the different frontier guard houses, by order of the Rajah. Mahádévamma was declared Rani of Coorg, and her children were to succeed to the throne of Coorg.

After a short time a letter of congratulation arrived from Sir John Shore, the Governor-General, expressing his joy at the escape of the Rajah from the treacherous designs of Tippu Sultan. Also Mr. Duncan, Governor of Bombay wrote a congratulatory letter. He advised Viraraja not to kill the Eunuchs, whom the Commissioner of Malabar was ordered to deliver back to the Rajah, but to keep them as witnesses against Tippu. Viraraja thereupon ordered one foot of each man to be cut off, lest they might run away. They were kept at Virarajendra on a small allowance.

The Governor of Mangalore Sheik Sab-u-Din, renewed Tippu's demand for Amara Sulya and threatened to seize the district by force. Troops were dispatched from Mysore to Jamalabad. The question was referred to the Governor-General. Captain Mahoney and Mr. Utoff were sent from Malabar to investigate the case. It was decided in favor of Viraraja.

A number of Frenchmen landed, about that time, at Mangalore and were conducted to Seringapatam by orders of Tippu, who was most anxious to form an alliance with the French against the English.

News of a signal victory of an English fleet over a French armament of greatly superior power arrived in India. A salute of 24 guns was fired by General Hartley. (It was Nelson's great Vietory in 1798). Captain Mahoney informed the Rajah of the success of the English Navy, when Viraraja expressed his great joy, that 1, the English had won a victory; 2, the French, his enemies, had been put to the route; 3, the French, Tippu's friends, were defeated; 4, Tippu, hearing these news, would be sadly grieved; 5, the prosperity of the

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English, for which the Rajah prayed to his God, was increased by this Victory. He ordered 21 guns to be fired in honor of the fortunate event.

The Earl of Mornington prepared for war with Tippu by forming alliances with Nizam Ali and the Peishwa. The Rajah of Coorg received letters from the Governor-General and from the Governor of Bombay, desiring him to exert himself again in providing supplies of grain and other stores, and procuring elephants and cattle for the army about to proceed from the Western Coast to Mysore under the command of Major General Stuart. Viraraja declared his readiness to furnish all the supplies he could, but his country produced only grain. He would fetch the rest from Mysore. He was, however, requested to keep the peace, until Tippu himself commenced hostilities.

Towards the end of January General Stuart arrived on the Malabar Coast and gave notice to the Rajah, that now his assistance was required. General Hartley had sent Captain Johnstone of the Engineers to form a depôt in Coorg and to take charge of the supplies collected by Viraraja. Captain Johnstone was furnished with 400 coolies, and five elephants. 7000 Batti rice, were in readiness at Virarajendrapett. (One Batti is equal to sixty seer, the seer, weighing two rathals, i. e. twice 40 rupees), 7000 more Batti the Rajah promised to furnish within three monts, and other 7000 or 8000 Batti which had been prepaid already, would come in before a month elapsed. The rest of the supplies required the Rajah would bring from Mysore as soon as hostilities had commenced. Captain Mahoney was appointed Resident with the Rajah of Coorg by Mr. Spenser and the other Commissioners, pursuant to orders from the Governor-General. He was to transact all mouey affairs between the Rajah and the Company. In February 1799 Generals Stuart and Hartley ascend

ed the Heggala Ghatt with their army. Viraraja paid a visit to the Camp, where he was received with military honors. To the surprise and joy of the Generals the supply of rice collected at Virarajendrapett amounted to 40,000 Batti. They thanked the Rajah heartily, but begged him to assist them now in conveying their artillery and ammunition from the Stony River to the Heggala pass. The Rajah took all the men and cattle; hitherto employed in filllng the magazine at Virarajendrapett, added his own cattle and slaves, and employed men and women, as many as could be brought together, in the conveyance of the army-stores up the steep Pass of Heggala. This work accomplished, the Rajah dismissed the people, sent the cattle to graze, and joined himself the English Army, which proceeded to Karadigodamala. News came, that a party of Maplis from the Maleyalam had attacked the guard left at the Stony River, and carried away part of the baggage. Viraraja sent 300 Coorgs down the ghatt to beat off the Maplis. They executed their orders well, brought all up into Coorg and posted guards at the passes. General Stuart wished to leave his sick behind him in Coorg, and Viraraja sent orders to the Amildar of Virarajendrapett, to erect an hospital and to furnish supplies. Intelligence was obtained, that Tippu had instigated the Kote Rajah, to invade and plunder Coorg, as soon as the army proceeded to the eastward. It was therefore proposed by General Stuart, that Viraraja and his Coorgs should stay behind, protect their own country and secure the rear. Accordingly, Viraraja returned. A party of Coorgs was posted at Nalkanadu, another at Yeravanadu, a third on the Kote road and three hundred men at Virarajendrapett.

On the 4th of March 1799 the Earl of Mornington wrote a letter to the Rajah of Coorg, informing him, that hostilities were on the eve of commencing, though

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a way was still left open to Tippu Sultan to come to an accommodation with the Allies. The Rajah of Coorg was expected to exert himself to the utmost of his power, as he would necessarily share the fate of the English. The Governor General begged him to be guided by the counsel of the Resident, Captain Mahoney. Copies of the Governor General's proclamation in the name of the East India Company and its Allies, Nizam Ali and the Peishva, dated Fort St. George 22nd February 1799, and of a letter previously addressed to Tippu by the Earl of Mornington on the 9th of January 1799, were communicated to Viraraja by Capt. Mahoney. (Both documents are given at length in a good Canarese trrnslation. They need not be copied here, as they are to be found in Thornton and other Indian Historians, and have moreover no particular reference to Coorg.)

Battle of Siddhàpura. On Tuesday the 30th of Magha (in the early part of March) Viraraja, Captain Mahoney and other English Officers ascended the Hill of Siddheshvara to reconnoitre. They had telescopes with them. For the first four or five hours they saw nothing. At length a large white tent appeared in the neighbourhood of Periapattana, in the Mysore territory; immediately after, several other white tents arose. After these a large green tent, then a red tent, and in quick succession 500 or 600 more tents were pitched. The Rajah and the English Officers were sure, that it was Tippu with his army. They returned to Siddhapura and reported to the General, that Tippu was at Periapattana. The army prepared for the conflict. At Siddheshvara two battalions were posted under Colonel Montresor and Major Disney. The Rajah conjectured, that Tippu, finding Siddheshvara occupied by a strong post would not proceed on the Siddhapura road, but choose the Balele road, on which he and Hyder had

formerly entered into Coorg, and dispatched about 5000 Coorgs to Kiggattnadu to oppose Tippu, should he advance in that direction. Tippu advanced with his whole force against the two battalions stationed at Siddheshvara. There was a severe action. Unable to

force his way, Tippu divided his army and sent two divisions on bye-paths to attack Col. Montresor and Major Disney on both flanks. Col. Montresor faced his men about and gallantly sustained the double attack. The fight lasted from morning until two o'clock in the afternoon. When General Stuart at Siddhapura received report of the situation of affairs at Siddheshvara, he marched with two European Regiments under Col. Dunlop and Major Forbes to the assistance of the detachment in advance. Tippu posted his army between the two corps. General Stuart ordered the Europeans to break Tippu's line. A very severe engagement ensued. The strength and valour of the European troops passed description. The Rajah had never seen such a battle. It lasted about three hours and an half. Tippu was beaten, the Benki Navab killed, many superior Officers wounded and taken prisoners. The whole army fled back to Periapattana. On the following Monday, 11th March 1799, Tippu retreated towards Seringapa

tam.

Generals Stuart and Hartley and Capt. Mahoney now declared to Viraraja, that he was at liberty to commence operations against Tippu, the Sultan having himself appeared in the field against the Allies. The Rajah divided his force into two parts; one was ordered to guard the passes, the baggage and the hospital, of the other part one division was sent under Karanika Subaya and Karyakara Bopu against Sadri Behari and Mir Mohammad, who held the province of Kodyál (Mangalore), with orders to take all the forts in possession of the Musulmans, to subjugate the country and