XIV 



Htjlorlcal Chronicle^ 



without a daily allowance of 

 rum to failors, as it is now to 

 think of cultivating rice or fu- 

 gar without flaves. 



The t< t.il lofs of our grand 

 army in India, from the date 

 of its march into Tippoo's 

 country ur.til the 30th of April, 

 did not exceed 80 killed and 

 about aoo wounded. 



One poor fellow had a molt 

 remarkable efcape — He was 

 ftruck with fuch violence by 

 a mulket-ball, a little above the 

 groin, that it fraftured into a 

 thoufand pieces a bifcuit v/hich 

 he had fortunately put in his 

 waiftcoat pocket ; — he prays 

 for the baker who made it — 

 and though he loft a tooth in 

 themorningattemptin^tobreak 

 it, he faved his life by pocket- 

 ing the obdurate caufe — he 

 recoR-.mends it to his comc- 

 rades (when bifcuits are attain- 

 able) never to go to battle 

 without beirs; well lined with 

 fuch a noble defence, and juft- 

 !y claims the honour of being 

 the firft in difcovering its good 

 effeds as ext-ernal armour. Be- 

 ing a little fwelled in the part, 

 he applied the Ixoken pieces of 

 the fame biicuit, foaked as a 

 poultice ; fo that in the pre- 

 fcnt inltance we are warranted 

 in fiying, that bread is not 

 only the itaff, but alfo the fhield 

 of life. 



A private letter from India 

 relates the following pleafing 

 incident, which occurred toMa- 

 jox Gowdie, fliortly after he 

 entered Bangalore, with the 

 other affaii^nts. Laft war he 

 had been Tippoo's prifoner, 

 and Avas confined with many 



other gentlemen in Bangalore, 

 where they fufFeredevei-yfpecies 

 of infult, hardftiips, and bar- 

 barity. A humane and bene- 

 ficent butcher, whofe bufinefs 

 led him often to tlicir prifon, 

 faw and felt for their fuffcrings; 

 they had been ftripped of their 

 cloaths, and robbed of their 

 money, before they were con- 

 fined. It would have coft the 

 butcher his ears, perhaps his 

 lite, had he difcovered any 

 fymptoms of pity tor the prifo- 

 ners before his countrymen. 

 They were allowed only one 

 feer of rice, and a pice, or half- 

 penny per day, for their fubfif- 

 tence ; but the butcher con- 

 trived to relievetheir neceflities ji 

 on opening the flicep's heads, 

 which they frequently bought 

 from him as food, they were 

 aftonilhed to find pagodas in 

 the brains. Upon pafling the 

 yard of their prifon, he often 

 gave them abniive language, 

 and threw balls of dirt at them, 

 to teftify his hatred and con- 

 tempt ; bat upon breaking the 

 balls, they always found they 

 contained a fupply of money 

 for their relief, and this he did 

 frequently for a long feries of 

 time. Major Gowdie had not 

 long entered the bread), when 

 he faw and recoHefted his 

 friend the butcher ; he ran with 

 eagernefs to embrace him, fav- 

 ed him from the carnage, and 

 led him to a place of fafcty. — 

 The tranfports of the two gene- 

 rous fpirits at their meeting, 

 gave the mod plealmg fenfati* 

 ons to all who beheld them ; 

 it foftened the rage of the fol- 

 diers, and made the thirft of 



