About this time, Suráj ud Dowla Muhammad Alí Khan, Wala Jah, at the instigation of the English, marched with a body of troops to attack Pondicherry. The French immediatly sent a Vakeel, or messenger, to Hydur Alí, the noise of whose courage and political ability had reached the utmost corners of the earth; but whose fame was more particularly known in the countries of Hind and the Dukhun, and requested he would afford them aid; offering to give up, for the sup­port of the troops sent to their assistance, the revenues of two Purganas, one Chinchee, and the other Tyag Gurh, both which depended on them. Hydur, the protector of the helpless, immediately stained the finger of the Vakeel’s request with the henna of accordance, and dispatched a force of three thousand horse, six thousand regular, and two thou­sand Karnatic infantry, under the command of Syud Mukhdoom, his half brother, with abundance of stores, ammunition, and provisions, to Pondicherry.

With Syud Mukhdoom, on his departure, was associated a certain Asud Khan Mahkuri, Nayut, who had been formerly in the service of the Chief of Kirpa, and had been appointed to the Barh Mahl district. This man was universally known for his excessive bravery, and had no equal in his kind regard for his comrades,— but it may not be uninteresting to mention here some instances of his bravery. When Abdul Mujeed Khan was killed, by the hand of Bulwunt Rao, the Mahratta, Imrut Rao, also a chief of the Mahrattas, was sent by his orders with five hundred horse, and two thousand foot, to take possession of the Barh Mahl district. Having plundered the Kusba of Wanambari, he was advancing further, when this brave fellow, feeling his honour as Foujdár rather roughly handled, by the Mahrattas, and his blood being up, sallied forth from the town of Tripatoor, and on an open space, to the northward of that town, fell in with the Mahrattas; and, not taking any account of their numbers, with only five horsemen he attacked them as a tiger attacks a herd of deer, and actually beat them off his bounds; the said Imrut Rao being wounded in the action. Sometime after this event, Uzeez Khan, a one-eyed man, being envious of this brave man’s reputation, obtained for himself the agency or lieuten­ancy of this district, and arrived to take possession. Offended at the neglect and want of appreciation of his services, shewn by the Chief of Kirpa, Mohsun Khan, (alias Moocha Mean,) Asud Khan of his own accord left his service, and took up his residence at Rai Vellore. Knowing his value, the Nawaub Baha­dúr sent for him, at the same time providing him with funds for his expenses and carriage. This officer was therefore now attached to Syud Mukh­doom’s force, and the Syud marched with his mili­tary stores from Seringaputtun to Bangalore, where he learned that the Poligar of Anikul had given up the care of his own dominions, and, being tired of governing, had presumed to oppress his people and despoil his own relations and servants of their rights.

Mukhdoom, therefore, taking advantage of an opportunity, suddenly surprised him in the night and sent him off a prisoner to Seringaputtun. Placing a garrison in his fort, he then marched on. At this time, news arrived, that the Barh Mahl dis­trict, from the tyranny of Uzeez Khan, the one-eyed slave of Moocha Mean, the Chief of Kirpa, had fallen into disorder, all the inhabitants having been plun­dered by him; and that some of them had actually arrived, to complain of their hard treatment, and to request the Khan to restore order among them. Syud Mukhdoom, however desirous and determined he might be to protect them, still dared not advance a foot without Hydur’s commands. After some con­sideration, therefore, he addressed a letter to Hydur, who, on receiving his letter, without hesitation, dis­patched an answer, authorizing him to undertake the protection or regulation of the district, without further delay.

Passing, therefore, with his troops by the defile of Rai Kote, Syud Mukhdoom immediately came in contact with Uzeez Khan, who, with his troops, forthwith abandoned the country, without fighting and fled to Kirpa. Mukhdoom, therefore, after having placed garrisons in the forts and hill forts, &c. of the Barh Mahl, and left Asud Khan Mah­kuri there as Foujdár, advanced toward Pondi­cherry, and conducted his march thither with such address, that he arrived there without being molested or opposed by any one; after which, making a vigorous night attack on the English Troops, detached to guard the trenches or batteries, he with all his stores and ammunition safely entered the fort. The besiegers, however, being subsequently more on their guard, by the fire of their guns and small arms effectually closed in future the road, in or out, to the besieged. Notwithstanding this, Syud Mukh­doom encamped with his troops near Vallinoor, and took the defence of the city on himself. With regard to the Purguna of Chinchi, which is eighteen kose west from Pondicherry, the authority of the French had ceased there, and it had fallen into the hand of the Chief of Arkat, Muhammad Alí Khan; the government was not therefore in Mukhdoom’s hands. Tyag Gurh, however, which was a very distant dependency, was placed under the authority of Mukhdoom’s agent who remained there.

Pending the defence of Pondicherry, however, for want of hay, corn, &c., the troops and cattle suffered greatly; and most of the horses and camels became useless or died for want of forage; but, notwithstanding these hardships and difficulties, the garrison continued to make a brave defence.