360 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts. 



[APRll. 



^^«^m'5 people fell ; B.nd A lag iri being qmte unable to inspirit his 

 people so as to maintain the engagement, these fled, without looking 

 behind them, till they reached the fort of Tanjore. Thence Alagiv'z 

 sent a supplicatory letter to Choka-nalka of Trichinopoly ; but the 

 latter guided by pride and resentment (rather than by policy), refused 

 to interfere, or send any aid. Eckoji now laid siege to Tanjore, and 

 Vencana, the aforementioned Niyogi Brahman it seems was inside the 

 fort, busied in promoting disaffection. The manuscript states that 

 Alagiri, finding himself in danger of being arrested and imprisoned, in 

 consequence of the machinations of the Brahman, ^ed with all his fa- 

 mily and immediate dependents, by night, and took refuge in Mysore. 

 In consequence, Eckoji had the son of Vijaya Raghava mounted on an 

 elephant, and the said son named Cheng a-mala-dasu made a public en- 

 try into Tanjore. Eckoji committed the ceremonials of his being 

 crowned to the Niyogi Brahman, and retired to his troops without the 

 walls. The ceremony of crowning took place. Subsequently the 

 nurse pointed out the spot in the palace where the treasure, accumu- 

 lated by the young man's ancestors, had been deposited ; whence were 

 taken twenty lacs of pagodas, and six lacs of pagodas in jewels. With 

 this treasure, a portion being reserved for the newly installed king, 

 munificent donations were made to Eckoji and others, who had been 

 concerned in the restoration. To defray the expenses incurred by the 

 troops, Eckoji received the districts of Combaconum, Manarkoil, and 

 Papavinasam, the revenue arising from them to be so applied. It 

 being customary for a king to have a Dalavayi, or prime minister, the 

 general voice was in favour of an appointment of the Niyogi Brah- 

 man named Vencana, to that oflSce ; and arrangements to that end 

 were being made ; when the young man, consulting his nurse whom he 

 regarded as his mother, she strongly urged the appointment of the 

 Chetti (or merchant), who had protected them in their distress ; and 

 this advice prevailed. The N iyogi Brahman, bitterly disappointed, 

 counselled Eckoji to assume the country, which he declined to do. At 

 length however, by repeated solicitations, Eckoji explained to him 

 that by such a proceeding he shonld incense the Padshah, and en- 

 danger the lives of his father and kindred. "While engaged in convey- 

 ing secret information of the state of things to his kindred, news came 

 of the Padshah's death j and Eckoji, being exempt from fear from that 

 quarter, next directed his precautions towards Trichinopoly, enquiring 

 if he had to anticipate opposition thence. The Brahman told him not 

 to fear, but simply to come with his troops, and he (the Brahman) by 

 Ills management would insure him the fort, perhaps without firing a 



