[AFTER acknowledging, with the usual compliments, the receipt of a letter from Runmust Khân, the writer proceeds thus]:—

Some time ago, while we happened to be making a progress, slightly attended, for the purpose of inspecting the forts of Bangalore, &c. the exciters of sedition in the Koorg country, not looking to the [probable] consequences [of such conduct], but agreeably to the nature of the children of selfishness* and of opportunity-watching rebels,* conceiving vain hopes from the great distance of our victorious army, raised their heads, one and all, in tumult. Immediately on our hearing of this circumstance, we proceeded with the utmost speed, and, at once, made prisoners of forty thousand occasion-seeking* and sedition-exciting* Koorgs, who, alarmed at the approach of our victorious army, had slunk into woods, and concealed themselves in lofty mountains, inaccessible even to birds. Then carrying them away from their native country (the native place of sedition) we raised them to the honor of Islâm, and incorporated them with our Ahmedy corps.* As these happy tidings are calculated, at once, to convey a warning to hypocrites,* and to afford delight to friends, [but more especially to] the chiefs of the true believers, the pen of amity has here recited them [for your infor­mation].

We now firmly purpose repairing to that quarter [towards Kurnool], and shall accordingly soon arrive there with our victorious forces; when the meeting, which we have so long wished to have with that friend, will be accomplished. Râjah Dhurm Doss, and Khâjeh Lûtfûllah, shall hereafter be dismissed and dispatched to that friend. We trust you will continue, till the period of our interview, to delight and rejoice us by your letters.

It will be recollected by the reader, that the Sultan had been recently ap­prized,* of its being the intention of Runmust Khân to attempt the recovery of some part of his country, which had been taken possession of by the Sultan; the present dispatch, therefore, which is in the true boastful style of a Persian Futah nâmeh,* or letter of victory, may be fairly considered as intended to in­timidate the person to whom it is addressed; or in Tippoo’s own words, “to convey “a warning to him” of what he might expect, if, by resisting the Sultan’s will, he should compel the latter to pay him a visit. It was, moreover, well calculated to prepare the way for the pecuniary demand which we shall presently see made upon this Patan chief.

The foregoing letter contains the only authentic record of the Sultan’s recent expedition against the Koorgs that I have hitherto met with: and if we may give credit to his account of its issue, he would appear to have but too well fulfilled, on this occasion, the threat with which we have seen him dismiss the assembled chiefs of thatnation, in the year 1784.

“I have vowed to God,” said he, “that if you ever again rise in rebellion, I “will make Musulmans of your whole race, and transplant you all from hence to “some other country.” See Observations on Letter CLXIX.