to say that the commandant and garrison of Onore had the mortification to see the vessel sail away with the general, without the smallest relief to their distress.

Sanguine as had been the hopes of the gentlemen upon the issue of this communication with the general, and encouraged still more by the warmth with which Mirza had appeared to adopt their views, this behaviour in full durbar became highly provoking, and occasioned Mr. Cruso to tell Mirza he was at a loss which most to admire, the ingenious tales just fabricated, or the story of the officer at Fortified Island, with the rape, the mutiny, and seasonable arrival of the boat; adding, that hitherto he had been considered as professing a respect for the Onore garrison consistent with the sentiments of a liberal enemy; but where was that liberality and respect, when forgetting they had even the common feelings and understanding of men, he insulted them with such foolish and unfounded fictions? He then declared that if any chicanery had been used with captain Torriano's letter, or any imposition practised upon the general, there was an end to every hope of the garrison leaving the fort, consistent with that sense of honour and duty by which they had been hitherto actuated; and he would take upon himself to say, the fort would never yield to the sultaun until every European was cut to pieces. To which Mirza replied with the most cutting indifference, "We are not going to cut you to pieces."

On the 9th a small party was ordered to patrol the outworks during the night, lest the enemy should take possession of them, under pretence of being entirely abandoned. At this time the subahdar of the fort-guard in the enemy's trenches, sent word that

forty Malawars, and other natives of the coast, were desirous of deserting to us; an artifice too shallow to succeed.

The next morning the faithful spy, formerly mentioned, was dispatched to the enemy's camp, to procure, if possible, a secret interview with the officer taken at Fortified Island, and convey him a little money. In this he fortunately succeeded, and on the 13th returned, with a letter from the officer, apparently written with charcoal and water, and scarcely legible: it contained an account of the island having been taken by the sultaun's people. That himself with the other officers, and a private European, were confined in the same prison, after having been plundered of every thing, except the clothes on their backs; they were threatened with being sent to Seringapatam, unless they entered into the sultaun's service; and the infamous ensign, whose desertion has been already noticed, had been frequently with them, to offer, on such conditions, the restoration of their property, and a supply of every other convenience. That the sepoys, and even the officers' servants taken with them, had been compelled to enter into the sultaun's service; in which the jemautdar was promoted to the rank of subahdar, and sent back to Fortified Island. This gentleman acknowledged the receipt of the money, and declaring that no hardship should drive them to enter into the sultaun's service, entreated captain Torriano to exert himself for their release.

There had not been any communication with the enemy since Mr. Cruso's last interview with Mirza; who had since twice denied himself when that gentleman repaired to the batteries. Early in the morning of the 16th a messenger came to the fort, with a polite message from the caun, requesting to see Mr. Cruso imme

diately, on the contents of a very important perwanna just received from the sultaun. No time was lost in obeying the summons, and that gentleman soon returned with the joyful news of peace being concluded between the English and Tippoo Sultaun; he brought also the following letter from Messrs Sadleir, Staunton, and Huddlestone, the Madras commissioners, enclosing an extract from that part of the treaty which related to Onore.

To Captain John Samuel Torriano, commanding at Onore.

SIR,

We have the honour to inform you that peace was yesterday concluded between the Honourable Company and the nabob Tippoo Sultaun Bahadaur. We enclose you an extract of the article of treaty which relates to Onore, Carwar, and Sadasheraguda: agreeably to which, we desire you will deliver Onore, &c. to the officer of the nabob, who shall produce this letter; and embark with the troops on the vessels now sent for that purpose.

"We enclose a letter to you from the select committee of Bombay, in which they desire you to obey our directions. Should Carwar and Sadasheraguda be included in your command, you will give orders for their evacuation and delivery, as well as Onore, and embark the garrison. We enclose the nabob's order to his officers for supplying the troops with provisions and other necessary assistance; and have the honour to be, with much esteem, Your most obedient, humble servants,

As Mirza had intrusted Mr. Cruso with those papers, not officially, but for the private satisfaction of captain Torriano and the Onore garrison, until the duplicates arrived, Mr. Cruso returned them the next morning, when Mirza invited him to ride in the evening, and afterwards to a nautch (of dancing girls) and a supper. This entertainment was confined to a few of Mirza's select friends; when all was hilarity and good-humour he led his guest into an inner apartment, and there shewed him colonel Gordon's answer to the letter sent him by major Torriano on the 7th of February. Taking advantage of this festive season, Mr. Cruso reminded Mirza of a former promise to communicate the contents of general M'Leod's answer to captain Torriano's letter written when the general was last off the port; this also he produced, but positively refusing to part with it, Mr. Cruso read it with so great attention as to be able on his return to the fort to commit it to paper, and next morning delivered it to the commanding officer, the contents, at the time peculiarly interesting, are now unnecessary to be inserted.

On the 18th two vessels, with several boats, anchored in the offing; the largest making a signal for a boat, an open letter was, as usual, sent to Maw Mirza, who dispatched it by a special messenger. In the evening he returned with a letter from captain Scott, of the Hawke Indiaman; mentioning his arrival from Mangulore, with orders from the commissioners to evacuate Onore, and embark the garrison on the vessels then under his convoy for that purpose.

General Orders, Onore 20th of March 1784.

66

Replete with the highest sense of gratitude to this garrison, the Commandant, in the warmest manner thanks the officers, heads of departments, non-commissioned officers, and privates of every corps, for their courage, toil, and conduct, during a fatiguing siege of more than three months, and a painful blockade of much longer continuance. He is assured, from a

determination to do ample justice in his representations to the Honourable the Select Committee at Bombay, and to brigadier general M'Leod, commander in chief of the army, of the spirit and perseverance they have in so great a degree evinced, they will receive more flattering commendations on their arrival at the presidency, than it is in his power to bestow."

The same evening, captain Torriano, in compliance with a pressing invitation, paid his first visit to Mirza, accompanied by captain Scott, and three other gentlemen. They met, agreeably to a preconcerted plan, at the sultaun's batteries. Mirza was attended by the rajah of Zeremullee, and a numerous suwarree; the sultaun's troops forming a line from the batteries to the durbar, paid the British commandant all the European military honours as he passed their respective corps. After a plentiful supper, consisting of every dainty procurable,

the company were enter

tained till day-light by the best dancing girls in the camp. They then returned to the fort; the road from the durbar to the batteries being, as before, lined with troops.

During the conviviality of the evening, captain Torriano asked Mirza some questions regarding the officer who had so