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preparations recommenced for prosecuting the siege. Tippu, with equal vigor, began to prepare for defence.” As for General Meadows, he was not the only person dissatisfied with the peace granted to Tippu. Every officer in the army participated in these feelings. Thomas Munro (Life Vol. I. p. 131) wrote: Every thing now is done by moderation and conciliation. At this rate we shall be Quakers in twenty years more. I am still of the old doctrine, that the best method of making all princes keep the peace, not excepting even Tippu, is to make it dangerous for them to disturb your quiet.” Of the unhappy step, however, of General Meadows, Thornton does not say a word. On the contrary Vol. II. p. 510, 511, the historian appears to take some trouble to hide the ugly affair by a quotation from a letter of the General to the Court of Directors written long before the conclusion of peace, but introduced in a manner, which will lead an unsuspicious reader to give it a much later date.

Major General Abercromby encamped at Heggala. The Rajah went from Nalkanadu to wait upon him. Sir Robert said: Tippu will refrain from hostilities against you. You must also keep the peace now. You must give back the districts which you have lately wrested from the Sultan, and in future pay your tribute to the English Government. Viraraja replied: I have never paid tribute to the Sultan. I shall never pay tribute to the Company. Nor shall I give up the districts taken from Mysore. I will hear nothing of such a peace. Major General Abercromby was much grieved at these expressions of the Rajah, and did all in his power to persuade him to more peaceable thoughts. He offered to send an Engineer Officer for determining the frontiers of Mysore and Coorg, and promised, on his return, next season, to procure for the Rajah such arrangements as would satisfy him. This transaction

at Heggala took place in the month of Chaitra (April) of Kaliyuga 4894, Paridhávi year (1792.) Sir Robert departed for Tellicherry. This year Virarajendrapett was founded on the spot where the Rajah had met Major General Abercromby on his march to Seringapatam. Viraraja went to Nalkanadu, withdrew his garrisons from the Manjarabad and the Tulu countries, and put his own frontier in a state of security. Tippu had sent some officers to settle the affairs of the Tulu province, and now claimed the districts of Panje and Bellare. Viraraja, though fully aware of the unrighteousness of the claim, surrendered the districts to the servants of Tippu, because they were a gift from Hyder to his ancestor. Next they invaded the district of Amara Sulya. When they found resistance, they employed force and treated the people with great cruelty. Viraraja now determined to repel force by force and to assert his good right to the ancient possessions of his house. The English Commissioners of Malabar, Messrs. Palmer and Dow, however, interposed, and the Rajah consented to the proposal of having his country surveyed and the question of territory decided by an Engineer Officer from Malabar. A Mr. Emmet was sent from Tellicherry He made the necessary enquiries and decided, that Amara Sulya was the rightful possession of the Rajah of Coorg. The district was accordingly re-delivered to Viraraja.

In the beginning of 1793 Sir Robert Abercromby came to Cannanore. Viraraja had an interview with with. A new treaty between the Company and the Rajah was concluded on the following terms :

1. The Rajah of Coorg has himself recovered his hereditary principality from Tippu Sultan. The Company have in no way assisted him in this struggle. When hostilities between Tippu and the Company commenced, the Rajah, of his own accord, attached himself

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to the Company and concluded a treaty, the documents of which are preserved in the archives at Tellicherry.

2. The Rajah freely opened his country to the Bombay forces, which marched from Tellicherry to Mysore, and was most zealous in providing the Company's troops with every thing he could procure for them in Coorg or Mysore. Without his friendly assistance the Bombay army would have met with great difficulties. Of his own accord, the Rajah refuses to receive payment for his supplies of grain, cattle, &c.

3. Tippu repeatedly tried to shake the fidelity of the Rajah, but the latter never swerved from his allegiance to the Company.

4. In March last, when the treaty was concluded at Seringapatam, Lord Cornwallis, in order to free the Rajah of Coorg entirely from the power of Tippu, de sired to take him under the especial protection of the Company. Tippu raised the most violent opposition, but in vain. Upon that he falsely stated, that Coorg had paid him a yearly tribute of Rs. 24,000, which he would transfer to the Company.

5. In opposition to this falsehood the Rajah of Coorg asserts, that he has never paid such a tribute; but he is quite willing to pay of his own free will the sum of 8000 Pagodas to the Company every year, for their friendship and protection.

6. The Company, on the other hand, engages, to give no molestation to the Rajah and in no wise to interfere with the Government of Coorg; for the Rajah is quite competent, to take care of his own affairs.

CANNANORE,

31st March 1793.

} (Sd.) ROBERT ABERCROMBY.

P. S. The above eight thousand pagodas, three rupees being an equivalent for one pagoda, are to be paid. annually at Tellicherry.

Two copies were made of this document, one of

which was given to the Rajah of Coorg, signed by Major General Sir Robert Abercromby, the other, with the signature of the Rajah, was delivered to Sir Robert who then proceeded to Calcutta. Viraraja returned to Coorg, established his Government, paid, according to the stipulations of the treaty, eight thousand pagodas per annum, and lived on the best terms with the Government of the Company.

Three years after the conclusion of peace between the Sultan and the Company. Viraraja heard, that Tippu was again plotting at Seringapatam. He despatched two spies thither, who informed him, that two Mahratta Vakeels were concerting plans with the Sultan. The Rajah immediately communicated the intelligence to Mr James Stevens, Commissioner in Malabar.

Two years previously Tippu had entered into a secret understanding with a relative of the Rajah. His name was Lingaraja. He had received a Jaghir from Viraraja. Yet he conspired with the enemy of his family, By large promises he had gained over a number of Coorgs, who formed the plan of shooting the Rajah some day, when he would go to Mercara, at a favourable spot in the jungle. Viraraja however received timely notice, seized the traitors and gave them condign puuishment. But the treachery of Lingaraja was not discovered.

In 4897, Kaliyuga Rakshasa year, Thursday, the sixth day of Vaishák ha-April 1795-Viraraja took up his residence in a new palace built at Nalkanadu.

Lingaraja's first attempt having failed, he proposed that Tippu should send two of his best marksmen, accompanied by two other men well acquainted with the country to show them the way. They should hide themselves in some place belonging to Lingaraja and lay in wait for the Rajah, when he would come from his new Palace at Nalkanadu to attend the Shivaratri festival at Mahadevapura (Mercara). Tippu sent two

LINGARAJA'S TREASON. VIRARAJA'S MARRIAGE. 127

of his Eunuchs. They entered Coorg clandestinely, hid themselves during the day in the forest and slept at night in the house of one of Lingaraja's servants. But a lad, who had accompanied them, informed Viraraja of the conspiracy. The Rajah immediately despatched thirty men to watch Lingaraja's house, and twenty to seize the Musulmans. After they had been on the watch for two nights and days, the assassins and traitors fell into the trap prepared for them. In the third night one of the Musulmans was seen. The Coorgs fell upon the party. The two sharp-shooters were taken prisoners, one of them only after he had been severely wounded. Of the other two one was cut down, the other escaped. Lingaraja, on hearing the noise came out of his house with four or five men in arms, and attempted to rescue the Eunuchs. But his men were seized. Lingaraja wounded some of Viraraja's people, who fearing lest he might escape to Mysore killed him and the Coorgs, who were with him. Viraraja sent the two Eunuchs, his informer and two witnesses to the Gentlemen at Tellicherry, and acquainted them with the plot of Tippu. He requested, that the two assassins might be blown away from a gun, or else that they might be returned to him for punishment. At the same time he sent letters to Mr. Duncan, Governor of Bombay, and to Sir Robert Abercromby, Commander-in-Chief at Calcutta.

Viraraja had no sons. He resolved therefore to be -married a second time. The marriage took place in . February 1796. Viraraja and the new queen were -placed upon the throne and anointed, in the presence of Mr. Alexander Bell and a Company of Sipahis, deputed by Mr. Wilson, the Malabar Commissioner, to honor the installation. There was a large concourse of people from Coorg and the neighbouring provinces, every body being freely admitted into the country at