CONFEDERACY AGAINST THE ENGLISH. 51 



so lately vowing each other's destruction, united in an of- 

 fensive treaty against the English. Colonel Smith, both 

 from his own observation and from notices given by his 

 faithful ally, soon obtained a clear perception of this change 

 in the position of affairs. It bore rather a serious aspect, 

 considering the distance to which he had advanced into the 

 Mysore territory ; but on his remonstrances Nizam Ali con- 

 curred in the propriety of his retreat, only desiring that a 

 corps of three battalions should remain with him, — a re- 

 quest which was unaccountably complied with. Yet the 

 Indian prince, on this occasion, displayed honourable feel- 

 ings very unusual with his countrymen of the same class. 

 Before commencing hostilities he allowed the whole detach- 

 ment to depart except five companies, and afterward these 

 also, without the least molestation. 



Colonel Smith, seeing himself now threatened by the 

 united attack of these two great powers, with an army of 

 43,000 horse and 28,000 foot, while he himself had only 

 6000 foot and 1000 horse, limited his efforts to fortifying 

 the passes of the Ghauts by which they might be expected 

 to descend into the Carnatic ; but from ignorance of the 

 local positions, he left undefended those very openings which 

 were the most favourable for their purpose. Through these 

 they easily penetrated, and, threatening the rear of the Eng- 

 lish, obliged them instantly to retire. The confederates 

 attacked him near Changama, but were completely repulsed ; 

 though, in consequence of their horsemen having plundered 

 the slender store of rice belonging to his army, this victory 

 was converted almost into a defeat, and he was obliged to 

 retreat day and night till he reached Trinomalee. The war 

 now assumed a distressing character. The British officer 

 had his force raised to ten thousand, for the most part reg- 

 ular infantry, which gave him a superiority in the field ; but 

 his cavalry were few and inefficient, while the enemy cov- 

 ered all the country with the finest light-horse in the world, 

 which cut off all his supplies, and left him no command over 

 any spot beyond that on which he was actually encamped. 

 At the same time Tippoo, son to Hydcr, afterward so deadly 

 an enemy to the English name, then only a boy of seven- 

 teen, made a rapid excursion with 5000 horse to the vicin- 

 ity of Madras, and had nearly surprised several of the Eu- 

 ropean residents in their country houses. The Indian 



