92 CONQUEST OF MYSORE. 



It was soon found, however, that they did nothing btrt 

 plunder the natives and consume the stores of the camp, 

 already almost entirely exhausted. 



Lord Cornwallis, though he had been so completely dis- 

 appointed in his allies, and though all his departments, es- 

 pecially those of conveyance, were in the most imperfect 

 state, was yet anxiously desirous to bring the war to a ter- 

 mination, which could be effected only by advancing upon 

 Seringapatain. For this end all possible resources were 

 called into action ; the officers were invited, and agreed 

 with alacrity, to contribute their private means, and to hire 

 from the natives accommodations, which the latter would 

 not willingly have placed under the control of a public de- 

 partment. Cannon-balls were carried even by women and 

 children ; and thus, without almost any regular equipment, 

 the army was enabled to march upon the capital. This 

 movement struck Tippoo with alarm ; he had even made 

 arrangements for conveying his harem and treasure to 

 Chittledroog ; but his mother represented to him the fatal 

 impression of despondency which such a step would make 

 upon his troops and subjects. He yielded to her judgment, 

 and determined to hazard all in the defence of Seringapatam. 

 His mingled apprehension and rage were oddly displayed, 

 in effacing from the walls of the city numerous caricatures 

 representing the English in the most ridiculous attitudes, 

 with which he had caused them to be embellished, and also 

 in the secret murder of a number of his prisoners. 



The sultan had hitherto confined himself to a desultory 

 warfare, endeavouring to cut off the British by detach- 

 ments, in the manner which, during the last contest, had 

 been so successful; but, in his campaign with Lord Corn- 

 wallis, he had been unable to achieve ;my exploit of this 

 description ; and now the danger of his capital, and, it is 

 said, the reproaches of his wives, urged him to hazard a 

 general battle, rather than allow Seringapatam to be in- 

 vested. He drew up his men with judgment on a range 

 of heights in front of the Caverv, which here separated his 

 army from the island in which Seringapatam stood. The 

 £o\ernor-general, by a night-movement, placed himself on 

 the enemy's left flank; but Tippoo, with great prompti- 

 tude, had anticipated the object of his opponent by occu- 

 pying a succession of steep hills in front of his position, 



