1844.] Political Events in the Car natic, from 1564 to 1687. 459 



pear to be better acquainted with the state of parties, and notices 

 occasionally occur of a more intimate knowledge of the native cha- 

 racter, and a greater confidence in their own strength and superiority 

 A. D. 1686. in arms, even over that of the more powerful Mogul 

 ' emperor, against whom the three English establishments 

 actually made war in the height of his success ; and this confidence 

 we may presume, naturally cleared the way to those events that on 

 the general confusion succeeding Aurungzebe's death, led to the esta- 

 blishment of our power in this quarter.* 



79. On an attentive inspection of all the documents of these times 

 that have come into our hands, it appears, that though the Mysore 

 chiefs had as yet no connection with the Eastern sea coast, their name 

 was known and even respected in the lower provinces along the coast, 

 and that though they had yet no political relations with that country, 

 the successful resistance of the Naig of Mysore (as he is called) to the 

 depredations of the Marhatta armies of Sevajee, was well known at 

 Madras. t 



80. The factory of Fort St. George only established — years before, 

 was still so weak and ill- manned, that a considerable uneasiness 

 arose from their state among the contests of the hostile parties; they 

 yet conducted themselves with a considerable degree of prudence and 

 caution, and while they sent compliments, antidotes and counter- 

 poisons, to Sevajee, they prudently declined complying with his 

 special request of military aid ; and when the Patan chief Daood 

 Khan, soon afterwards approached, after the conquest of Gingee, they 

 no less sagaciously accommodated themselves to his favorite humors, 

 in consequence of which they were not only saved from the threaten- 

 ed spoliation, but obtained grants of land, of villages, and of factories 

 from all parties % 



81. The Dutch on the other hand, who had been earlier established on 

 these coasts, and whose power in India had been more firmly consoli- 



* Consultations at Madras, and correspondence with Surat and the Bay on the subject of the in- 

 tended attack on the Mogul, and on the subjects of Siam in 1686. 



+ Madias Records. 



t The factory at Cuddalore was purchased from the agents of Rama at the moment he left Gingee 

 in 1692 for 30,000 pagodas, (seeHavart,)St. Thome, Egmore, &c. three villages were purchased from 

 Daood-Khan in 1693 ; they had long sought it, and were uneasy and apprehensive of the French de- 

 signs to settle there.— Madras Records, 1701. 



