15/ 



one of the sultaun's boats accidentally passing Fortified Island, 

 was hailed by die mutineers, who intreated to be taken on board. 

 This being reported to Mirza, he sent over a messenger to the 

 English officer to represent the folly of continuing at his post with 

 only eleven men, recommending him to leave the island, and 

 offering every accommodation in his camp, until an opportunity 

 presented for proceeding to an English settlement. The officer 

 declined quilting the island, but desired Mirza would send over 

 a sufficient force to take charge of the fort ; his request was com- 

 plied with, and these were the men who had been seen from the 

 ramparts of Onore. All this was related by Mirza in the gravest 

 manner; and the jemautdar, the brahmin Naique and his wife, 

 with five sepoys (tutored for the purpose, at the peril of their 

 lives) were brought into the durbar, to corroborate Mirza's story. 

 It is almost unnecessary to observe that the whole of this tale was 

 a fabrication of the sultaun's officer to deceive the commandant. 



To one so fertile at invention and villainous evasion as Mirza, 

 Mr. Cruso could make no reply, except that he should repeat this 

 extraordinary tale to the commanding officer at Onore, and took 

 leave by observing, that as he was not a principal, it did not be- 

 come him to discuss the subject; but he could not suppress an 

 apprehension, that when he asserted at the English head-quarters, 

 he had been told such a story by the officer in command of the 

 sultaun's army, his own veracity would be called in question. 



At this time captain Torriano received a letter from general 

 M'Leod, dated March 7th, 1784, on board the Chesterfield India- 

 man off Onore, desiring to be informed of the state of the garrison, 



