After the settlement of this affair Hydur imme­diately sent for all the bankers and merchants of the city, and having given them assignments,* or drafts, for the amount, he took fifty Lakhs of Rupees from them. He also informed Meer Alí Ruza Khan of his arrival alone at Bangalore, and the cir­cumstances which led to his arrival, and requested him to come to him. He likewise wrote to Mukh­doom Sáhib, at Pondicherry, informing him of the treachery of the ungrateful Brahman, the incursion of the Mahrattas, at the invitation of that seditious person; and his (Hydur’s) having in consequence sought refuge at Bangalore, without troops or stores, and he requested Mukhdoom to join him immediately. When, however, Meer Alí Ruza Khan, with his troops, amounting to about two thousand regular infantry, (Bar,*) three hundred horse, a thousand irregular foot, and five guns, arrived, Hydur felt still more confident; and, being now strong in heart, he threw up batteries* or out­works at Busoon Goori and Hussoor, and encamped there, occupying himself in collecting horse and foot.

When the ungrateful Brahman found, on the next day, that the lion* had left his old hunting ground, and had hoisted the standard of valour in the manhood-testing field of Bangalore, spreading the terror of his name in all quarters of the world, he proceeded with a few men to Hydur’s encamp­ment and having seized all the property remaining there, he carried it into the fort, and placed the family, and the fortunate son of Hydur,* (then about seven years of age), in an empty house near the Alí Musjid, which at that time was a Hindu temple, and posted a guard over them. He next, without the least delay, began to remove and to replace the Killadárs and Talookdárs of Mysore, or the com­manders of forts and districts, and assembled a body of troops, for the conquest of Bangalore.

In the intermediate time Esajee Beenee, with his heavy force, arrived, like a hungry hawk, pouncing on its prey, and the Brahman, estimating his arrival as an instance of the greatest good fortune, sug­gested to him the plan to be pursued in regard to Hydur, and made him a present of Hydur’s ele­phants, about thirty in number, (which he, Hydur, was training, and for which he had paid a large price,) with other valuables. Then sending him with injunctions to capture the fort of Bangalore, and make Hydur Alí prisoner, he speedily followed, with a force of nine thousand horse, fourteen thou­sand foot and a train of heavy guns, and soon also arrived there.

In the meanwhile, the Mahrattas had raised a terrible storm in the vicinity of Bangalore, and had so pillaged, and destroyed the people, that most of the towns and villages, from the constant ravages of that ill omened army, were left without an inhabitant.* But, during these proceedings what­ever approaches were pushed on, trenches dug, or batteries raised, to breach the fort, were ren­dered of no avail; for the soldiers of Hydur fre­quently sallied forth, and burned their trenches, and victoriously repelled their assaults.

At this time, Mukhdoom Sáhib, according to Hydur’s requisition, having taken leave of the French at Pondicherry, with the same worn out body of troops, the state of which has been before described, arrived by forced marches at Tyag Gurh; and, having taken four guns from the top of the mountains, brought them along with him, and, marching through the Pass of Tippoor, arrived at Kishengiri. Here he took some necessary supplies of provisions and ammunition, from Asud Khan Mahkari, the Foujdár, and, giving him a receipt for the same, then marched by Rai Kote to Anikul.

Upon hearing of Mukhdoom’s arrival there raging like a mad elephant, with a large force, the Brahman and the Mahrattas, immediately determined to attack him. Accordingly, with their plundering horse and foot they let loose their courage for the fight, and, although camel-hearted,* they being in numbers like locusts, arrayed themselves in great force against him on the field. Mukhdoom Sáhib, nevertheless, did not give the game out of his hands; but arranged his artillery and infantry on the lower grounds, while he himself, with his light-bridled and well-trained horse, intending to give them a lesson, kept the higher parts of the ground. The two Surdárs, (the Brahman and Mahratta), in their pride, not estimating the bravery of their oppo­nents, as they appeared few in number, imme­diately charged them, and Mukhdoom Sáhib retiring with his horse, and giving the signal to rise to the parties he had placed in ambush, they imme­diately rose, and opening a heavy fire of artillery and musketry, killed a great number of the infidel Mahrattas. Nor did they withdraw their hands while they had power from slaying and plundering their enemies, and thousands on both sides were stretched on the field of death.

The Mahrattas were defeated, and fled; but, towards the evening, they reassembled, and sur­rounded and besieged Mukhdoom’s lions, buzzing round them like flies continually. Mukhdoom, therefore, forwarded a letter to Hydur Alí, stating his arrival at Anikul, with stores and ammunition, and his being surrounded and besieged by the Mah­rattas and Brahman’s troops.

On receiving this letter, Hydur, by using his intelligence and prudence to the best end, and agree­ably to the rules of those who love to overcome difficulties, immediately wrote and despatched a letter to Nundi Raj, informing him that the Brah­man, Khundi Rao, had followed the path of treachery and rebellion, and that he himself had been com­pelled to abandon his station and property, and separate himself from his family. He also made known to him the arrival of his troops from Pondi­cherry, and their being prevented from joining him by the two vile Infidels, the Mahratta and Mysorean, and their want of some place of support or refuge.

When the Dulwai heard the terms of this letter from that great and illustrious man his old friend­ship again warmed his heart, and he became convinced that the misfortunes which had before befallen him arose from the villany of this Brah­man. He, therefore, wrote a kind and conso­latory letter in reply, with a note to the Killa­dár of Anchiti Droog, directing that provisions should be supplied to Mukhdoom Sáhib’s troops, and that they should be allowed to seek support and refuge under the protection of the guns of that hill fort, the garrison there being his. This note Hydur immediately forwarded, with corresponding suggestions of his own, to Mukhdoom Sáhib. Mukh­doom, who, in opposing his enemies and preserving his own troops, had been for three or four days exposed to great difficulties, but who, notwithstand­ing he had two armies to contend with, had never quitted the field, however pressed by force or artifice;* and who, during all this time, whilst oppressed by the want of water, forage, corn, and carriage, had still maintained himself in the same place by dint of hard fighting; on receiving the letters of his master, and the orders of Nundi Raj, immediately formed his troops, and attacked his opponents, and the two worthless chiefs, finding they could not resist his brave soldiers, retired like foxes before them; but, nevertheless, still continued to surround the victorious army, and occupied themselves in playing off their treacherous wiles. Mukhdoom, however, without fear or hesitation, with his right and left wings under the command of his experienced officers of horse and foot, marched, still keeping up a hot fire, straight to the Droog, before mentioned, and forwarded the order of Nundi Raj to the Killadár. The Killadár, on receiving it, immediately admitted the troops to the protection of the hill fort, and furnished them with provisions and articles needful to them of all kinds, at reasonable prices, and he thereby obtained great credit.