When Trimuk heard of the plunder and disper­sion of his detachment, he discovered that the Ghaut of Kurunpaut was a dependency of the Názim of Arkat, and was therefore surprised how it was pos­sible the troops of the enemy should penetrate there; he consequently inferred that some col­lusion had subsisted between the two chiefs, that is, Muhammad Alí Khan and the Nawaub, and, further inferred, that in the event, (which he hoped God would forbid,) those chiefs should unite together to attack the Mahrattas, and shut the passes of the mountains, on their route, the honour of the Paishwa might be thereby endangered, and many lives use­lessly lost. Trimuk, therefore, made forced marches from that quarter, and, having crossed the Ghaut of Tuppoor, encamped near the town of Ootangiri. The commandant, Muhammad Alí, immediately apprised Tippoo of the arrival of the Mahrattas, and advised him to march to Puttun. As soon, however, as that fortunate and brave young man knew of the rapid march of the Mahrattas, he sent the whole of his baggage and followers, that is, his tents, stores, colours, &c., to Puttun; and he himself, with a body of three or four thousand horse, marched towards Trimuk’s force. It happened, on that day, that the Mahratta light troops had foraged to wards Dhurrumpoori, and thrown that neighbour­hood into great disorder, and had plundered several towns, and were then busy in collecting wood and forage. Tippoo soon joined these men, and affected to collect wood and grass, as they did; but he was looking out for an opportunity, which at last he found. Having made up their loads, the Mahrattas put them on their horses, camels, and elephants, and, without any precaution as to friend or foe, marched towards their own encampment. Tippoo, the moment he was able, threw upon the ground the loads from his horses, and, without delay, stretching forth the hands of manhood, with little trouble, put the Mahrattas into such confusion, that, from the shouts of “kill and take,”* fear fell on their hearts, and they saw no remedy but to fly, and save their lives. Tippoo, in consequence, with three or four thousand horses and bullocks, fifty or sixty camels belonging to Trimuk’s Tosha Khana, or wardrobe, and fifteen or twenty elephants, with other equip­ments of the Mahratta army, returned victorious to Puttun. Trimuk, struck with alarm at this attack, marched with his army to Kauveri Puttun, and encamped there. The commandant, however, having on the same night obtained information of the encampment of the Mahrattas, and having his force in readiness, determined to surprise them by an attack under cover of the darkness, and he marched for that purpose. It happened, that by the time he had arrived near their encampment, the night was spent, and the cock sounded his loud call to attention, and to arouse the lovers of sloth; he, the commandant, therefore, quickly countermarched, and sought refuge in the low ground, near the foot of the mountain of Gugungurh. Trimuk, also, halted during that day where he was; but was still ignorant of the arrival of that lion of the field of valour, who, from the morning to the evening of the same day, passed his time under the cover of the jungul. But at night, when the veil of sleep and forgetfulness was thrown over the world, he, having all in readiness, attacked the left wing of the Mahrattas, and most gallantly captured the whole of their stores and artillery, and released several prisoners, who had been taken in the con­fusion of the defeat at Churkoli, and were still confined in the Mahratta camp. Having com­pletely dispersed the followers and baggage of the enemy, and set fire to their tents and standards, the commandant, before the rising of the sun, returned with five hundred horses, six elephants, and eleven camels, laden with treasure; and, skirting or keeping close to the hills, entered Rai Kote. He, however, still marched on, and, at night, pro­ceeded to Anikul, where he had scarcely arrived when Trimuk, having been informed of the pre­sumption of the Nawaub’s troops, despatched his light horse in pursuit of them, he himself following. When the commandant arrived at Khan Khanhully, the Mahratta troops had anticipated him, and had occupied and blocked up the roads by which he could pass with safety, and they then surrounded him. The brave commandant, nevertheless, halted all day in a ruined fort, and at night, having lighted fires all over his ground of encampment, and hung up old dirty clothes on the walls and gates, he, with his troops, passing to the rear, through nar­row and deep roads, jungul, and over high and low grounds, with much labour, but without the knowledge of the enemy, arrived after his march, on the rear of their picquets. The Mahrattas, meanwhile, seeing the fires, and the white cloths hung upon the gates and walls, thought Hydur’s troops still remained in the fort, and without fear left their horses picketted, and were busily occupied in smo­king their hookahs, and cooking their victuals. They were thus employed, when, all at once, the commandant, the deceiver of his enemies, arrived on the heads of the picquets, and commenced to fire upon them, and also opened a fire from his guns, which were loaded with grape. The picquets, although numerous, were soon dispersed; but a body of five or six thousand cavalry, in armour, behaved with the utmost gallantry; for, although the shot from the cannon and musket rained upon them on all sides, so that scarce any one could escape with his life, from the field, they still, with the greatest bravery, gallopped at speed straight into the ranks of their enemies, and fought so des­perately, Verse, “Yes, men will never clothe them­selves in the garb of hermaphrodites,”*— that they soon killed and wounded five or six hundred of the commandant’s matchlock men. Nevertheless, the fortunate and brave commandant, victorious, with the horses and arms of those that had been slain, and taking his wounded with him, contrived, under the cover of the Makri jungul, to retire safely to Puttun. The remainder of the Mahratta picquets, on account of the darkness of the night, could not come to the assistance of those which were attacked, but fled into their own lines, and informed Trimuk of the plunder and dispersion of his advanced post; and he, being placed in great diffi­culties by the enterprise and stratagems of the Nawaub’s troops, fell into deep reflection, and, leaving his ground of encampment, marched by the route of Munda, towards Milekote. There he encamped, and remained, until the Nawaub, by the advice of the wisest of his counsellors, but extending his views particularly to the advancement of the peace and happiness of mankind, despatched a person, of the name of Apajee Ram as an agent, to arrange the terms of peace with Trimuk, (for it is a saying of the wise,— “True and straightforward men have (often) no choice but to seek the friend­ship of the crooked.”— “The arrow is compelled to obey the bow.”)

Trimuk, however, walking in his own conceited proud way, declined making peace; but still kept the Vakeel or agent near him, giving him sometimes a few words of good advice, and frequently boasting of his prowess. The Vakeel wrote all this to the Nawaub; but, after a short time, the Mahratta turned his heart from this country, (Mysore), and, being foiled on every side by the arms of the Nawaub, bent his thoughts on the pillage of Nuggur, a country very wealthy and populous; and, accord­ingly, he despatched his tents, (Paishkhana,)* in that direction. Hydur’s agent informed his master of this plan; at the same time advising and press­ing him to make some provision for defence in that quarter.

On hearing these tidings, the Nawaub was thrown into deep thought, and sent for the commandant, (Muhammad Alí), apprised him of the intentions of the Mahrattas, and consulted him as to the method by which their design might be defeated. The brave commandant again immediately took the whole responsibility of the expedition on his courage and ability, and rose up to depart; and the Nawaub ultimately sent him forth with six thousand veteran matchlock men, ten guns, and two thousand of his stable* horse, to achieve the discomfiture of the Mahrattas.

As soon as he was dismissed, the brave com­mandant marched, by the route of Periaputtun, to the Koorg Ghaut, named Siddapoor. The Koorg chief, however, having at that time unfurled the standard of rebellion, by treacherously cutting off the heads of the Nawaub’s garrison stationed in the fort of Murkera, and taking the whole country into his possession, had occupied the road in force; so that the commandant could not pass that way. The commandant did not consider his involving himself in hostilities with this wild but cunning race,* as consistent with his views and convenience, and he therefore retired, and continued his march, leaving the forests of Koorg to the left. Knowing, how­ever, that the passage of troops, with heavy baggage, over mountains and through forests, was difficult, if not impossible, he took with him only four thousand well trained light infantry, and two hundred good horse, and left the rest of the troops, artillery, horse, tents and baggage, under the care of Assud Khan, commandant, and Jehan Khan, Khokur,* Risaldár, and, having at night despatched them to the presence, he himself, without guns, and with his small force alone, took post on some high ground.