34 EASTERN HINDOOSTAN, 



they preferved their loyalty, and made every defence in their 

 power during the long fiege. One of thofe dreadful hurricanes 

 common to this climate, and which from its violence even afto- 

 niflied the natives, nearly preferved this magniiicent city. 

 Mod of our fhips, which were under the command of Admiral 

 Stevens and R.ear Admiral CorniJJjj were at anchor in the road, 

 loft their malts, and were driven from their ftation, and three 

 fnips which had the misfortune to keep their mails went to the 

 bottom with all their crews, amounting to eleven hundred Eu- 



Takes Pondi- ropeans. This calamity was overcome. Pondicberry, after a 

 blockade of near fix months, was compelled by famine to fur- 

 * render to the mercy of the conqueror. Lally was fent out un- 



der a ftrong efcort to prevent his being torn to pieces by his 

 own officers, and the principal inhabitants. He arrived in 

 France, was confined, and brought to his trial, condemned by 

 his prejudiced judges, cruelly gagged, and hurried to execu- 

 tion, and loft his head in a frenzy of rage : " A murder," 

 fays Voltaire., " committed by the fword of juftice." Orders 

 from the French court had been intercepted, directing Lally to 

 deftroy every maritime place in India which belonged to the 

 Englijh, and might fall into his hands. We naturally adopted 

 the fame refolution. Pondicberry felt the mifery confequential 

 of this delendafit Carthago ! All the fortifications, and all the 

 fplendid buildings, that the balls or bombs had fpared, became 

 in a very fliort time a heap of ruins» 



CaffbeTsccps. I OBSERVE among the troops employed in the defence of 

 Pondicberry, numbers of what are ft y led Caffres : thcfe are 

 flaves, either from Madaga/car^ or the eaftern coaft of ylfrica ; 



who. 



