WESTERN HINDOOSTAN. 131 



opened it with the redu6lion of Cananore and Nurrcarow, which 

 he inftantly efFeiled in the fight of Tippoo. Leaving garrifons 

 behind, he took poft, on March i, 1791, on the head of the 

 Ghauts^ at Pondicberrim, oppofite to Cananore. He then pro- 

 ceeded to Periapatajn, along the plains of My/ore, about eigh- 

 teen miles from the edge of thofe vaft heights. He reached 

 that fort on May 16. It was deferted by the garrifon, after 

 blowing up fome of the baftions ; and only eighteen miles in- 

 tervened between him and the grand army, commanded by 

 Lord Cornwallis, ready to inveft Seringapata?ri, the refidence of 

 Tippoo. The Sultan exerted every refource of a great mind to 

 avert his fate. He fought a pitched battle with the BritiJJj 

 General, and fuffered a complete defeat. The Lord of Hofts 

 interfered, and deferred his dellru6tion. The time of the 

 Monfoons came on. The vidor was obliged to deftroy part 

 of his train, and fall back to Bangaiore. The fwell of the 

 Cavery forced Abercromby to retire " who had, with infinite 

 " labor, formed roads, and brought a battering train, and 

 " a large fupply of provifions and ftores, over fifty miles of 

 " woody mountains, called Ghauts^ that immenfe barrier, which 

 " feparates the My/ore country from the Malabar coaft. Part 

 " of General Abercro}nby\ train alfo fell a facrifice to the necef- 

 " fity of the times : and his army, who thought they had fur° 

 "• mounted all their difficulties, had the mortification to find 

 " their exertions of no utility, and had to return, worn down 

 " by ficknefs and fatigue, expofed to the incefiant rains which 

 '^ then deluged the weftern coafi: of thepeninfula*." 



* Major Dirom's Campaigns, p. 2. 



S 2 In 



