EASTERN HINDOOSTAN. 31 



who, inflead of being trained to the hoc or fpade, were dif- 

 cipHned to battle and llaiighter. The Englijb had alfo their 

 companies of Caffres, who diftingniflied themfelves on feveral 

 occafions : thefe are often purchafed from the Arabian mer- 

 chants, efpecially thofe which were brought from AbeJJy7iia. 

 The lafl: often rofe to places of high truft. A king of Vifiapour 

 in particular, put joarticular confidence in them. Thefe, either 

 by purchafe or invitation, collected numbers of their country- 

 men, fo as to become very powerful. The fmall maritime 

 force, which, till within thefe few years, exifted on the coall of 

 Malabar, was compofed oixh^^QHabefcheeSy as they were called. 

 Thefe were the origin of the Siddees I mentioned at p. 104, of 

 the laft volume. 



The ruins of Pondicberry were reflored on the peace. The 

 "French quickly rebuilt the town, and gave fuperior ftrength to 

 the fortifications : five thoufand men were in conftant employ 

 for that purpofe, but nothing could avert the impending 

 blow. I will not combat with M. Sonnerat the juflnefs of our 

 principle in again directing our arms againfl this devoted 

 place. When the new war broke out in 1778, M. Belkcombs 

 was governor : a man of great worth and military abilities. 

 Our army was commanded by Mr. Monro, who foon after was Again by Colo- 

 dignified with the order of the Baib, under the title of Sir ' "''''*"* 

 HeBor Monro. I remember to have found him in the year 

 1769, at the houfe of his kinfman Sir Harry Monro, in Rofs- 

 JJjire. He had before commanded in India, and had gained, in 

 O&ober 1764, the viclory of Buxar, and was, when I faw him, 

 building a houfe in the neighborhood, which was to perpetuate 



F z his 



