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



Hodges *, " a melancholy witnefs to the efFeds of the inroad, 

 *' the multitude coming in from all quarters to Madras, as a 

 *' place of refuge, bearing on their fhoulders the fmall remains 

 " of their little property; mothers with infants on their breafts, 

 " fathers leading their horfes burthened with their young 

 " flimilies ; others fitting on the miferable remains of their 

 " fortunes on a hackery, and dragged through the duft by 

 " weary bullocks. Every object was marked by confufion and 

 " difmay ; from the i8th to the 21ft the numbers daily in- 

 " crealing, and it was fuppofed that within the fpace of three 

 *' days not lefs than two hundred thoufand of the country peo- 

 " pie were received within the Black 'Town of Madras I"" 



Tippoo Saeb commanded that part of the army which car- 

 ried its devaftations to the walls of the city. There was a mo- 

 ment in which he might have entered the Black Tozvn with the 

 fugitives, and burnt it : he might have even taken Fort St, 

 George^ the gates having been left open in the univerfal con- 

 fufion. " Theie advantages were happily negle6led ; he con- 

 tented himfelf with carrying a general defolation through the 

 environs, and then rejoined his father's army. 



The prefidency of Madras had collected about fix thoufand 

 troops, as foon as it had recovered from its confufion. They 

 were flationed in places moft fit to fi:op the progrefs of the 

 enemy. The defeat of the detachnient under Colonel Baillie 

 flung our government into defpondency. Jyder attempted ter- 

 ritorial conqueft. He befieged and took Jrcot, and many other 



* Hodges's Travels, p. 7, 



pofts 



