SUCCESSES OF 55 



tained Orton, but induced him, by force or threats, to sign 

 an order to Captain Robinson to surrender the important 

 fortress of Eroad, a mandate which this last thought it 

 his duty to obey. The same pretext was used for breaking 

 the capitulations with the troops in the garrison of Caveri- 

 poram, and sending them to Seringapatam, where they 

 were immured in dungeons, and treated with the utmost 

 severity. 



Hyder, in his triumphant progress, now began to menace 

 the rear of his adversaries. The English, awakening from 

 their dreams of conquest, saw the very depots and posts 

 on which their military operations rested in danger of 

 falling into the hands of the enemy. Their pride was so 

 far lowered, that they despatched Captain Brooke to at- 

 tempt a negotiation with the Mysorean sovereign. The 

 latter received him extremely well, and seems to have 

 explained his views with a candour not usual in the tortu- 

 ous proceedings of oriental policy. He declared that it 

 was, and had always been, his earnest wish to be on good 

 terms with the British, an object defeated solely by them- 

 selves and their worthless ally, Mohammed Ali. He 

 confessed that this desire was prompted by an enlarged 

 view of his own interest, especially as being liable to a 

 periodical visitation from the Mahrattas, whose usual time 

 was now fast approaching. He frankly owned that he 

 was unable to resist both them and the English, but 

 warned Captain Brooke, that in such an extremity his 

 resource would be to form a union with them against his 

 European enemies, an arrangement in which he would 

 find no difficulty. He desired them, therefore, to under- 

 stand that there was no time to be lost in making him 

 either friend or foe. The presidency accordingly sent Mr. 

 Andrews, an individual greatly in their confidence, to the 

 Indian camp ; but still their terms were too high. Hostilities 

 were resumed, and Smith being restored to the command, 

 checked the progress of the enemy who, however, engaged 

 at last in a most daring enterprise. With a body of 6000 

 chosen cavalry and 200 picked infantry, he made a rapid 

 sweep of 130 miles in less than four days, and appeared 

 to the astonished council within five miles of Madras. 

 Awakened then thoroughly from their dreams of ambition, 

 they were seized with the deepest feelings of despondence. 



