124 EASTERN HINDOOSTAN. 



fuaded M. Bujf^^ then in the neighborhood, to remove the hated 

 rival. The French general marched with part of his forces, and 

 with infinite difficulty invelled the fort. The Polygar and his 

 garrifon fought with the indignant ferocity of wild beafts, de- 

 fending their dens and families, and boldly ftriving to over- 

 throw the fcaling ladders at the certain expence of their lives. 



Rangarao feeing that no hopes were left, aiTembled his prin- 

 cipal men, told them there w^as no hopes of defending the fort, 

 and that it was immediately necelTary to preferve their wives 

 and children from the violation of Europeans, and the more 

 ignominious authority of Vizeramrauze. A number called 

 without diftindtion, fummoned to perform the horrid '^oar ; 

 they proceeded, every man with a torch, his lance, and poi- 

 gnard, to the habitations in the middle of the fort, to which 

 they fet fire indifcriminately, plying the flame with ftraw pre- 

 pared with pitch and brimftone, and every man ftabbed, with- 

 out remorfe, the woman or child whichfoever attempted to 

 efcape the flame or fuffocation, to the amount of near five 

 hundred : not the helplefs infant, clinging to the bofom of its 

 mother, faved the life of either from the hand of the hufband 

 and father. The utmoft excefles, whether of revenge or rage, 

 were exceeded by the atrocious prejudices which dictated and 

 performed this horrible facrifice ; the maflacre being finiflied, 

 thofe who accompliflied it returned, like men agitated by the 

 furies, to die themfelves on the walls. Rangarao was in that 

 inftant killed by a mufquet-ball, after which his friends, at- 

 tempting to revenge his death, fell with the moll defperate 



valour : 



