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" villages ceased; the noise of archers drove them from the places 

 " of drawing water: they betook themselves to the dens in the 

 " mountains, and to caves and strong holds. When they had 

 " sown, the enemy came up, even the children of the east came 

 " up against them; and encamped, and destroyed the increase 

 " of the earth, and left no substance, neither sheep, nor ox, 

 " nor ass." 



We marched next to Hyderabad, where we were once more sud- 

 denly interrupted by the confederate army, who had taken the ad- 

 vantage of a commanding situation to renew the attack; in about 

 two hours we again repulsed them with great loss, few in the 

 English line were killed or wounded, but our allies suffered con- 

 siderably, the enemy directing their principal fire to that quarter 

 where Ragobah, on a state elephant, displayed the imperial 

 standard. At the commencement of the action I happened to be 

 within a few yards of the peshwa, and finding myself in the imme- 

 diate line of fire, took shelter under a large mango-tree, with a 

 great number of his troops who ought to have been better em- 

 ployed. The shot falling thick among us, I endeavoured to save 

 my head by standing under a large arm of the tree, my body being 

 perfectly secured by the pressure of the crowd. I had not long 

 enjoyed its protection when a cannon ball struck the branch, and 

 shivered it over us. Nothing could exceed the panic of the motley 

 group by which I was surrounded; Ragobah at the same instant 

 alighting from his elephant increased their consternation, and 

 caused them to bear away like a flood, by which I was carried 

 a considerable distance, without touching the ground, among 

 wounded horses, elephants, camels, and oxen, all running off in 



