HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
45 s 
On his approach to Pondicherry the English retired towards Madras. He now 
renewed his entreaties to Count D’Ache not to quit the coast; and, in order to 
induce him to remain there, made'him an offer of half his army to recruit his squa¬ 
dron ; but the latter, deaf to his entreaties and arguments, set sail for Madagascar 
on the ist of September, which was the day after M. de Lally’s return to Pon¬ 
dicherry. 
He had sent also for M. M. de Bussy and Moracin, with the troops that they 
commanded; the one in the Decan, and the other at Masulipatnam. These officers 
brought with them'but one-third of their forces, and on their arrival demanded a 
reinforcement of a thousand men, &c. But M. de Lally having received informa¬ 
tion that the English had made a descent in the neighbourhood of Masulipatnam, 
ordered M. Moracin to return thither, which he refused; and that place was after¬ 
wards surprised by the English. 
M. de Lally, having remained at Arcot for five days, returned to Pondicherry, 
having refused the incredible offer of M. de Bussy, to give him four hundred thousand 
livres in three hours, if he would let him return with a body of troops into the Decan. 
The army was at this time without pay, though M. de Bussy had informed M. de 
Lally that he had two hundred and forty thousand livres at the service of the 
Company, if he would be responsible for them, which he absolutely refused,-as he 
would have no commercial concern whatever with that body. M. de Lally, on his 
return to Pondicherry, renewed his design of attacking Madras during the absence 
of the English squadron ; it was, however, opposed by M. de Leyrit, for want of 
funds to pay the army, and procure them subsistence: the other members of the 
council were of the same opinion ; but four or five of them, with Count D’Estaing 
at their head, offered their plate, to the value of eighty thousand livres, as a contri¬ 
bution towards the enterprize. M. Bussy did not offer a single sol, and M. de 
Lally gave one hundred and forty thousand livres, which he had placed in the 
treasury. 
In consequence of these aids he arrived in the plain of Madras on the 12th of 
December, 1758, and, after a few skirmishes, encamped there on the following day. 
At a very early hour on the morning of the 14th, the black town was attacked 
by M. de Rillon, at the head of his regiment: and, in a very few hours, he made 
himself master of it, with little loss. 
M. de Lequille, who commanded a squadron, had in the mean time arrived at 
