EASTERN H I N D O O S T A N. 



45 



away the great objedts, and reinforced the garrifon. Ayder made 

 his attack on our general, who had formed his order of bat- 

 tle, and rufhed on the enemy with fuch impetuofitv, that the 

 Myforean flirunk back, and left Coote in pofleffion of the field 

 of action. This was the laft time in which thefe great com- 

 manders were deftined to face each other in the field. Neither 

 of them furvived long; they fell victims to their amazing and Deaths of 

 conftant exertions of body and mind. Ayder died in 1782, at ^^'^^^'' 

 the age of foiirfcore. Sir Eyre Coote on April 27, 1783, ao-ed 

 58. After his relignation he had retired to Calcutta^ where he 

 was invefted with full powers to refume his former com- 

 mand, which, exhaufted by fatigue, he had religned to General 

 Stuart, In his paflage from Bengal, he was, during five days, 

 purfued by a Trench fleet, and with all the appearance of 

 the impofi[ibility of an efcape. His great mind funk under the 

 idea of being made a prifoner ; and fo deprived of the fair 

 hopes he had of bringing the war to a fpeedy conclnfion. His 

 fliip and treafure arrived fafe in Madras road : but he furvived 

 only two days ; he was attacked by three ftrokes of the pallV, >,.,^ c ^ 



■I ■' ' J L J ' AND OIR £,TRE 



and breathed out his great foul under the third, without pain, ^'0^' e- 

 and without a groan. 



His body was trznfyoned to Europe. Th.^ Eafl India Com- 

 pany gratefully eretfted, as a memorial of his military talents, 

 a magnificent monument in Wejlminjler Abby. Vicftory is re- 

 prefented hanging his medallion on a palm-tree; flags, and 

 other trophies are placed beneath : a mourning Indian fits on 

 one fide pouring the contents of a full cornucopia, the fruits of 

 his victories, into a fliield. This is a cenotaph \ his mortal 



part 



