h troops; to assist him in maintaining his
sovereignty of the Deccan, and in aiding to place Muhammud Ali in the
nawabship of the Carnatic.

"Tanjore held out bravely. For some weeks the rajah had thrown dust in
the eyes of Chunda Sahib, by pretending to negotiate. Then, when the
allies attacked, he defended the city for fifty-two days, at the end
of which one of the gates of the town had been captured, and the city
was virtually at the mercy of the besiegers. He again delayed them by
entering into negotiations for surrender. In vain Dupleix continued to
urge Chunda Sahib to act energetically, and to enter Tanjore.

"Chunda Sahib, however, although he has a good head for planning, is
irresolute in action. His troops were discontented at the want of pay.
The French contingent also was demoralized, from the same cause. The
troops feared to engage in a desperate struggle, in the streets of a
town abounding with palaces, each of which was virtually a fortress;
especially as it was known that Nazir Jung was marching, with all
speed, to fall upon their rear. So at last the siege was broken up,
and the army fell back upon Pondicherry.

"Meanwhile Cope's detachment of a hundred men, with six thousand
native horsemen, escorted Muhammud Ali to join Nazir Jung at Valdaur,
fifteen miles from Pondicherry. Lawrence was busy at work at Fort
Saint David, organizing a force to go to his aid. Dupleix saw that it
was necessary to aid his allies energetically. The army, on its return
from the siege of Tanjore, was reorganized; the French contingent
increased to two thousand men; and a supply of money furnished, from
his private means.

"The army set out to attack Nazir Jung and his ally at Valdaur. When
the battle began, however, the French contingent mutinied and refused
to fight; and the natives, panic stricken by the desertion of their
allies, fell back on Pondicherry. Chunda Sahib accompanied his men.
Muzaffar Jung surrendered to his uncle, the usurper.

"In three or four days the discipline of the French army was restored,
and on the 13th of April it attacked and defeated a detachment of
Nazir Jung's army; and a few days later captured the strong temple of
Tiruvadi, sixteen miles from Fort Saint David.

"Some months passed before the French were completely prepared; but on
September the first, D'Auteuil, who commanded the French, and Chunda
Sahib attacked the army of the native princes, twenty thousand strong,
and defeated it u