Whenever he despatched a body of troops to per­form any particular service, he was never free from anxiety respecting that force; constantly supplying them with all things necessary, as money, military stores, and grain for men and cattle. In the repairs of the forts which he took, and the construction of new walls or defences, he expended hundreds of thousands of pounds; as, indeed, the state of most of the strong hill forts in the Payanghaut and Bala­ghaut will afford sufficient testimony.

The name of cut purse,* thief, or highway robber, was erased from the records of the cities, towns, and villages, of his dominions; and if, by accident, any highway robbery, &c. was committed, the Kawuligur, or guard, of that part was impaled without delay, and another person appointed to his office; one who feared God, and had a tender heart. He kept his troops always in good humour, by gifts and favours, and his peasantry highly pleased, by (favourable) assurances and agreements.

During the whole of his reign, the only innova­tions he made were in the impression of the Hoon, or Pagoda, on one side of which was the letter <Arabic>, and on the other dots; and in the half pence* or copper coins, the currency of this country, on one side of which is impressed the figure of an elephant. The reason of this latter was, that Hydur’s own elephant, called Poon Guj, an extremely handsome animal in its form and proportions, and very steady in its paces, in so much that Hydur prized him above all his other elephants, died suddenly; and Hydur, being much grieved at his death, to perpetuate his memory had his figure stamped on his copper coinage. He made no other change. About this time, however, being one day very angry with his Ohdedars, and Howalehdars, the civil officers of his working departments, who had spoiled some work committed to their charge, by chance the Darogha or master of the mint presented himself, and asked the Nawaub what device he would have struck on his new copper coinage. Hydur, in a violent passion, told him to stamp an obscene figure* on it; and he, agreeably to these orders, struck that day four or five thousand of these coins, and they passed among the currency for some time. At length, certain learned men made a representation to the Nawaub on the subject, and the coins were called in, and melted down. The pence and half pence of the elephant are, however, still current.

Every Monday night, whether marching, or halt­ing, he had a set of dancing* girls, with foreheads like Venus, and countenances like the moon, to dance before him. In the time of the Dussera, the Eed or festival of the Mahrattas, although this was a custom of the Infidels, to follow which he in his heart was averse, still, with a view to please and gain the affections of the Mysoreans, that is, the descen­dants of Jug* Kishen Raj Oodere, and his ministers; for to the deceased Nawaub every heart was dear; and, also, because the service or agency of infidels is not infidelity; he held a banquet of ten days, and the sons of Kishen Raj, and also of Nundiraj, were admitted to the presence; and, for two or three hours, the Nawaub amused himself, by seeing fire works, the fighting of stags, the fierce attacks of buffaloes, and the charges of elephants, like moun­tains, on each other, and the boxing and wrestling of strong prize fighters, who in the Dukkun are called Jetti. A Ghirbal,* or circular enclosure, having been formed, in front of the Jetti Mahl, or theatre for prize-fighting, and a chained tiger placed therein, asses, to which strong spirits had been given instead of water, were let loose on the tiger; and, on seeing the bounds or leaps of the tiger, and kicking and braying of the asses, the Nawaub was accustomed to laugh, and be much amused. Abys­sinians, also, dressed in woollen armour,* with staves of sandal wood, were set to fight with bears. Some of the Nawaub’s bravest servants, at their own request, were also selected and placed in the circle against a fierce lion or tiger. In firing at a mark, with a musket or matchlock, there was not in the world the Nawaub’s equal; for, in the midst of the circle was fixed a plantain tree, and the man who was fighting with the lion was ordered to attack him round or under cover of the tree. If in the event the brave man conquered, and slew the lion or tiger, he, with presents of gold, dresses, and increase of pay, was rendered independent of all worldly want; but, on the contrary, if the tiger was conqueror, and had cast the man on the ground, the Nawaub took up his matchlock, and fired with such unerring precision that the ball passed through the tiger’s head, and the man rose up uninjured.

At the commencement and end of his govern­ment, to terrify his adversaries, he was accustomed to order the ears and noses of the Mahratta and other prisoners to be cut off; and in the expedition to Arkat, at the suggestion of some of his villainous eunuchs, many of the loveliest maidens there, of any tribe, either with the consent of their parents or relations, or by force, were sent for, and com­pelled to submit to his embraces. Beautiful Slave girls, not arrived at womanhood, whom he had acquired by the same means, were also sent by him to the Natuk Sala,* in the women’s apartments, (for instruction in singing and dancing.) The Nawaub was accustomed to shave his beard, mous­taches, eyebrows, and eyelashes. He was very dark, and strong bodied, but of middle size.

The impression on his seal was the following verse:

“Futteh Hydur was manifested, or born, to conquer the world. There is no man equal to Alí and no sword like his.”

His pocket seal bore the words <Arabic>

In fine, from the beginning of the rise of his fortune, to his death, his conduct was distinguished by vigilance, experience, and wisdom.

Some person found the date of his decease in the following sentence,

“Ah! the Lion hearted man is dead.”

And another has found the date in these words,

“The life or soul of the Balaghaut is gone.”

The numerical value of these letters gives the date 1196 Hijri.