But, to return, while Nundi Raj, the Dulwai, was encamped at Sutti Mungul, his troops, for want of their pay placed him in Dhurna.* The Dulwai, however, having with sweet words and fair promises appeased their anger, sent them to the Raja, at Seringaputtun. But Hydur Alí, in whose personal character he had great confidence, and a Rathore Jamadár, named Hurri Singh, who com­manded a hundred and fifty horse, these, with his own Pagah, five hundred horse, and about two thousand foot, he kept with himself. The entire want of money and supplies, however, so oppressed the soldiers, that, Hurri Singh forgetting the ties of salt, or gratitude to his master, in order to obtain his arrears of pay forbade the sleeping and eat­ing of the Dulwai, by placing him in Dhurna, or arrest, and that in so great a degree as even to stop the water used in his kitchen. The Dulwai, losing heart from this rigour, with his clothes and the vessels of silver and gold brought for his use in travelling, and a small sum of money, paid him off, and discharged him.

As soon as the Jamadár had obtained his money and discharge, he marched away with his baggage, to a place within about three miles from Seringaput­tun, and encamped there; and his men being free from care* and want, in body and mind, after eating and drinking joyfully, laid themselves down to rest with the greatest confidence.

On witnessing these occurrences, however, Hydur became exceedingly excited, and going to the Dulwai, addressed him in reproachful terms, say­ing to him, “Why have you acted thus? What you have done is unworthy a man of rank! Is it proper, that, without the knowledge of your most particular friend, and for the sake of paying one of the meanest servants, of the Raj, or Government, you should have incurred the discredit of selling your plate and clothes? and of dis­charging demands without proof of the justness of the claim. This is far from correct; seeing that to make one man insolent by such an unwise indulgence, is to open the door to similar claims and insults from the rest of the officers of the troops. It is indispensable, therefore, that he who has placed his foot beyond the circle of obe­dience, and by that means sought misfortune, should be punished; and, if you authorise me, I will punish him so that he shall be an example to others.”

The Dulwai lent an attentive ear to this advice, and requested that it might be as Hydur Alí had said. Hydur, therefore, immediately rising, without a moment’s delay returned to his own place of encampment, and taking five hundred musketeers, or matchlock men, and a store of ammunition with him, he marched straight towards Hurri Singh’s halting ground, and falling suddenly on his sleeping party, whose death had arrived, and firing volley after volley among them, slew some, the more fortunate on their beds, and others were slain rising and advancing a few steps, with their swords and shields in their hands. In fine, the whole of the troop, with their mutinous Jamadár, were slain by the sword, bayonet, &c., and all their arms and baggage, with their money, utensils, horses, and the articles they had collected, were brought to the Dulwai, who, with the exception of the money and articles belonging to himself, presented the whole of the plun­der, horses, &c., of these slaughtered men to Hydur Alí, whose prudence in this action acquired for him great renown.

A few days after this, the Dulwai sent for Hydur, and, seating him on the musnud with himself, he consulted with him on the re-establishment of his own affairs, complaining bitterly of his distress for want of money. Hydur immediately took the management of his affairs, (that is, to say, the col­lection of money for his wants), on his own respon­sibility, and without delay, like a raging lion, marched with his brave soldiers towards the Poligars; and, in the course of one year, having thrown all the Nairs and Mapillas* into the utmost trepidation and confusion, he collected a large sum of money. In this expedition those persons who, according to requisition, came forward with a good will, and did their best to provide the sum demanded, he spared in life and property; but, on the contrary, those who disobeyed his commands, and, without having the license or exemption of the Raja, refused to pay the required tribute, he so completely destroyed, that their names, and those of their children, were erased from the book of time.

The Poligars of the Talookas of Palni and Vira­pachy, who were exceedingly rebellious, were, by a well-planned attack, taken with their families and property, and brought in; and, in some of the difficult positions and passes in that country, Hydur also built stockades, or wooden forts, with stakes and planks, which in the language of the Hindoos are called lukkur kote,* and in these he left detachments of his own troops. He thus diffused throughout the region a salutary fear of punish­ment, (which is so necessary to support the authority of Governors), held the country firm, and kept the rebels in proper subjection.

At these successes, which, by the good manage­ment of Hydur, produced a large sum of money, Nundi Raj was much pleased, and wrote a con­gratulatory letter to the Raja, at Seringaputtun, on the conquest of the territory of the rebellious Poligars, with which he sent a krore of rupees, as a nuzzur or present. By this means he washed away half the blackness of discredit or shame which before covered his face.

A short time after this, Hydur Ali was again sent with a body of troops, to establish order at Dindigul, Palghaut, &c. At this time, the chiefs about the Raja, persons who dreaded Hydur’s advancement, persuaded him to recal Nundi Raj, and they obtained and despatched letters recalling him, but conveying kind assurances to him under the Raja’s seal.

As the Dulwai had been travelling for a long time, that is, two or three years, he had become tired of the fatigues of continual movement, and was wishing and looking for an opportunity to return home, to his family, then residing in the fort of Seringaputtun. As soon, therefore, as the letters arrived, he without any fear or apprehension, pro­ceeded to Seringaputtun, and wrote to Hydur Alí, who was employed in reducing the Poligars, to return as quick as he could.

When Hydur Alí found that Nundi Raj had returned to Seringaputtun, he lost no time in com­pleting his arrangements where he was, and with his own troops, consisting of two or three thousand regular infantry, five hundred Chittikars,* two hun­dred Europeans, of all nations, (who had been attracted by high pay from Pondicheri, Mangalore, &c.) four thousand Karnatic foot, and eight hundred horse, with four or five light guns, he marched by regular stages to Seringaputtun, and encamped near the Mana Munduf.

At that time the state of Seringaputtun was as follows. The whole of the country northward from the town of Chutr,* which is four fursungs from the city of Seringaputtun, and on the road to Sura, was in the hands of the Mahrattas, and the civil and military officers of these plunderers, regulated the whole of the Talookas and towns, and enjoyed themselves in collecting the revenue. Gopal Rao Mahratta, the Chief of Mirich, who was constituted the Chief of the Souba Sura, after the removal of Bulwunt Rao, again assembled a force, and besieged the fort of Bangalore. The Killadár or governor, however, whose name was Sri Nowas, the son of Vinkat Rao Burki, did not lose heart; but having strengthened the fort, and encouraged the garrison, he opposed the enemy with great con­stancy and courage. The Chiefs of Mysore, never­theless, lost from cowardice* all sense and discre­tion, and, like a parcel of old women, trembling, waited for a man to enter the field of valour for them. When, therefore, Nundi Raj and the brave Hydur arrived at Seringaputtun, it appeared as if the breath had entered anew into their lifeless carcases, and now they began again to consult how they should repel their enemies. All the chief officers and Jamadárs being assembled, they were questioned as to how the country, almost entirely lost, could be recovered, and the enemy chastised. In answer to these interrogations, the whole of the military officers said, that, if the Raja would mount his elephant, and prepare to attack the Mahrattas, they would surround him, and fight to the last man in his defence; but that, otherwise with their own forces alone, they could not venture to attack the numerous army of the Mahrattas.