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HAIDARS' GRIEVANCES
85

was suppressed without difficulty. Another cause of offence arose in this way. When Basálat Jang, as above mentioned, made over to the Madras Government the district of Guntúr, he requested them to despatch troops to occupy it, and a detachment was accordingly directed to proceed to Adoni by way of Kadapa, at that time under Haidar's jurisdiction, and then on through Karnúl to Guntúr. No permission had been obtained, either from Haidar or the Nizám, for the troops to pass through their territories, the commanding officer being merely furnished with a recommendatory letter from the Madras Governor. The detachment was attacked in a rugged defile and compelled to retreat, and, although reinforcements were sent in haste from Madras, Haidar had meanwhile despatched troops, which ravaged the whole country up to Adoni and stopped any further advance. He was aware of the intention of the Madras Government to lease Guntúr to his enemy, Muhammad Alí. The Nizám for his part was equally opposed to the district being removed from his authority by the compact between his brother, Basálat Jang, and the British authorities at Madras.

This last occurrence took place just at the time when Sir Thomas Rumbold, the Governor, had entrusted the missionary, Schwartz, with a secret embassy to Haidar, who, resenting the conduct of the British in seizing Mahé, had written in strong terms to Madras complaining of their hostility, and intimating the probable consequences. Schwartz was received