calls the fellest of the fell, the fury of his nature was neither to be controled by resistance, nor assuaged by blandishments. Aloof from the general order of the workings of Providence, he stands a single instance, in which the Omnipotent has presented a glowing living picture, ALL SHADE: not one ray breaks in, to relieve the gloomy aspect of the piece; but, distinct from the whole human race, of him alone it may be said, that he never yet disclosed, even for a moment, one spark of virtue.

From barbarity so inflexible to those taken in the ordinary chance of war, what could I expect if I fell again into his hands-I who had been the instrument of one of his chief Governor's defection-who had, by my negociations, contributed to deprive him of a province, and what perhaps might have had greater weight with him, robbed him of the gratification of a long harbored revenge, by putting his enemy Hyat Sahib under the protection of the Company? Diabolical vengeance never perhaps met with a subject of such sublime enjoyment, as the torturing of me would have been to this monster. Couple this then, my Frederick, with the fears of Suffrein's doing by me as he had already done by the other English prisoners and guess what my terror and consternation must have been at falling into the hands of the French!

Having struck our colors to the French frigate, the captain ordered us to follow her, and steered to the northward. We obeyed him for some time: at length night fell; and a fresh and favorable breeze fortunately aiding the attempt, we put about, ran for Madras, and luckily dropt anchor safe in the roads. In the escapes I had hitherto had, there was always some disagreeable circumstance to alloy the pleasure arising from themIn this instance, my joy was pure and unqualified; and I looked forward with a reasonable hope that the worst was all over.

Here I found Lord Macartney governor, struggling to support the credit of the Company, and directing their affairs through such embarrassments and difficulties as

made the most wise and temperate despair of success. So arduous an undertaking as the government of Madras then was, has rarely occurred': and a more successful final accomplishment is not to be instanced. In the incessant conflicts to which he was exposed, he maintained his post with inflexible firmness and unabated energy of mind-and, in the most trying circumstances, discharged his important duty with zeal, integrity and wisdom. The strict discharge of the duty he owed to his country, raised clamors against him among an interested few in India; but the united applauses of all parties, on his return to England, stamped currency on his fame, and has broken the shafts of detraction.

LETTER LXII.

AFTER

FTER so many hazards and hardships as I had undergone, it was a most pleasing reflection to find myself in a society composed of my oldest professional connections, and warmest and sincerest friends: but this was a happiness I could not long enjoy; for being charged with a mission from Hyat Sahib to the GovernorGeneral and Supreme Council, I was constrained to proceed to Bengal, and accordingly set sail for Calcutta, which I reached in little more than a week, without encountering any accident, or meeting a single occurrence worth the relation. Upon my arrival there, Sir John Macpherson, who was in the Supreme Council, gave me a kind invitation to live at his house, and presented me to Mr. Hastings, with whom I entered into a negociation on behalf of Hyat Sahib, which will appear by the following letters:

LETTER TO WARREN HASTINGS, ESQ.

"Honorable Sir,

"Calcutta, May 3, 1783.

"INDISPOSITION has put it out of my power, since "the first day after my arrival here, to have the honor "of paying you my respects, and of laying before you, "for the information of the board, the objects of my "mission to your superintending government.

"As these objects are of public importance, and as "ill health may prevent me, for some time longer from "having the honor of waiting upon you, I take the li "berty to beg your attention to this address.

"The great revolution in favor of the India Company upon the west side of India, and to which I had the "happiness of being in some little degree instrumental, "has been certainly brought about by the zeal and spirit "of General Mathews; but that officer ascribes to the "orders and supplies of your government the principal "merit of the undertaking: he looks to the same go"vernment for support in the arrangement which he has "made, and may make for the security of the conquered ❝ province.

66

"The hurry in which I left him, and his anxiety for 66 my speedy communication of his successes, gave no "time for a formal communication to the Governor"General and council, of the particulars of his successes, and of the arrangements which he wished to be "adopted. He wrote a short account of the first to "the Presidency of Fort St. George; and gave me a "public letter to the commander in chief of the Milita"ry Establishment of that Presidency to which I par"ticularly belong, in attestation of the services I ren"dered in the negociation between him and the Govern

or of Bidanore, for the surrender of that capital and "province. A copy of that letter I have the pleasure to lay before you.

"As I was charged with a particular commission from "Hyat Sahib, the manager of the Bidanere province, "to the Governor-General and Council, as appears by

"his letter, which I had the honor of presenting to you, "General Mathews gave me, in verbal instructions, and "memorandums written in his own hand, the particu"lars of what he wished me to represent to your Go"vernment: he gave me, besides, short notes of intro❝duction to two of the members of Government, whom " he knew personally referring them to me for an ac"count of his situation, and allowing me, I believe, "more credit than I deserve, for the share I had in con"tributing to his final acquisition of Bidanore without "drawing a sword.

"It would be tedious and more fit for the detail of "conversation than of a public address, to inform you "of the various steps that led to the surrender of the "capital and province of Bidanore. I had had several "conferences with Hyat Sahib before Hyder's death, and "endeavored to suggest to him the advantage which "would arise to him from a revolt in favor of the Com66 pany. My efforts in these conversations ended ulti"mately in the most rigorous distress to myself; I was "put in irons, and remained so for four months, in a "situation only of existence without any hopes of ever "escaping. When General Mathews had stormed the "Ghauts, Hyat Sahib sent for me, and after various "struggles, and much indescision, agreed to my proceed"ing to the English camp; and I conducted General' "Mathews, almost unattended, into Bidanore. Hyat "Sahib at length agreed to submit: but as, in his vari

ous conversations with me before and after that event,' ❝he made a very particular distinction between the go"vernment of Bombay and the chief government of the "English in Indostan, so he proposed that I should im-`

inediately depart, after he had given up the place and "all the forts of the Province, with a letter to you, to "obtain your sanction to me to his arrangements with "the English General,

"These arrangements were not even clearly defined "before my departure; and so anxious was he for iny "speedy arrival at Calcutta, that he only gave me the "general propositions that are contained in his letter.

"Permit me here to observe, that it is by the treat"ment which Hyat Sahib meets with, that the other "chiefs of Hyder's country will estimate the advantage "of abandoning the interests of Tippoo Sahib, or will con"firm their dependence upon him. Tippoo was prevent❝ed by his father, from all intercourse with the gover "nors of his provinces, or any interference in country "affairs; so that those left in charge at his father's "death are strangers to him; and are men to whom he "has little attachment. He is, besides, considered to be "of a cruel disposition. His father was cruel upon a "political principle; he is thought to be so from na

❝ture.

"The unfortunate differences about money which arose "in General Mathew's camp, and of which you will pro"bably hear from the Presidency of Bombay, took up "much of the General's time, and may have retarded "his operations; however, his success in the reduction "of Mangalore gives a security to his conquests. The "revenues of the Bidanore Province are about twenty "lacks of pagodas per annum.

"The particular situation of the capital merits atten<<tion. It is placed in a valley of considerable extent "in circumference: according to the best observation "I could make, there is an ascent to it, from all sides, "of near seven miles: it can only be approached by "four roads, which are cut among the hills, and which "were judiciously fortified with great pains by Hyder : "woods, to the depth of many miles, are a frontier round "its skirts; and where these admitted a passage, Hyder "took the precaution to plant bamboos and thorns-so "that I have little fear but that General Mathews will "be able to defend these passes; and as for provisions, "and military stores of all kinds, that were found in "Bidanore, of the latter particularly, what, according "to General Mathews's own declaration, would equip "nine such armies as his.

"Cundapore is the next sea-port to Bidanore, and is "distant about fifty miles: Mangalore is distant about "a hundred miles. The road leading from Mangalore "joins with that from Cundapore, where the ascent of