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352
The War of Coromandel
Book IX

nation of Salabadjing, whose connexions in the present conjuncture Mr. Lally considered as a chimera of no effect, and who was thus deprived, even without apology, of the only support in his government, on which he had been accustomed to rely with confidence. He took leave of Mr. Bussy with the utmost despondency, called him the guardian angel of his life and fortune, and foreboded the unhappy fate to which he should be exposed by his departure. Mr. Bussy assured him, that he should soon return; and such was his wish and expectation; for although he knew the prejudices which Mr. Lally entertained against himself, his conduct, and the whole connexion of the French nation with the Subah of the Decan; he imagined, that his representations in personal conference would convince Mr. Lally, that this alliance, and the assistances which might be derived from it, would be the surest means of acquiring and maintaining the superiority of the French nation over the English on the coast of Coromandel. The whole French army, for none were left with Salabadjing, marched from Aurungabad on the 18th of July, the third day after they arrived there. On the third of August they reached Reyoor on the left bank of the Kristna, about 20 miles from Masulipatam, where Mr. Moracin joined them. Here Mr. Bussy delivered over the command of the army and the government of all the ceded provinces to Mr. Conflans, taking with him 250 of the best of the Europeans, of which 100 were cavaly, and 500 Sepoys. They proceeded through Ongole to Nelore, where they arrived on the 4th of September, and were received by Nazeabullah as friends and allies. We shall now return to the affairs of Bengal.

COLONEL CLIVE on the day he arrived at Muxadavad from Patna, which was the 15th of May, received advices from the coast of Coromandel of the arrival of the French squadron, and of the engagement between them and the English on the 29th of April. The confusion with which the city of Muxadavad was at this time agitated by the conduct of Meerum, required that the superiority which the French were acquiring on shore should not be publickly known, and to counteract such opinion, Clive spread the news he