HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
Ghauts, had become extremely 
apprehensive for the safety of the 
detachment under Colonel Floyd, 
and instantly marched northward 
to his support; but from want of 
information passed him on the road, 
and went on nearly as far as Da- 
miacottah. As soon as he learned 
the glad tidings of his having taken 
post at Velladi, without searching 
after Tippoo, he instantly faced a- 
bout, joined him there, and re- 
turned to Coimbatore. 
Tippoo, conscious of our supe- 
riority in the field, judged it most 
prudent to avoid a general engage- 
ment; to watch the motions of the 
enemy ; to cut off their supplies; to 
elude their pursuit;‘yet to be ready 
to take advantage of every favour- 
able circumstance, and to exhaust 
our strength and resources by de- 
lay and procrastination. Accord- 
ingly, on the approach of the grand 
army under General Meadows, he 
recrossed the Bouanni, and took up 
a strong position on its northern 
bank. He then disencumbered 
himself of his heavy baggage, and 
great part of his artillery, by send- 
ing them up the Gujelhatty pass ; 
and got a fresh supply of bullocks 
and elephants: in which articles 
he was before superior to our army. 
Having made these arrangements, 
and hearing that a large convoy of 
rovisions was proceeding to Coim- 
atore, under the command of Ma- 
jor Young, he bent his march to- 
wards Caroor, in hopes of inter- 
cepting it. In this he was disap- 
pointed; for General Meadows, 
contrarily to custom, having gained 
intelligence of his movements, left 
Coimbatore, and by forced marches 
joined Major Youug. 
The British commander, as the 
only probable way of finishing the 
campaign with success, now deter- 
bt 
[203 
mined to use all his efforts to bring 
Tippvo to action. He was by this 
time no great distance from his 
camp, which he approached, but 
found to be evacuated. He closely 
pursued him for several days, till at 
last he lost his track. Tippoo hav- 
ing eluded his pursuit, left him on 
the right, turned westwards, and 
laid siege to Daraporam; which, 
being unprovided with cannon, 
immediately surrendered. Coim- 
batore, the most important fort in 
our possession, he in all probability 
would have likewise taken, had not 
Colonel Hartley, who had been 
detached from the Bombay army, 
at this critical period thrown into 
it considerable reinforcements. 
A more important object now 
engaged the attention of the Sul- 
tan. He heard a rumour that a 
junction was intended betwixt the 
central army left in the Carnatic, 
under Colonel Kelly, and the grand 
army commanded by General Mea- 
dows. This it was his interest to 
prevent: he therefore hastened 
eastward, and encamped on a strong 
position betwixt Sattimungulum and 
the Cavery ; which if he could 
maintain, the plan could never be 
executed, He had been correct in 
his information, as such a scheme 
was really in agitation. The Bri- 
tish General becoming alarmed at 
the increasing power of Tippoo, 
had come to the resolution of con- 
centrating his force. The Carna- 
tic army, having through thé sum- 
mer reduced several forts in the 
Baramaul Valley, was now on its 
march to join him in the neigh- 
bourhood of Poolamputty ; and he 
himself was now marching to that 
place to meet Colonel Maxwell, 
who had succeeded to the command 
on the death of Colonel Kelly. 
Upon the approach of General 
Meadows, 
