32 



EASTERN HINDOOSTAN. 



Tippoo had cruelly ordered to be murdered at the approach of 

 Rayacotta. our army, regretted and refpe(5led by the inhabitants. Raya- 

 cottOy the key to the My/ore, furrendered after fome refiftance. 

 This, and feveral others lefs important, being taken, left free 

 accefs from the Carnatlc, through the Odcagurgam pafs, which 

 was found more convenient for the invafion of the My/ore than 

 the Muglce., which we fliall find was taken by Lord Cornwallis, 

 and found to lie too far north. 

 PoNDicHERRv. About twentv miles to the north of Cuddalore ftands its po- 

 tent neighbor Pondicherry. The (ite and territory, in 1674, be- 

 longed to the king of Vifiapon}'. Am. Martin^ after the retreat of 

 the French from St. Tbome^ purchafed a village from the king. • 

 From that time, the little colony flouriflied and increafed till 

 it became the moft magnificent city in India. I fliall not 

 enter into the checks it received, its being plundered by the 

 Mahratias under Sevatjee, and its being taken by the Dutch 

 in 1693, and ceded by them in the peace of Ryfzvic^. I will 

 take up its ftory in the celebrated fiege of 1748, when Admiral 

 Besieged by Bofcaiven commanded the moft powerful fleet ever feen in the 



Admiral 



BoscAW£N. Indian feas. He alfo appeared in the character of general; and, 

 quitting his proper element, marched from Fort St. David's at 

 the head of a great army. He was a brave and experienced 

 naval officer, but totally ignorant of the condu<ft of a fiege, or 

 the operations in the field : he was notorioufly prefumptuous, 

 and luffered for his prefumption. Unprovided with intelli- 

 gence, he made a fruitlefs attack on a neighboring fort ; a for- 

 tunate explofion foon after made him mai1:er of it ; he loft many 

 days about the place. When he reached Fondicherry he began 



his 



