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lay to : this he peremptorily refused ; alleging it was positively 

 prohibited by the sultaun ; but he promised to send one of his own 

 people on board, with an open letter from Captain Torriano, if he 

 thought proper. He accordingly prepared two letters, interlined 

 with lime juice, and sent them to Mirza. The contents written 

 with ink were calculated by their ambiguity to perplex Mirza's 

 European interpreters, and by exciting curiosity for the answer, 

 might impel them to be sent off in hopes of obtaining further intel- 

 ligence. The part written with lime-juice pointed out the distresses 

 of the garrison, and the urgent necessity of relief. One letter was 

 from Captain Torriano to the commander in chief, the other from 

 Mr. Cruso to the ship's surgeon. While anxiously waiting the suc- 

 cess of these epistles, the garrison ramparts had the mortification 

 to see the ships bear away and steer to the southward. The let- 

 ters, after being first copied, and sent by an express to the sul- 

 taun, were returned to the fort. 



On the 21st a Naique and nine sepoys deserted, followed by 

 several more within a few days. One night five regular sepoys, 

 six of the Onore corps, and six volunteers, went off with their 

 family connexions, amounting to thirty persons. Their example 

 was soon followed by a Havaldar, with some other officers and 

 privates, one of whom was shot in the attempt. So great was the 

 distress of the garrison, that the commandant resolved once more 

 to adopt the plan of sending private intelligence through an open 

 intercourse with Mangulore, by the sultaun's halcarrahs; the secret 

 information being interlined with lime-juice. But all these schemes 

 were frustrated by the infamous conduct of a British ensign, who 

 on the 24th of January deserted his colours, went over to the ene- 



