WESTERN H I N D O O S T A N. 177 



every infulting expedient to draw the firfl a6t of hoftility from 

 the I'ravancore troops ; but finding them aware of his artifice, 

 and that a detachment oiEngliJb troops was ftationed at fome dif- 

 tance, he at laft gave way to.liis rage, and on the 29th of Decern" 

 her attacked the lines by ftorm. His troops had filled the fofs 

 with cotton. They paffed by that means into the interior of 

 the lines, when, by fome accident, the cotton took fire, and the 

 whole formed a tremendous blaze. In their rear were the flames ; 

 in front a furious enemy. A6tuated by defpair, they fought 

 with incredible valour : out of fifteen hundred men, only forty 

 were taken, the reft fell vidiims to the rage of the I'ravan- 

 corian defendants*. I'lppoo, from the outfide of the lines, 

 was a fpecTtator of the horrid carnage of his foldiers. The 

 Nayrs preffed on him on all fides, and being repulfed with dif- 

 grace, and himfelf thrown from his horfe in the retreat, he is 

 faid to have made an oath, that he never would wear his tur- 

 ban again, till he had taken the Rajalf^ lines, and accordingly 

 he prepared to attack them by regular approach t. On April 12, 

 1790, he com})letely executed his menaces. He attacked the lines 

 v/ith fuch vigour, that he made himfelf maflier of them, totally 

 deftroyed this famous barrier, and laid Cranga7iore in ruins, 

 carried defolation through the country, and put every opponent 

 to flight %. 



The difgrace which Tippoo fufFered, was owing to three bat- Of tjie Nayrs. 

 talions oi Nayrs, and five hundred archers, in ail three thoufand 



* Mackenfie's Sketch, i. p. 18. f DIrom's Campaign?, 257. 



% Mackenfie's Sketch, i. p. 37. 



Vol. I. A a men. 



