204 THE FIRST STRUGGLE IN THE KARNATIK. chap, all their guns, and that they had killed and wounded of ' , the Nawwab's army upwards of two thousand men.* 1746. For three weeks after this fruitless expedition, the French army continued in its encampment. Dupleix, however, had not been idle. On the fresh outbreak of hostilities, he had despatched instructions to M. Dor- delin, who, it will be remembered, commanded the squadron which had gone to winter at Achm, to hasten with his four shipsf to the coast. In the expectation of the early arrival of these, he resolved to re-open negotiations with the Nawwab, to point out to him the folly of extending further protection to a people, re- duced, as were the English, to the last extremity, and the expediency of maintaining amicable relations with the European power, which, in Europe as in Asia, occupied the first position among nations. That self- interest might aid in inducing the Nawwab to lend a willing ear to these proposals, he directed the comman- dant of Madras to undertake without delay measures to threaten Arkat with an attack from a French army. The messengers of Dupleix found the Nawwab tired of fruitless hostilities, and not altogether indisposed to enter into an accommodation with the French, though still demanding the execution of the original agree- ment. To induce him either to decide at once, or to render his decision of less importance, Dupleix deter- mined to endeavour to surprise Gudalur. On the night 1747. of January 10, he embarked five hundred men from the camp at Ariakupum in boats for the purpose. The night was dark but fine, Gudalur was open on the seaside, and everything promised success. But the boats had hardly got through the surf, when a storm arose which forced them to return. Ten days later, M. Dordelin's squadron arrived. It now seemed to lie in the power of Dupleix to make
- Oruie, Dupleix.
The "Centaure," the " Biillant," the "Mars," and the " St. Louis."
