EASTERN HINDOOSTAN. Si 



and was employed on feveral important expeditions. He made 

 the French difcipline his model ; even while in their fervice 

 he feduced feveral of their men and officers to ferve in his 

 particular corps, which was irregularly connived at by reafon 

 of the fingular ufe Ayder was to them. In 1770, Stenet^ a 

 French officer, continued with him. 



In 1755 Ayder had the command of fix thoufand men in the 

 fervice of M. Dupleix. At that time, by the death of his bro- 

 ther, a ftrong fortrefs, a fertile territory, and a large body of 

 troops devolved to him ; he returned to Mvfore^ to his native 

 prince, and was appointed by him generaliffimo of the army. 

 He foon fuffered by the jealoufy of the prime minifter, Caneroy 

 who traiteroufly invited the Mahrattas to invade the country. 

 Ayder, furprifed, was obliged to retreat into Seringapatam, the 

 capital of the kingdom ; he encamped before the city, the Mah- 

 rattas followed him, and the treacherous Canero ffiut the 

 gates againft him, and left him to his fate. Ayder convened his 

 principal officers, told them his ftory, affured them he would 

 not be the caufe of the deftrudtion of fo many brave men, took 

 an affectionate leave of them, and difmiffed them, after advifing 

 them to take fuch meafures as prudence might fuggefl. At 

 midniglit he affembled thirty men, on whofe courage he might 

 rely, furnifhed each with a large fum in gold, and then, by 

 fwimming the river, eluded the ftrid; watch the Mahrattas kept 

 on him. He went inftantly to Bangalore, where he found his 

 uncle governor, who received him with open arms. Ayder 

 immediately raifed an army, and, after various great aclions, 

 affiled by his faithful partifans, he determined to attack the 

 Vol. II. M royal 



