HOSTILE DISPOSITION OF HYDER. 61 



posed that his resentment at this step was one cause of the 

 rooted enmity which he ever after displayed against Eng- 

 land ; but the real motives of his conduct probably lay 

 deeper, and were connected with a more comprehensive view 

 of his peculiar interests. 



The government at Madras, while they adopted a more 

 judicious policy in regard to the chief of Mysore, unfortu- 

 nately shut their eyes to the possibility of its failure, and 

 could not be convinced that they were in any danger from 

 his hostility. Yet he made no secret of his feelings, and 

 seems even to have amused himself by trying how far he 

 could proceed without rousing them from their security. 

 They sent to him Swartz, the Danish missionary, a highly 

 respectable and amiable man, whom Hyder received kindly ; 

 and on his return intrusted him with a letter, recounting a 

 long list of wrongs sustained from the English, adding the 

 ominous words, " I have not yet taken revenge : it is no 

 matter." Mr. Gray was afterward despatched to him, but 

 seemingly very ill provided for an Indian mission, having 

 no presents except a saddle and a gun, both of bad work- 

 manship, which were disdainfully refused. He was lodged, 

 or rather imprisoned, in a miserable shed near the capital, 

 and annoyed with the impertinence of one of the court 

 menials. He obtained only formal audiences ; while Mo- 

 hammed Osman, a confidential officer, brought to him mes- 

 sages by no means of an encouraging tenor. Hyder .asked, 

 " Of what avail were treaties! Of the treaty of 1769 the 

 English had broken every article ; his affairs had been re- 

 duced to the brink of ruin by their refusal to aid him against 

 the Mahrattas : after such an example, it was unnecessary 

 to enumerate minor grievances." As it was likewise evident 

 that an expedition on a great scale was preparing in Mysore, 

 Mohammed Ali remonstrated with the government in the 

 strongest manner on the impending danger, and the ne- 

 cessity of taking the most vigorous steps to prevent it. But 

 his system of policy was no longer in favour with the 

 council ; every thing hostile to Hyder was merely regarded 

 as coming from one who had long misled them on this sub- 

 ject. The government were therefore completely unpre- 

 pared for the tremendous blow with which they were about 

 to be struck. 



Earlv in June, 1780, after prayers had been offered in 



Vol.' II.— F 



