EASTERN HINDOOSTAN. 87 



remarked to be admirable for the purpofe, fmce nothing equals 

 it in reiifting the edge of the ax, or the fubtile fury of fire *. 

 To conclude, plants innumerable, of unknown fpecies, the feeds 

 of which, arrefted by the antient hedge, grow and intermix, 

 preferving it in order and verdure everlalling. 



Within the hmits of this flrong defence Tippoo formed his 

 fortified camp, flrengthened with every thing which his exten- 

 five mind could invent, hi his front line were a hundred 

 pieces of cannon, hi the fort and illand, or the fecond line, 

 three hundred more. Numbers of redoubts, well provided with 

 artillery, were difperfed in various places ; one, called the Sul- 

 tan's, was under his peculiar care ; it was ill defended, and 

 bravely attacked : it fell beneath our fuperior valour. The ene- 

 my, afliamed of their conduft, made feveral defperate attempts 

 to retrieve their charadter, and regain the royal charge. We 

 preferved our honor, but at the expence of numbers of brave 

 men, officers and privates. Captain Sibbald, the commander of 

 the detachment, was killed, bravely fighting. As a pofthumous 

 reward, the name of Sultan's was changed to Sibbald's re- 

 doubt I : this may be faid to have decided the fate of Serin- 

 gapatam. To Mr. Dirom % I leave the conclufion of the glo- 

 rious event. — Let me only give the difparity of numbers be- 

 tween the alTailants and defendants, as the moft convincing- 

 proof of the fuperiority of Britijh valour. Our troops con- 

 lifted only of two thoufand eight hundred Europeans, and five 

 thoufand nine hundred natives. The total eight thoufand 



• Dirom, p. 68. f P. p. 170, 171. \ P. 218. 



9 feven 



