126 CONQUEST OF MYSORE. 



kill the Christians as he had proposed to kill the cow ; that 

 the slight movement of the fore-legs indicated faint attempts 

 at resistance, while the absence of the hinder legs proved 

 that they would have no alliances to support them. These 

 lucubrations form a strange contrast to his display of talent 

 on other occasions ; nor can it be wondered that public meas- 

 ures resting upon such conclusions should not always have 

 proved very prosperous. 



This prince, owing to his long wars with the English, 

 his cruel treatment of the captives, and the imbittered en- 

 mity which he manifested, was regarded by them almost as 

 a monster in human shape. Yet when their armies pene- 

 trated into the interior of his kingdom, they found it flour- 

 ishing, highly cultivated, and seemingly well governed. His 

 people always showed a strong attachment to him, and the 

 inhabitants of the ceded districts were ever ready to embrace 

 his cause. But to the conquered nations he was at all times 

 a cruel master, and rendered himself the object of their in- 

 extinguishable hatred ; to which cause his downfall may, in 

 a great measure, be attributed. It has been said, with the 

 general approbation of British authors, that " Hyder was 

 born to create an empire, Tippoo to lose one ;" yet it may 

 be observed, that he maintained a complete ascendency over 

 all the native states, some of whom had matched, and even 

 over-matched his father. He fell beneath the English 

 power, employed on a scale, and wielded with an ability, of 

 which, in the course of Indian history, there had been no 

 example. 



Mysore, having been thus completely conquered, remained, 

 as to its future arrangements, entirely at the disposal of the 

 British government. The Mahrattas had taken no share 

 in the expedition, and the nizam would be obliged to con- 

 tent himself with whatever the victors might choose to give. 

 The governor-general took for the company, in full sove- 

 reignty, the coast of Canara, the district of Coimbetoor, 

 the passes of the Ghauts, and Scringapatam itself, the 

 capital and main channel of intercourse. He thus secured 

 the whole seacoast, and an easy communication across the 

 peninsula. To the nizam was assigned a large tract of 

 territory adjoining to his dominions. Another portion waa 

 reserved for the purpose of being offered to the Mahrattas, 

 on conditions which, however, as will be hereafter seen, 



