98 CONQUEST OF MYSORE. 



the brinjarries or grain-merchants, who, travelling in large 

 armed bodies with their wives and children, made it tbeir 

 business to supply nil the militant powers of Hindostan. 

 They distributed their corn with the strictest impartiality to 

 all who could pay for it ; and the general, now amply sup- 

 plied with funds, was no longer exposed to want, and 

 easily obtained a preference over Tippoo, whose pecuniary 

 resources were beginning to fail. 



Although the army was thus relieved from the immediate 

 pressure of distress, Lord Cornwallis did not conceive it 

 possible to advance again upon Seringapatam till the ar- 

 rival of a more favourable season, and till a fresh battering- 

 train and other extensive supplies should be forwarded 

 from Madras. In the mean time the troops were employed 

 in the reduction of some of the tremendous droops, or pre- 

 cipitous rocks, which rise as natural fortresses in this as 

 well as in other of the elevated plains of India. Among 

 these Nundidroog, almost inaccessible by nature, had been 

 fortified with every care to render it impregnable, and was 

 placed under the command of one of Tippoo'a ablest officers. 

 Yet Major Gowdie, after some successful experiments upon 

 minor forts, undertook its reduction. The only one of its 

 faces at all capable of approach had been strengthened 

 near the top by a double wall ; while the labour of estab- 

 lishing works on its steep and craggy sides, and conveying 

 cannon to the batteries, was excessive. In twenty-one 

 days two breaches were effected, and one morning, by clear 

 moonlight, the assault was given by General Medows in 

 person. The defence was vigorous; huge masses of 

 granite were rolled down, with tremendous crash, from 

 steep to steep; yet the assailants vanquished every ob- 

 stacle, and, forcing the interior gate, effected tbeir entrance. 

 During the whole siege they had only 120 killed and 

 wounded, of which 30 fell in' the assault, chiefly by the 

 stones precipitated from the summit. 



The droogf being thus viewed as no longer impregnable, 

 Colonel Stuart undertook Savendroog, which bore a still 

 more formidable character, and had been considered by the 

 commander as a place not to be attempted. Yet, after 

 seven days' approaches and live of open batteries, it was 

 carried by storm, without the loss of a single life. Ootra- 

 droog, atruck with dismay by these successes, fell with littlo 



