HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
435 
retreat with a degree of expedition which they could not adopt to follow him; and 
did not fail to employ his cavalry in harassing them without intermission. At length, 
however, he was reduced to such a situation, that he offered terms of peace to the 
government of Madras, which, unfortunately, were accepted the 4th of April, 1769; 
as in the position in which he found himself at that time, he might have been driven 
out of the Carnatic, or been obliged to purchase peace on any terms that might have 
been dictated to him. 
Haider Aly remained in a state of peace to the latter part of the year 1770, and, 
during this interval, he applied himself to the government and domestic concerns 
of his country; but his repose was not suffered to be of long duration. 
At the end of this year a vast Mahratta army appeared to attack him, which con¬ 
sisted of sixty thousand infantry, ten thousand cavalry, with some field-pieces; but 
they were indifferently served. 
Haider, who had not a sufficient quantity of cavalry to oppose to such a torrent, 
contented himself with giving his army a very advantageous position, at some miles 
distance from Seringapatam. It was composed of eight thousand men, the flower 
of his cavalry, and thirteen thousand infantry, well armed with European muskets. 
His artillery also was served in a superior manner, and in several slight engagements, 
he had the advantage. 
Morarou, an ancient Mahratta chief, who, in the last war was an ally of the 
English, and whose camp had been forced by Haider Aly, still continued to preserve 
his former resentment. He had strengthened his army with that of another Mahratta 
prince, Trimbuch Mama, and offered the reward of a thousand rupees to any one 
who should bring the head of Haider. 
Morarou counselled Trimbuch Mama to send some detachments on the side of 
Seringapatam, to deceive Haider, and draw him from his post, which he had main¬ 
tained for eight months, and the stratagem succeeded. Elaider Aly, forgetful of 
his former precaution, was led by degrees to a considerable distance from Seringa¬ 
patam, from whence he drew all his supplies; and Trimbuch availed himself of the 
opportunity to place a large detachment between that city and Haider’s army, so 
that the latter was reduced to the dangerous necessity of regaining his former posi¬ 
tion by open force; but in this attempt he was attacked by the Mahrattas, his army 
was totally routed, and he himself, with a few of his people, escaped with difficulty 
to his capital. 
