114 
BOOTA N. 
them. While we were engaged in viewing this miserable artillery, on 
a sudden the bells of the palace rang violently, and out rushed a mul¬ 
titude of armed men, equipped for battle: they hurried on, with a wild 
and savage cry, brandishing their arms with an air of bold and inso¬ 
lent defiance ; but the rest of their conduct bore a very different 
aspect, and the expedition ended rather in a dastardly manner. The 
rebels came to meet them, and an action commenced with a pretty 
brisk fire, of which we waited to see the beginning, till the shot ranged 
past the place where the cannon were, struck the walls, and, as we 
walked along the other face of the palace, went far beyond it. 
From our quarters we could see both parties endeavouring to keep 
themselves as much as possible under cover, availing themselves of all 
irregularities in the ground, and now and then making a random shot, 
though with little effect, whenever they knew there was a collection of 
people, in consequence of the ends of their bows and matchlocks being 
visible. This sort of conflict lasted for more than two hours : the 
assailants were kept constantly at bay, and at length thought proper to 
draw off. 
It is evident that the want of vigour in the Raja’s troops was highly 
calculated to raise the ardour of the insurgents, who all seemed 
animated in their leader’s cause, and steady to his standard; yet„ 
whatever might be the views or motives of this revolt, the rebels had 
not yet employed their power to its utmost extent, having hitherto 
made no effort beyond their own intrenchments, except indeed to repel 
the assaults of their opponents. Had their forces rushed on with the 
same rapidity with which they at first sprang forth, it would have been 
