On the 26th September, Coote's forces had been mustered at 3500 English and Scottish Highlanders, with 7000 sepoys, all of whom were strongly intrenched, having taken Arcupong, Villa Nova, and every French outpost, while fifteen sail of the line and three frigates swept the ocean to the seaward, cutting of all succour; indeed, none was ever afforded to the unfortunate Lally save by the Dutch settlers, who sent two unpretending boats; but even these were observed, and on being seized were found to contain 20,000_l._ in cash and many valuable stores. Every day provisions were becoming more and more scarce, and notwithstanding the weakness of his garrison, Lally was compelled to select 200 French and 300 black soldiers, whom he contrived to despatch towards Gingi for succour; but they were all cut off, and thus he found himself worse than before. The scarcity increased, and now gaunt starvation and death met the eye on every hand; a thousand scenes of horror and distress occurred daily within the walls of Pondicherry. The soldiers of Lally and the citizens were compelled to eat the flesh of elephants, camels, and troop-horses; after which dogs, cats, and even rats were devoured. The count was frequently implored to surrender, but having now become sullen, revengeful, and determined, his lofty pride made him resolve to perish among the ruins of the French Indian capital, but never _capitulate_. Twenty-four rupees were given for a small dog, and in some instances as many half-crowns. On the 5th November, Lally dispatched a 54-gun ship, _La Compagnie des Indes_, to Trincomalee, a Danish settlement, for provisions; but after eluding the watchful blockading fleet, she was taken at sea by H.M. ships _Medway_ and _Newcastle_, and with her loss all hopes of succour died away. On the 9th November, Colonel Coote erected a _ricochet_ battery for four pieces of cannon, at 1400 yards from the glacis (for the information of unmilitary readers, we may mention that _ricochet firing_ means when cannon or mortars are loaded with small charges, elevated from five to twelve degrees, so that when discharged from the parapet, the shot may _roll_ along the opposite rampart); this was more with a view to harass the French than damage their works; but meanwhile four other batteries were erecting in different places to rake and batter them. One for four guns, called _the Prince of Wales Battery_, was formed near the sea-beach, on the north, to enfilade the great street which intersects the White Town. A second, for four guns and two mortars, was formed to enfilade the counter-guard, before the north-west bastion, at a thousand yards' distance, and in honour of the "Butcher of Culloden," was called the _Duke of Cumberland's Battery_. A third, called _Prince Edward's_, for two guns, faced the southern works at 1200 yards' distance, to enfilade the streets from south to north, and cross the fire of the northern battery.