DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.644#0057
34 EASTERN HINDOOSTAN.
they preferved their loyalty, and niade every defence in their
power during the long liege. One of thofe dreadful hurricanes
common to this climate, and which from its violence even afto-
flifhed the natives, nearly preferved this magnificent city-
Moft of our mips, which were imder the command of Admiral
Stevens and Rear Admiral Cornijb, were at anchor in the road>
loil their mafts, and were driven from their ftation, and three
mips which had the misfortnne to keep their mafts went to the
bottom with all their crews, amounting to eleven hundred Eu-
Takes Posdi- ropeans. This calamity was overcome. Pondicberry, after a
CH£ÄRY.
blockade of near fix months, was compelJed by famine to fur-
render to the mercy of the conqueror. Lally was fent out un-
der a ftrong efcort to prevent his being torn to pieces by his
own officers, and the principal Inhabitants. He arrived in
France, was conßned, and brought to his trial, condemned by
his prejudiced jttdges, cruelly gagged, and hurried to execu«
tion, and loft his head in a frenzy of rage : " A murder,"
fays Voltaire, " coinmitted by the fword of juftice.'* Orders
from the Freneb court had been intercepted, direcling Lally to
deflroy every maritime place in India which belonged to the
Engliß, and might fall into his hands. We naturally adopted
the fame refolution. Pondicberry feit the mifery confequential
of this delendaßi Cartbago ! All the fortifications, and all the
fplendid buildings, that the balls or bombs had fpared, became
in a very fhort time a heap of ruins.
CArniiTRoopj. I observe among the troops employed in the defence of
Pondicberry, numbers of what are ftyled Caffres : thefe are
flaves, either from Madagafcar, or the eaftern coaft of Africa;
who,
they preferved their loyalty, and niade every defence in their
power during the long liege. One of thofe dreadful hurricanes
common to this climate, and which from its violence even afto-
flifhed the natives, nearly preferved this magnificent city-
Moft of our mips, which were imder the command of Admiral
Stevens and Rear Admiral Cornijb, were at anchor in the road>
loil their mafts, and were driven from their ftation, and three
mips which had the misfortnne to keep their mafts went to the
bottom with all their crews, amounting to eleven hundred Eu-
Takes Posdi- ropeans. This calamity was overcome. Pondicberry, after a
CH£ÄRY.
blockade of near fix months, was compelJed by famine to fur-
render to the mercy of the conqueror. Lally was fent out un-
der a ftrong efcort to prevent his being torn to pieces by his
own officers, and the principal Inhabitants. He arrived in
France, was conßned, and brought to his trial, condemned by
his prejudiced jttdges, cruelly gagged, and hurried to execu«
tion, and loft his head in a frenzy of rage : " A murder,"
fays Voltaire, " coinmitted by the fword of juftice.'* Orders
from the Freneb court had been intercepted, direcling Lally to
deflroy every maritime place in India which belonged to the
Engliß, and might fall into his hands. We naturally adopted
the fame refolution. Pondicberry feit the mifery confequential
of this delendaßi Cartbago ! All the fortifications, and all the
fplendid buildings, that the balls or bombs had fpared, became
in a very fhort time a heap of ruins.
CArniiTRoopj. I observe among the troops employed in the defence of
Pondicberry, numbers of what are ftyled Caffres : thefe are
flaves, either from Madagafcar, or the eaftern coaft of Africa;
who,