TREACHERY OF HYDER. 43 



just and honourable, compared with those by which Hyder 

 rose to the rank of an Indian monarch. Not only the 

 great and regular objects of pillage, such as convoys of 

 grain, horses, or herds of cattle, but clothes, turbans, ear- 

 rings, the most trifling ornaments taken from the persons of 

 females, and even of children, were alike welcome. Friends 

 were not distinguished from foes, provided the theft could 

 be executed with secrecy. By these means, Hyder, before 

 he left Trichinopoly, had collected 1500 horse, 5000 infantry, 

 with elephants, camels, and all other appendages of a chief of 

 high rank. Having distinguished himself also by his mili- 

 tary services, he continued in great favour, and was ap- 

 pointed Foujedar of Dindigul, an important place recently 

 acquired in the country of the Polygars. Here he enlarged 

 his forces and increased his wealth, not only by the plunder 

 of the surrounding territories, but by the most scandalous 

 impositions practised on his own sovereign, as well as on 

 the commissioners sent to inquire into his own conduct. 

 He managed to bring his troops to what was called a circu- 

 lar muster, in which ten thousand men counted as 18,000 ; 

 thereby obtaining pay for a fictitious number, and also at a 

 rate much above his actual expenditure. Having an allow- 

 ance for every wounded soldier, he imposed on the inspector 

 by presenting many who were perfectly sound, but had their 

 hands and feet tied with bandages dipped in turmeric. By 

 these gross frauds and deceptions, he completely deluded 

 Nunjeraj, who thought it wonderful that so great a force 

 could be maintained, and the war successfully carried on 

 against the Polygars, at an expense so moderate. 



Hyder had now collected so much strength both of arms 

 and treasure, and had acquired so high a reputation, that 

 he began to aim at the throne of Mysore. His views were 

 greatly favoured by the violent dissensions which prevailed 

 at court. The young rajah, whom Nunjeraj kept as a con- 

 venient tool, determined to make an effort to extricate him- 

 self from this thraldom, and had already secured the sup- 

 port of a large body of adherents. But having made a 

 premature display of his designs, the palace which he had 

 fortified was attacked and easily carried. The minister, 

 after this victory, treated the rajah himself with a mockery 

 of respect, but caused his supporters to be either thrown 

 into chains, or, having their noses and ears cut off, to be 



