affair has only been equalled by his good conduct. He is perfectly acquainted with the state of affairs on the other coast, and has seen and heard much of our transactions here; so that no person can give a more clear or unbiassed view of events.”

I had also the good luck to meet, at Tanjore, Mr.Buchanan, a very near connection of mine, for whom I had long entertained a sincere and warm regard. It has been my misfortune to have been obliged frequently to censure some of my relatives for ill-nature and ingratitude: I never did so without the most painful sensations. When, on the contrary, I am enabled to speak to their honour, I feel a proportionate share of pleasure: I am thereforehappy in mentioning Mr.Buchananas a man as amiable in his private as respectable in his public character; but the satisfaction I felt at this meeting was much alloyed by finding him in a very bad state of health.

Before I left Tanjore, I had an opportunity of being eye-witness to that extraordinary and horrid ceremony, the burning of a Gentoo woman with the body of her husband. As this is a point which has occasioned much speculation and some doubt among Europeans, I inclose you an accurate account of the ceremony, as minuted down at the time it happened.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CEREMONY OF THE GENTOO WOMEN BURNING THEMSELVES WITH THE BODIES OF THEIR HUSBANDS.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CEREMONY OF THE GENTOO WOMEN BURNING THEMSELVES WITH THE BODIES OF THEIR HUSBANDS.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CEREMONY OF THE GENTOO WOMEN BURNING THEMSELVES WITH THE BODIES OF THEIR HUSBANDS.

“This day, ——————, I went to see a Gentoo woman resign herself to be burned along with the corpse of her deceased husband.

“The place fixed upon for this tragic scene, was a small islet on the bank of one of the branches of the river Cavery, about a mile to the Northward of the fort of Tanjore.

“When I came to the spot, I found the victim, who appeared, to be not above sixteen, sitting on the ground, dressed in the Gentoo manner, with a white cloth wrapped round her, some white flowers like jessamins hanging round her neck, and some of them hanging from her hair. There were about twentywomen sitting on their hams round her, holding a white handkerchief, extended horizontally over her head, to shade her from the sun, which was excessively hot, it being then about noon.

“At about twenty yards from where she was sitting, and facing her, there were several Bramins busy in constructing a pile with billets of fire-wood: the pile was about eight feet long, and four broad. They first began by driving some upright stakes into the ground, and then built up the middle to about the height of three feet and a half with billets of wood.

“The dead husband, who, from his appearance, seemed to be about sixty years of age, was lying close by, stretched out on a bier, made of Bamboo canes. Four Bramins walked in procession three times round the dead body, first in a direction contrary to the sun, and afterwards other three times in a direction with the sun, all the while muttering incantations; and at each round or circuit they made, they untwisted, and immediately again twisted up the small long lock of hair which is left unshaven at the back of their heads.

“Some other Bramins were in the mean time employed in sprinkling water out of a green leaf, rolled up like a cup, upon a small heap of cakes of dry cow-dung, with which the pile was afterwards to be set on fire.

“An old Bramin sat at the North-east corner of the pile upon his hams, with a pair of spectacles on, reading, I suppose, the Shaster, or their Scriptures, from a book composed of Cajan leaves.

“Having been present now nearly an hour, I inquired when they meant to set the pile on fire: they answered, in about two hours. As this spectacle was most melancholy, and naturally struck me with horror, and as I had only gone there to assure myself of thetruth of such sacrifices being made, I went away towards the fort. After I was gone about five hundred yards, they sent some one to tell me they would burn immediately; on which I returned, and found the woman had been moved from where she was sitting to the river, where the Bramins were bathing her. On taking her out of the water, they put some money in her hand, which she dipped in the river, and divided among the Bramins: she had then a yellow cloth rolled partially round her. They put some red colour, about the size of a sixpence, on the centre of her forehead, and rubbed something that appeared to me to be clay. She was then led to the pile, round which she walked three times as the sun goes: she then mounted it at the North-east corner, without any assistance; and sat herself down on the right side of her husband, who had been previously laid upon the pile. She then unscrewed the pins which fastened the jewels or silver rings on her arms: after she had taken them off, she shut them, and screwed in the pins again, and gave one to each of two women who were standing: she unscrewed her ear-rings, and other toys, with great composure, and divided them among the women who were with her. There seemed to be some little squabble about the distribution of her jewels, which she settled with great precision;and then, falling gently backwards, pulled a fold of the yellow cloth over her face, turned her breast towards her husband’s side, and laid her right arm over his breast; and in this posture she remained without moving.

“Just before she lay down, the Bramins put some rice in her lap, and also some into the mouth and on the long grey beard of her husband: they then sprinkled some water on the head, breast and feet of both, and tied them gently together round the middle with a slender bit of rope: they then raised, as it were, a little wall of wood lengthways on two sides of the pile, so as to raise it above the level of the bodies; and then put cross pieces, so as to prevent the billets of wood from pressing on them: they then poured on the pile, above where the woman lay, a potful of something that appeared to me to be oil; after this they heaped on more wood, to the height of about four feet, above where the bodies were built in; so that all I now saw was a stack of fire-wood.

“One of the Bramins, I observed, stood at the end of the pile next the woman’s head——was calling to her through the interstices of the wood, and laughed several times during the conversation. Lastly, they overspread the pile with wet straw, and tied it on with ropes.

“A Bramin then took a handful of straw, which he set on fire at the little heap of burning cakes of cow-dung; and, standing to windward of the pile, he let the wind drive the flame from the straw till it catched the pile. Fortunately, at this instant,the wind rose much higher than it had been any part of the day; and in an instant the flames pervaded the whole pile, and it burnt with great fury. I listened a few seconds, but could not distinguish any shrieks, which might perhaps be owing to my being then to windward. In a very few minutes, the pile became a heap of ashes.

“During the whole time of this process, which lasted from first to last above two hours before we lost sight of the woman by her being built up in the middle of the pile, I kept my eyes almost constantly upon her; and I declare toGodthat I could not perceive, either in her countenance or limbs, the least trace of either horror, fear, or even hesitation: her countenance was perfectly composed and placid; and she was not, I am positive, either intoxicated or stupified. From several circumstances, I thought the Bramins exulted in this hellish sacrifice, and did not seem at all displeased that Europeans should be witnesses of it.”

From Tanjore I proceeded to Negapatnam, which had been taken from the Dutch by the Company’s troops, and where Mr.Cochran, an old friend of mine, was Chief.

The communication by land between Negapatnam and Madras being interrupted by the enemy’s troops, I embarked in a vessel, and proceeded thither by sea——MajorJohnston, of the Engineers, being also a passenger.

Hitherto every step of my journey has been marked by occurrences so unexpected, and accidents so extraordinary, that I should feel some repugnance to relate them, lest my veracity should be called in question, were they not attested by so many living persons of respectability, and by written documents, of authority on record. Were one to consider them merely as the offspring of fiction, they would perhaps have interest enough to catch the attention; but, viewing them as facts, they borrow, from their number and rapid succession, as well as from their singularity, so much of the complexion of imaginary adventure, that the combination cannot, I think, fail to interest your mind as well as your feelings.

Arrived at Nagapatnam, within a short run of Madras, it is natural for you to suppose that adventure was at an end, and that fortune, fatigued by the incessant exertion of her caprice, might have left me to proceed the short residue of my way without further molestation. It fell out otherwise: she had marked me as her game, and resolved to worry me to the lastmomentmoment; for, aswe approached Madras, we were chased by a French frigate, and taken near Fort St. George.

This appeared to me the greatest misfortune I had yet met with, and likely to be the most fatal in its consequences. In order to explain this, I must recur to certain circumstances, which, though I was informed of them since my release from Hydernagur, I did not relate to you, because they were no way connected with my narrative till now.

MonsieurSuffrein, the French Admiral, having a number of British prisoners in his possession, whom he found it extremely inconvenient to support, made a proposal for an exchange——which, from some failure in the conveyance, or ambiguity in the terms of the correspondence, was neglected.

The motives or accidents which gave rise to this neglect have never been completely developed; and perhaps the Admiral himself, SirEdward Hughes, and LordMacartney, were the only persons who knew the bottom of that transaction. In such cases, however, the ignorance of fact is generally supplied by conjecture; and men have presumed to censure unequivocally on the mere hypothetical suggestions of their own imaginations. Candour, however, in such a case, where it could not speak with certainty, would speak with caution. An Historian, particularly, should steer clear of party rancour, and not suffer the prejudice or malignity which misled himself, to go down to and mislead posterity. Where positive proof is wanting, if we are obliged to decide,we must judge by analogy and inference; and in the case now before us, we have little but the characters of the persons concerned to guide us in our decision.

Of the horrid catastrophe which succeeded the neglect of exchanging prisoners, it is hardly possible that any one but MonsieurSuffreinhimself could have had a conception. To suppose, that, under such an impression, our leading men would have hesitated to prevent it, would be to suppose their intellects weak, and their hearts corrupt and inhuman. I fancy it will be difficult to fasten on LordMacartneyeither the one or the other; for he was wise and humane: those whom the disappointment of unreasonable expectations, or the malevolence of party, have induced to suspect his Lordship’s heart, have been forced by his conduct to revere his talents; and the breath of calumny has never touched the humanity of SirEdward Hughes. Whatever their motives, therefore, may have been——reason, conscience, and candour, must acquit them of the consequences. It should be recollected, too, that MonsieurSuffrein’scharacter was a very probable security, in the mind of men of sense and honour, against any act of horrid inhumanity: his conduct as an Officer had made a new æra in the Naval History of France: his talents and courage might be compared, without disadvantage, to those of the best of our British Admirals; and he had exhibited marks of uncommon generosity to those whom the chance of war had thrown into his hands. It would therefore have beensomething more than prescience to have presupposed what actually happened; and I declare most solemnly, that the inference I draw from the whole information I have had on the subject is, that, calamitous though the event was, it attaches no positive guilt on any of the parties concerned. The fact is plainly this: The French Admiral having no place on the coast where he could secure his prisoners, and grieving, as he himself subsequently wrote to Mr.Hastings, to see the unhappy men, who had been six or seven months at sea, dying of the scurvy, delivered over the prisoners, to the number of above three hundred, toHyder. Their fate afterwards was such as it would harrow up your soul to hear related.

Take the whole of the circumstances into one glance, and see what my feelings must have been on finding myself once more a prisoner.Hyder Alli, who was, when compared with the worst Despots of the European World, a monster, must yet be considered, when put in comparison with his successorTippoo, mild and merciful.Hyder, from policy and hypocrisy, shewed some lenity to the prisoners who fell into his hands. Instances are known where British captives have broke through the crowd that surrounded him into his presence for protection——when he has hypocritically feigned anger, threatened the persons who had treated them ill; reprobated severity, and sent them off satisfied for the present.Tippoo, on the contrary, was so perfectly savage, that cruelty seemed to be, not only the internal habit ofhis soul, but the guide of all his actions, the moving principle of his policy, the rule of his public conduct, and the source of his private gratification. Like the tyger which,Buffontells us, kills the whole flock before he begins to feed, every appetite of his yielded to the more urgent calls of barbarity; and while one drop of blood remained unspilled, one agony uninflicted, one tear unshed, the natural appetites ofTippoostood suspended, and the luxuries of life courted his enjoyment in vain. Like the hyena whichThompsoncalls the fellest of the fell, the fury of his nature was neither to be controuled by resistance, nor assuaged by blandishments. Aloof from the general order of the workings of Providence, he stands a single instance, in which the Omnipotent has presented a glowing living picture,ALL SHADE: not one ray breaks in, to relieve the gloomy aspect of the piece; but, distinct from the whole human race, of him alone it may be said, that he never yet disclosed, even for a moment, one spark of virtue.

From barbarity so inflexible to those taken in the ordinary chance of war, what could I expect if I fell again into his hands——I who had been the instrument of one of his chief Governors’ defection——who had, by my negociations, contributed to deprive him of a Province, and, what perhaps might have had greater weight with him, robbed him of the gratification of a long harboured revenge, by putting his enemyHyat Sahibunder the protection of the Company? Diabolical vengeance never perhaps met with a subject of such sublime enjoyment, as the torturing ofme would have been to this monster. Couple this, then, myFrederick, with the fears ofSuffrein’sdoing by me as he had already done by the other English prisoners——and guess what my terror and consternation must have been at falling into the hands of the French!

Having struck our colours to the French frigate, the Captain ordered us to follow her, and steered to the Northward. We obeyed him for some time: at length night fell; and, a fresh and favourable breeze fortunately aiding the attempt, we put about, ran for Madras, and luckily dropt anchor safely in the Roads. In the escapes I had hitherto had, there was always some disagreeable circumstance to alloy the pleasure arising from them——In this instance, my joy was pure and unqualified; and I looked forward with a reasonable hope that the worst was all over.

Here I found LordMacartneyGovernor, struggling to support the credit of the Company, and directing their affairs through such embarrassments and difficulties as made the most wise and temperate despair of success. So arduous an undertaking as the Government of Madras then was, has rarely occurred; and a more successful final accomplishment is not to be instanced. In the incessant conflicts to which he was exposed, he maintained his post with inflexible firmness and unabated energy of mind——and, in the most trying circumstances, discharged his important duty with zeal, integrity and wisdom. The strict discharge of the duty he owed to his Country, raised clamours against him amongan interested few in India; but the united applauses of all parties, on his return to England, stamped currency on his fame, and has broken the shafts of detraction.

After so many hazards and hardships as I had undergone, it was a most pleasing reflection to find myself in a society composed of my oldest professional connections, and warmest and sincerest friends: but this was a happiness I could not long enjoy; for, being charged with a mission fromHyat Sahibto the Governor-General and Supreme Council, I was constrained to proceed to Bengal, and accordingly set sail for Calcutta, which I reached in little more than a week, without encountering any accident, or meeting a single occurrence, worth the relation. Upon my arrival there, SirJohn Macpherson, who was in the Supreme Council, gave me a kind invitation to live at his house, and presented me to Mr.Hastings, with whom I entered into a negociation on behalf ofHyat Sahib, which will appear by the following letters:

LETTER TO WARREN HASTINGS, ESQ.

LETTER TO WARREN HASTINGS, ESQ.

LETTER TO WARREN HASTINGS, ESQ.

“Calcutta, May 3, 1783.

“Honourable Sir,

“Indisposition has put it out of my power, since the first day after my arrival here, to have the honour of paying you my respects, and of laying before you, for the information of the Board, the objects of my mission to your superintending Government.

“As these objects are of public importance, and as ill health may prevent me, for some time longer, from having the honour of waiting upon you, I take the liberty to beg your attention to this address.

“The great Revolution in favour of the India Company upon the West side of India, and to which I had the happiness of being in some little degree instrumental, has been certainly brought about by the zeal and spirit of GeneralMathews; but that Officer ascribes to the orders and supplies of your Government the principal merit of the undertaking: he looks to the same Government for support in the arrangement which he has made, and may make, for the security of the conquered Province.

“The hurry in which I left him, and his anxiety for my speedy communication of his successes, gave no time for a formal communication to the Governor-General and Council, of the particularsof his successes, and of the arrangements which he wished to be adopted. He wrote a short account of the first to the Presidency of Fort St. George; and gave me a public letter to the Commander in Chief of the Military Establishment of that Presidency to which I particularly belong, in attestation of the services I rendered in the negociation between him and the Governor of Bidanore, for the surrender of that Capital and Province. A copy of that letter I have the pleasure to lay before you.

“As I was charged with a particular commission fromHyat Sahib, the Manager of the Bidanore Province, to the Governor-General and Council, as appears by his letter, which I had the honour of presenting to you, GeneralMathewsgave me, in verbal instructions, and memorandums written in his own hand, the particulars of what he wished me to represent to your Government: he gave me, besides, short notes of introduction to two of the Members of Government, whom he knew personally——referring them to me for an account of his situation, and, allowing me, I believe, more credit than I deserve, for the share I had in contributing to his final acquisition of Bidanore without drawing a sword.

“It would be tedious, and more fit for the detail of conversation than of a public address, to inform you of the various steps that led to the surrender of the Capital and Province of Bidanore. I had had several conferences withHyat SahibbeforeHyder’sdeath, and endeavoured to suggest to him the advantagewhich would arise to him From a revolt in favour of the Company. My efforts in these conversations ended ultimately in the most rigorous distress to myself: I was put in irons, and remained so for four months, in a situation only of existence, without any hopes of ever escaping. When GeneralMathewshad stormed the Ghauts,Hyat Sahibsent for me, and, after various struggles, and much indecision, agreed to my proceeding to the English camp; and I conducted GeneralMathews, almost unattended, into Bidanore.Hyat Sahibat length agreed to submit: but as, in his various conversations with me before and after that event, he made a very particular distinction between the Government of Bombay and the chief Government of the English in Indostan, so he proposed that I should immediately depart, after he had given up the place and all the forts of the Province, with a letter to you, to obtain your sanction to me to his arrangements with the English General.

“These arrangements were not even clearly defined before my departure; and so anxious was he for my speedy arrival at Calcutta, that he only gave me the general propositions that are contained in his letter.

“Permit me here to observe, that it is by the treatment whichHyat Sahibmeets with, that the other Chiefs ofHyder’sCountry will estimate the advantage of abandoning the interests ofTippoo Sahib, or will confirm their dependenceupon him.Tippoowas prevented by his father from all intercourse with the Governors of his Provinces, or any interference in country affairs; so that those left in charge at his father’s death are strangers to him, and are men to whom he has little attachment. He is, besides, considered to be of a cruel disposition. His father was cruel upon a political principle: he is thought to be so from nature.

“The unfortunate differences about money which arose in GeneralMathews’scamp, and of which you will probably hear from the Presidency of Bombay, took up much of the General’s time, and may have retarded his operations: however, his success in the reduction of Mangalore gives a security to his conquests. The revenues of the Bidanore Province are about twenty lacks of pagodas per annum.

“The particular situation of the Capital merits attention. It is placed in a valley of considerable extent in circumference: according to the best observation I could make, there is an ascent to it, from all sides, of near seven miles: it can only be approached by four roads, which are cut among the hills, and which were judiciously fortified with great pains byHyder: woods, to the depth of many miles, are a frontier round its skirts; and where these admitted a passage,Hydertook the precaution to plant bamboos and thorns—so that I have little fear but that GeneralMathewswill be able to defend these passes; and as for provisions, and military stores of all kinds, that were foundin Bidanore, of the latter particularly, what, according to GeneralMathews’sown declaration, would equip nine such armies as his.

“Cundapore is the next sea-port to Bidanore, and is distant about fifty miles: Mangalore is distant about a hundred miles. The road leading from Mangalore joins with that from Cundapore, where the ascent of the hills commence: another road from Bidanore leads to Seringapatam, and a fourth into the Marhatta Country.

“It was from the lower Country, along the sea-coast, between Onore and Mangalore, which is watered by many rivers, and is the best cultivated Country I ever saw, thatHydergot the greatest part of his provisions for his army in the Carnatic; and, independent of the advantages which the Company have gained by the acquisition of these Countries, the consequent losses of the Mysoreans are immense, and such as will disable them from assisting the French in the Carnatic.

“It becomes not an Officer of my rank to make any observations that relate to the conduct of the different Governments of my Employers; but I am obliged to observe, in justice toHyat Sahib’sdeclaration to me, that he will not rely upon any arrangement made in his favour by the Governor and Council of Bombay, unless he has a speedy answer to his letter from this Government. He has requested me to return with that answer, and with the sanction of the Governor-Generalto the cowl given to him by GeneralMathews. Though I am worn down by my sufferings in prison, and my health can scarcely enable me to be carried by land, I am ready to undertake this service; for I know it is the greatest I may ever have it in my power to render to the Company and to my Country.

“My return to the other coast with a favourable answer toHyat Sahib, will be the signal to other Chiefs to throw off the yoke ofTippoo; and if ColonelLonghas made any progress in the Coimbatore Country, or that GeneralMatthewshas not been too severely pressed byTippoo, I may arrive upon the other coast in time to be of real use to the Company.

“I know, Honourable Sir, the liberal and great system of your administration: I will not, therefore, point out any little circumstances about the footing upon which I should return toHyat Sahib, or remain upon the other coast. I wish only to be rewarded by my Employers as I am successful; and I shall leave it to your goodness, and to your distinguished zeal for the public propriety, to give me any instructions for my conduct, or to charge me with any advices to GeneralMathews, as you may think proper.

“I hope you will pardon this long and irregular address, and honour me by communicating any part of it that you may think worthy of communication to the Gentlemen of the Council.

“I have the honour to be, &c. &c.“Donald Campbell.”

“I have the honour to be, &c. &c.“Donald Campbell.”

“I have the honour to be, &c. &c.“Donald Campbell.”

“I have the honour to be, &c. &c.

“Donald Campbell.”

“P. S.When you are at leisure, and I am able to have the honour of attending you, I would wish to communicate to you a more particular detail of my conversation withHyat Sahib——what GeneralMathews’shopes of support from this Government were, and the future plans he then meditated——and my ideas of the measures that should be pursued by the Presidency of Fort St. George, to support GeneralMathews, and improve the advantages he has gained.

“To Warren Hastings, Esq.Governor-General of Bengal.”

“To Warren Hastings, Esq.Governor-General of Bengal.”

“To Warren Hastings, Esq.Governor-General of Bengal.”

“To Warren Hastings, Esq.

Governor-General of Bengal.”

LETTER FROM HYAT SAHIB, ALLUDED TO IN THE FOREGOING.

LETTER FROM HYAT SAHIB, ALLUDED TO IN THE FOREGOING.

LETTER FROM HYAT SAHIB, ALLUDED TO IN THE FOREGOING.

(Usual Introduction.)

“I have directed the affairs of the Soobeh of Hydernagur for some years past, on the part of theNavvaub Hyder. When lately attacked by the victorious forces of the English under the command of GeneralMathews, I opposed him, and fulfilled my duty in every respect; but seeing the superior fortune and force of the English, and receiving proposals for peace from GeneralMathews, by these circumstances, but more especially by the persuasions of CaptainCampbell, the son of ColonelCampbell, who was formerly at Chinaputtan, I was induced to come to terms, and delivered up to GeneralMathewsthe treasury, property, stores and keys of the forts of this Country. If I had been disposed, I had it in my power to have appropriated this collected wealth to other purposes; but, from a regard to the high fortune of theKingofEngland, and the uprightness and integrity of the English People, I have included myself in the number of your servants, and have determined, with the utmost sincerity and purity of heart, to serve you well and faithfully. By the blessing ofGod, under your auspices, my endeavours towards the well and full performance of my duty shall be ten-fold greater than heretofore; and as GeneralMathewsintends to proceed to Seringputtam, your loyal servant will assist, to the utmost of his ability and power. You will be fully informed on this subject by CaptainCampbell. Honour, and favour, and reward, must flow from you.

“From the time of your first establishment in this Country to the present period, the engagements of the English have been sacredly performed and adhered to; nor have they been wanting in their protection of the honour and dignity of the Surdars of Bengal, and other places. I hope, from your favour and benevolence, that you will issue your commands to GeneralMathews, to favour me with all due kindness and attention. I have taken shelter under the shadow of your benevolence. CaptainCampbellhas shewn me great kindness so this respect, and, by encouraging me to hope for your favour,has led me to become your servant. You will be fully informed of the state of affairs in this quarter by CaptainCampbell’sletters.

“Written on the 25th of Suffur, A. H. 1197.”

A true copy,J. P. Auriol,Sec.”

A true copy,J. P. Auriol,Sec.”

A true copy,J. P. Auriol,Sec.”

A true copy,

J. P. Auriol,Sec.”

LETTER TO WARREN HASTINGS, ESQ.

LETTER TO WARREN HASTINGS, ESQ.

LETTER TO WARREN HASTINGS, ESQ.

“Calcutta, May 25, 1783.

“Honourable Sir,

“Some time ago, I did myself the honour of writing to you, on the subject of my mission fromHyat Sahibto this Government.

“It is with pleasure I now understand that you have come to the resolution of sending an answer to his letter. I cannot help delivering it as my opinion, that a decided and avowed protection granted to him from this Government, will be productive of great public utility: but should you, and the other Gentlemen of the Council, think proper to decline this, from motives best known to yourselves, and of which I shall not pretend to judge, I beg leave humbly to represent, that the soonerHyat Sahib’sletter is acknowledged, the more satisfactory it will be to him, and the more efficacious in its probable good consequences.

“I am ready and anxious to proceed immediately to the other coast with the answer toHyat Sahib, and shall take the liberty of hoping that you will give me instructions to remain some time with him, that he may have an opportunity of transmitting, through me, any communication that he may wish to establish with this Government. I have the pleasure to inform you, that that Presidency to which I particularly belong, have granted me their consent to be employed in the final arrangement of the Bidanore treaty, should your Board think proper to choose me as a fit person; and they have further unanimously done me the honour to approve of my conduct in the commencement of this business.

“With respect to theappointmentsappointmentsyou may judge right to allow me, I trust entirely to your own ideas of propriety. I wish for nothing more than what is sufficient to defray the expences of such a journey, and to enable me to maintain that character in a situation of this kind which is requisite to promote the public good.

“I have the honour to be, with the greatest respect,Honourable Sir,Your most faithful and most obedient servant,Donald Campbell.”

“I have the honour to be, with the greatest respect,Honourable Sir,Your most faithful and most obedient servant,Donald Campbell.”

“I have the honour to be, with the greatest respect,Honourable Sir,Your most faithful and most obedient servant,Donald Campbell.”

“I have the honour to be, with the greatest respect,

Honourable Sir,

Your most faithful and most obedient servant,

Donald Campbell.”

After some delay, I received instructions, together with a letter from Mr.HastingsforHyat, with which I set off in order to deliver it into his own hands, as follows:

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