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THE COMPANY'S TREATY WITH THE RAJAH. 105

prospects, and was most willing to serve his new friends. Coorg having no good breed of draught cattle, he commenced forays into the Mysore. In a short time he had collected a herd of 800 heads of cattle. The Rajah selected 550 for his friends on the Western Coast, the rest he distributed among the farms of Coorg. When the new volunteer Commissary General sent notice of his success to Tellicherry, a small force of Sipahis and Coolies, under the command of an English Officer, were despatched into Coorg, and ordered to take charge of the cattle. In return, Taylor Sàheb informed the Rajah, that despatches had arrived from Bombay with orders to conclude, in the name of the English Government, an offensive and defensive alliance with the Rajah of Coorg, and offered to send Captain Brown with a company of Sipahis, to conduct the Rajah to Tellicherry, where, if he wished, the treaty between him and the East India Company might be formally concluded, Vírarájéndra received the letters of invitation, accompanied by a verbal message through Captain Brown, and left Coorg for the Coast in the beginning of October 1790. At Tellicherry he saw all the great personages, and gained their friendship. A treaty between the Rajah of Coorg and the Hon'ble the East India Company was formally concluded on the following

terms:

In the name of the Hon'ble East India Company, Robert Taylor Esq. chief of Tellicherry, on one hand, and Vìrarájéndra, Rajah of Coorg on the other hand, agree:

1. While the Sun and Moon endure, the faith of the contracting parties shall be kept inviolate.

2. Both parties declare Tippu and his allies to be their common enemies. The Rajah will do Tippu as much damage as he can, during the continuation of the war, will give free passage to the English troops

through his territory, supply them with provisions, and send as many fighting men as he can spare, to join the English army engaged with Tippu.

3. The Rajah is ready to furnish the Company, for fair payment, with every thing his country affords, and engages to have no connexion with any other Europeans (hat-bearers).

4. The Company's Government guarantee the independency of Coorg. Should a treaty of peace ever be concluded with Tippu, the interests of the Rajah shall be faithfully consulted.

5. Whenever the Rajah of Coorg may wish to secure an asylum for his family, until the establishment of peace, a house with ample accommodations will be at his service at Tellicherry, and every hospitality will be shown to any person the Rajah may send.

This covenant will be kept sacred by the contracting parties. God, Sun, Moon and Earth be witnesses!

Tellicherry, 15th October, 1790. (Year Sádharana, 20th day of A'shvíja.)

(Signed) Rob. Taylor Esq.

(on behalf of the Govern-
ments of Madras, Bombay
and Bengal),

Vírarájéndra, Rajah of
Coorg.

Duplicates were written, signed and sealed.

One copy was deposited at Tellicherry, the other was given to Vírarájéndra; presents were exchanged. The Rajah received a valuable horse, as a present from the Governor of Bombay, and returned home, accompanied by an escort under Captain Brown.

Meanwhile the Musulman garrison of Mercara had consumed all its provisions, and was cut off from communication with Mysore. The commandant Jaffar Kulli Beg contrived to send a message to Tippu, and to entreat succour. Kádar Khan Késagi, was despatch

THE BATTLE OF BU'DICHA VADI.

107

ed with a considerable force, and Nattad Khan of Mangalore with Mohammad Hussein Bintúri were ordered to relieve Mercara. At Mullusóge the Mysore troops crossed the Kávéri (near Fraserpett). As soon as Vírarájéndra heard of the arrival of an army from Mysore, he set out in person by way of Búdichávadi, to cut them off. On Kádar Khan's arrival at Búdichávadi by seven o'clock in the morning, he was engaged by Vírarájéndra at a strong stockade. The battle became serious; firing ceased; the parties fought hand to hand until nine o'clock, 500 men fell on the side of the Mysoreans and 200 were wounded. At last they gave way and fell back upon their rear guard. Kádar Khan re-assured the troops, formed them into one compact body, and encamped upon a little hill near the battle-ground. The provision bags were piled up round the camp. From behind this wall they contin

The Coorgs watched the

ued to fire until evening. camp closely. Their chiefs came to the Rajah, and asked his leave, to attack the Musulmans early in the morning; after one discharge of musketry they would attack the enemy sword in hand, and cut the whole force to pieces. To reward them, they hoped, the Rajah would declare the whole booty good prize. The Rajah replied to his men: When I was once out hunting from Periapattana, and was benighted near Nanjarája pattana, Kádar Khan led me to Fraserpett, treated me most hospitably, and sent me next morning to Periapattana. In return for this act of kindness I am resolved to spare his life to-day.* I agree, therefore, to

*I suspect that Vírarájéndra's Coorg Historiographer had not courage enough to relate the whole truth: and the Rajah did not care to supply the defect. As the story stands in my text, it looks more than romantic. The Rajah, by his own account, acts in a most foolish manner, for the sake of returning a very slight service rendered to him during his captivity or half-captivity at Periapattana by Kádar Khan. But the words in the subsequent address of the

your proposal only on condition, that you seize Kádař Khan alive, and bring him to me. The Coorgs said

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we cannot promise to take Kádar Khan prisoner. He may be slain in the turmoil of the engagement. Who is to recognize him in the throng? If you wish it, we shall call Kâdar Khan by name, three times, and invite

Rajah to Kadar Khan "and the lives and honor of your family" seem to afford a glimpse of the real obligation, which Kádar Khan had conferred upon Vírarája. For in return for a mere act of hospitality, why should Vírarája desire to save the lives and honor of Kadar Khan's family? But if, according to Thornton's account Vol. II. page 500, note, Kàdar Khan had preserved the honor of one of Víraràja's sisters, every thing is intelligible and reflects honor on the Rajah. Thornton, who in his fifth volume gives a very unfair account of the late history of Coorg, is quite taken with the elder Vírarája, the uncle, not, as he alleges, the father of the present ex-Rajah of Coorg. He writes of the elder Vìrarája: "his character was altogether extraordinary, and was marked by a degree of romantic generosity of rare occurrence anywhere, and most rare among the generally corrupt, effeminate, and perfidious race of Eastern princes. At the time of General Abercromby's passage through Coorg in 1791 (read, "a short time before the arrival of General Abercromby on the Malabar Coast ") the Mysoreans had been dispossessed of every Fort which they had occupied in Coorg, except Mercara, which was closely invested, and expected to surrender within a very short period. Intelligence, however, was received of the approach of a convoy of provisions, escorted by a considerable body of troops; but this force was attacked and defeated by the Rajah, and being ultimately surrounded, was left without the possibility of escape. The immediate surrender, of Mercare. was conse quently anticipated by the English General, who was greatly surprised to learn from the intelligence which next reached him, that the convoy had been allowed to enter Mercara, and the escort to return in safety. The obvious conclusion was, that such an arrangement could only be the result of treachery, and that the Rajah was leagued with Tippu against those with whom he had hitherto been acting. But his conduct merited a more favourable interpretation, and such an explanation was given as satisfied the English authorities of his sincerity, however they might disapprove of his acts. The Commander of the escort had, during the Rajah's imprisonment shown him some acts of kindness, and he had established a still higher elaim upon his gratitude, by preserving the honor of one of his sisters and restoring her to the protection of her brother."

VIRARA'JE'NDRA'S GENEROSITY.

109

him to leave the camp. The Rajah agreed. Upon this two messengers went to the Musulman camp offering to spare Kádar Khan's life, if he would surrender himself to the Rajah of Coorg. Kádar Khan, Nattad Khan, and two other officers, left the Musulman camp, and appeared before Vírarajendra. The latter addressed Kadar Khan, and said: in return for the kindness, which you have shown me in times past, I wish to spare your own life and the lives and honor of your family. Kadar Khan replied: if I lose the supplies which I am ordered to carry to Mercara, how can I return to Tippu? If I escape to-day, I am sure of being destroyed with my family by my master. If you wish to save my life, you must permit me to execute my orders. If you do, I shall be greateful for your goodness to the last hour of my life. The Rajah gave orders to Káryakàra Kongéri Ayanna: "escort this force to Mercara, invite Jaffar Kulli Beg to capitulate, and report to me again!" Ayanna did so. Jaffar Kulli Beg accepted the proposal in a frank manner. terday," he said, "I thought of capitulating, but today, having received fresh supplies through the kindness of the Rajah, I conceive, that I must hold out longer, in order to avoid Tippu's vengeance. As soon, however, as the new stores will be consumed, I shall surrender. Thus my life may be saved." Kongèri Ayanna conducted Kàdar Khan to the Mysore frontier, and reported Jaffar's answer to the Rajah.

"Yes

While these affairs took place in Coorg, Tippu Sultan lay before Bettikote with his whole army. After a long siege he possessed himself of the fortress. All the cannon and warlike stores were sent to Seringapatam. Bettikóte was razed to the ground, the country pillaged, men and women driven away to Mysore, and the victorious army returned to the capital.

A short time after the fall of Bettikóte, Major Gene

K

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