several people; among them a sirdar of consequence, the chief conductor of their works. He also said they were digging across the plain, in the rear of the most distant work, intended as he supposed for a mine.

It is unnecessary further to detail the events of the siege. The enemy occasionally kept up a brisk fire, especially from their enfilading batteries, by which we lost several of our small garrison, and more by desertions among the Onore sepoys. Early on the 24th of August the enemy sent a flag of truce, with a packet containing the terms of a cessation of arms concluded on the 2d of that month between Tippoo Sultaun and the commander in chief of the British forces at Mangulore; in which were inserted the following articles respecting the garrison of Onore.

A guard shall be placed in the fort from the sultaun's troops, and one in the trenches from the fort, to observe that no operations are carried on, nor any works erected on either side.

A bazar, or market, shall be daily supplied to the fort, containing all kinds of provisions, which the troops belonging to the garrison shall be allowed to purchase.

Thirty days provision may be received monthly from Bombay, but no military stores or ammunition will be allowed to enter the fort.

During the siege a guard had been placed by Lutoph Ally at the entrance of the river and the north point of the bar. This was immediately objected to, as a violation of the articles, and Captain Torriano insisted on its being removed. Lutoph Ally pleaded ignorance, and the guard was recalled. Soon afterwards a similar party was discovered on the south point, which after much alterca

tion he also agreed to remove, but evading his promise, he only diminished the number. This early perfidy highly incensed and embarrassed the commanding officer: to submit to it was too painful a humiliation; to counteract it might be attended with serious consequences. He therefore resolved to take the sense of

the commander in chief without delay.

Jehan Khaun, second in command of the sultaun's troops before Onore, was said at this time to be at open variance with Lutoph Ally; and as he bore the character of a brave soldier, and professed the greatest respect for the gallantry of the British troops, Captain Torriano was of opinion a private correspondence with this officer might tend to the advantage of the service, and prove a source of such information as might enable him to guard against the machinations of the enemy; nor were his expectations disappointed. Through this channel he received frequent information of what passed in the enemy's camp, the state of affairs at Mangulore, and the most solemn assurances that should any thing happen likely to affect the subsisting truce, such timely notice should be given as might frustrate those villainous stratagems, to which Jehan Khaun himself observed the Moguls were so much addicted.

In consequence of the cessation of arms, the commissary's men were sent into the country to procure cattle for the garrison. In a few days they returned with the unpleasant intelligence that none could be obtained. This disappointment, and no supply of grain having been furnished either for men or horses, notwithstanding the most pressing solicitations, provoked a stronger remonstrance to Lutoph Ally than had hitherto been made, against such gross evasions of the treaty. This remonstrance being equally unsuc

cessful, Captain Torriano communicated once more to the commanding officer at Mangulore the painful predicament in which he was placed, and the little reason he had to expect better treatment, unless the sultaun sent him decisive orders; at the same time hinting a suspicion, that the treatment he experienced was sanctioned by Tippoo Sultaun himself.

At length the stock of cattle being nearly consumed, and the patience of the garrison almost exhausted, the commanding officer communicated to Lutoph Ally his suspicion that the letters confided to him had never been sent to Mangulore, and consequently being deprived of all hope of redress from his commander in chief, he must seek it himself. If in so doing he should adopt measures incompatible with the existing treaty, and those measures should lead to a renewal of hostilities, the blame must fall upon Lutoph Ally himself: the English had, in all respects, religiously kept their faith, while he had uniformly sported with his master's honour; and, in defiance of a sacred treaty, aimed to effect by perfidy, what by direct and open hostility he had been unable to accomplish. He was therefore informed his promises were like the wind, of which British officers would not be the sport; on the contrary every nerve should be strained to frustrate his designs; but as it was the character of the English to deal openly and honourably, he forewarned him of the consequence. In the first place, as the commandant was determined the men who had bled in defence of the fortress, should not be starved out of it, he resolved so soon as his stock of cattle was expended, to send a detachment in search of a supply, which should be paid for; but if such detachment should be molested by Lutoph Ally's troops,

they would repel force by force. That having written to Bombay and Goa for refreshments, the boats which brought them, should, on their arrival be permitted to come into the river and land their cargo; if they were fired at by the party on the south side of the bar, the guns of the fort should return the fire. In the present uncertainty respecting letters intrusted to the sultaun's halcarrahs, they should no longer be sent by them, but some other mode of conveyance adopted. On these resolutions. being communicated, a party of British troops was posted on the north point, to assert the command of the river, on which the cessation was founded.

In consequence of this determination, (and while waiting for Lutoph Ally's reply) the daring spy before employed was dispatched with information to the commanding officer of the British forces, and was promised that on returning with an answer, he should himself name his reward for the service performed. It may not be irrelevant to observe, that although this man had to pass through the enemy's camps before Onore and Mangulore, he effected the purpose required by entering through a hole in the wall of the latter fortress, when strictly blockaded by Tippoo Sultaun. The messenger returned with Colonel Campbell's answer, and being then desired to take whatever sum he thought proper, from a bag of venetians (or gold ducats) placed before him, he not only declined this mode of remuneration, but submitted it entirely to the generosity of the commandant; and further requested he would become his banker, declaring he would continue to serve him faithfully, and would never receive any recompence for his

services until he might conceive he was suspected by the enemy, when he should avail himself of the fruit of his labours to such an extent as in his opinion he could carry off free from molestation.

This trusty messenger was a squalid meagre figure, without the smallest appearance of enterprize, but possessing great acuteness and firmness of character. It may be satisfactory to know, that this man continued faithfully attached to the British interest, and rendered many important services to the garrison of Onore for some time longer. The period at length arrived when he called upon the commandant, and informing him that he had reason to conclude himself suspected by the enemy of holding an intercourse with the fort, he must consult his safety by a precipitate and secret flight. To this no objection could fairly be made. The garrison had essentially benefited in many instances by his firmness and fidelity, and he was entitled to trace out his own line of conduct whenever it seemed most advisable. On parting, Captain Torriano was not without anxiety for his safety: he told him the fate of Onore could not long remain undecided; that should he survive until that period, it was his resolution to reward his services still further by settling on him a pension, provided he could contrive to join him in any of the Company's districts. He was then desired to remunerate himself to the fullest extent of his wishes, and ample means set before him for the purpose. He was however satisfied with little; saying, that in the event of his being seized, and much money discovered upon him, the very circumstance would prove his destruction. He then took his leave, and passed the English posts; but whether he succeeded in effecting his escape into the