An order was also issued by our commanding officer for all the heavy baggage, women, and boys, to be left at Madras. This was sorrowful news for the married people, and my wife was much grieved to hear them, particularly as I was then but weakly, and not very able to encounter the hardships to which I would thus be exposed. She was therefore eager to go with the regiment, that she might know the worst of it. I tried all I could to dissuade her from going, but in vain; and, in short, she being a stout healthy woman, and having no children to incommode us, she was permitted to go, to my great benefit, as well as her satisfaction; for truly, had it not been for her, it would have fared but badly with me upon the march, as I will afterwards make appear. CHAPTER VI. _August 27._--We entered the territories of the Poligars. At this pass we were met by three of the Company's revenue collectors flying for shelter to our army, having been robbed of all their wealth by a party of the rebels. We here see the dreadful condition of a country, where all laws, divine and human, are put at defiance. We received a visit from the Nabob of this district of country, who is tributary to our government, accompanied with all his retinue. He himself, and suite, were mounted on elephants, upon the back of which was placed a square tower, covered with crimson velvet; but the greater part of his guards were upon horseback, and those of them who were upon foot carried a kind of pike twelve feet long, which they manage with great dexterity. When they wish to strike an object, they place the one end of the pike upon the right arm, and after giving it a powerful throw, they immediately pull it back by a coil of rope which is held in their left hand, the one end of which rope is of course fastened to the pike. This country is very mountainous, and abounds with tigers and wild boars, (particularly the latter;) but there is a species of dog here that is a mortal enemy to the wild boar; and but for these useful creatures, the natives would often run great dangers from their bold and ferocious attacks. Our officers killed one at this camp-ground, which I saw: it was nearly equal in size to one of our middle-sized hogs, but apparently much more active, with terrible tusks. _September 21._--For this some time past we have been marching through woods, and jungles, and by impassable roads, until our pioneers made them passable, by cutting trees, and covering them with sods, so that there might be a passage for the guns and bandies[4]; and it was very seldom that we could get any victuals to buy for money; because, as we advanced, the natives left their villages, and retired to the hills, carrying all their cattle and effects with them, not being quite sure whether we were friends or foes. [4] These bandies are a kind of cart for the baggage, drawn by two bullocks.