With Clive in India; Or, The Beginnings of an EmpireHenty, G. A. (George Alfred)
History
With Clive in India; Or, The Beginnings of an Empire
Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
India -- History -- British occupation, 1765-1947 -- Fiction
The terrified rajah instantly promised to carry out Charlie's orders,
and to remain faithful to the English. The officers were brought out
from the tent, and received orders from the rajah to set his troops
instantly in motion on their way back. The rajah was led to his tent,
and there kept under a guard, until the army was in motion. When the
whole of it was well on its way, Charlie said:
"Now, Rajah, we will ride on. We will say no more about this little
affair, and I will ask Colonel Forde to forgive your ill behaviour in
leaving him. But mind, if at any future time you attempt to disobey
his orders, or to retire from the camp, I will blow out your brains;
even if I have to follow you, with my men, into the heart of your own
palace."
Upon their return to the British camp, Charlie explained to Colonel
Forde the measures which he was obliged to take, to convince the rajah
of the soundness of his arguments; and of these Colonel Forde entirely
approved. He told Charlie that he had sent off, to open negotiations
with Salabut Jung, so as to detain him as long as possible at
Baizwara.
Without any intermission, the batteries continued to play on the fort
from the 25th of March to the 6th of April. Several houses had been
destroyed, and some breaches effected; but these the French repaired
in the night, as fast as they were made. They were aware of the
position of the English, and regarded the siege with contempt.
On the morning of the 7th, news came that the nizam was advancing from
Baizwara to attack the English; and that Du Rocher was hurrying from
Rajahmahendri, to effect a junction with him. The same morning, the
senior artillery officer reported to Colonel Forde that only two days'
ammunition for the batteries remained in store. He learned, too, that
a ship with three hundred French soldiers would arrive, in the course
of a day or two.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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