and Ramnarain, breaking down the gate, let in his friends without. There remained three miles of the path to the town, but impeded with no more defences, nor were the thickets on either hand so close. The troops were gathered, the Sepoys and Coffres who had kept back came on, and all proceeded to the town; which they found abandoned. The reigning Rheddy, and all his people, had escaped into the hills, excepting a few men who could not remove, having been blown up with gunpowder intended to load a field-piece, which they were dragging to the wall in the pass. The delay of Ramanaig's party had been caused by the timidity of his guides, who, on some fright, left them soon after they entered the wood, to find their way as they could. Of 70 Europeans 4 were killed and 28 wounded in the attack; Mahomed Issoof was shot through the arm, but, binding up his wound, continued on the ground until all was over. A great number of scaling ladders were found at the Rheddy's house, which had been prepared, and were lying in readiness for the French to escalade Tritchinopoly, when they should see the opportunity. The natives of this district have little resemblance with any others in the Carnatic; they have large bloated heads, pot bellies, and small limbs. The climate is very unhealthy to strangers, imputed to the nature of the water. The detachment continued in the town a week; and during this short stay Captain Smith, all his officers, and most of the other Europeans, fell ill. Three companies of Sepoys, with three good Serjeants, were left to protect the reinstated Rheddy; and the main body of the detachment returned to Tritchinopoly.
Mr. Lally felt severely, although he did not acknowledge, the disgrace of his retreat from Tanjore. It exasperated the natural asperity of his disposition, and inflamed all his prejudices and animosities, which, continually expressed in the keenest sarcasms his redundant wit could suggest, had rendered him odious to all ranks of men, to the natives as to the colony, to the squadron as to his own army, in which he seems to have allowed capacity with zeal to no one, excepting the Count d'Estaigne. On the other hand, no imputations were spared by the wounded, or their friends, which
