Page:History of the French in India.djvu/301

MUZAFFAR JANG IS SLAIN. 279 Muzaffar Jang had no sooner satisfied himself regarding chap. their plans than he ordered out his troops to attack vr ' them, calling upon Bussy to support him. This, Bussy, 1751# who considered himself bound to side with the Suba- dar against traitors, promised to do. But Muzaffar Jang, without waiting for the slower march of the in- fantry, at once attacked the confederates with his cavalry. An obstinate contest ensued, many being killed on both sides. The confederates, however, maintained the position they had taken up, until Bussy and the French contingent arrived on the ground. A few rounds from their artillery and a general advance of their infantry decided the day. The rebel army broke, fled, and dispersed, leaving the Nawwab of Savanur dead on the field, and taking with it the Nawwab of Kadapah, grievously wounded. Muzaffar Jang, indignant at the idea that he, the principal conspirator, should escape, outstripped his French allies to pursue him on his elephant. In his headlong course he came upon the third confederate, the Nawwab of Karnul. A desperate hand to hand contest ensued, in the course of which the newly made Subadar, Muzaffar Jang, was thrust through the brain by a spear, whilst his antagonist, the Nawwab of Karnul, was instantly afterwards hacked to pieces. The death of Muzaffar Jang, Subadar of the Dakhan, was in itself a severe, and might have been fatal, blow to the policy of Dupleix. In his person was struck down the main defender of the French alliance, the man who had personally experienced advantages to be derived from French wisdom and French valour, the personal friend and protege of Dupleix. No successor could occupy the position he had occupied with reference to French India. It was indeed possible that the government of the vast possessions he had inherited only to lose might devolve upon a minor, or a declared antagonist, who might repu- diate all the engagements and cancel all the advant- ages to which Muzaffar Jang had agreed. Under these