letter from the Resident at Arcot, he was at once enabled
to have an interview with Lord Cornwallis. On finding that he could
speak English, the general received him with much courtesy.

"I am glad, indeed, to have a troop like yours with us, Rajah," he
said. "There are few of my officers who know anything of this part of
the country, and your local knowledge will be invaluable. Moreover, as
I do not speak the language myself, it will be a great advantage to
have someone with me through whom I can communicate freely with the
people of the country. There is no doubt that such communications are
much more effectual, when they come through one of their own princes,
than through English officers. I shall therefore order that, on the
march, a space be allotted for the encampment of your troop by the
side of that occupied by my own escort; and hope that, when not
employed on scouting or other duties, you will ride with my staff.

"Your mother, Rajah, was an English lady, I am told."

"She was, sir. My sister, who married an Englishman, is at present in
Madras with my family, and her son is with me.

"I beg to recommend him to your lordship. He speaks my language
perfectly, and having been brought up in his father's country,
naturally speaks English as well as Hindustani; and will understand,
far better than I can do, any orders that you may give. He has come
out, with his mother, in the hopes of finding his father, who has, if
alive, been a prisoner for several years in the hands of Tippoo.

"He is a fine young fellow. The other day, he made a most dangerous
reconnaissance into Mysore, in order to ascertain Tippoo's movements.
He had with him a young officer of mine, two or three years older than
himself; and when I tell you that the two young fellows held a ruined
hut, for hours, against the attack of some seventy of Tippoo's troops,
and beat them off with a loss of upwards of twenty killed, I need
hardly say that he has no lack of courage."

"You are right, indeed, Rajah. Let the lad ride beside you, with my
staff. Some day he will, perhaps, shorten a long day's march by giving
me details of this adventure of his."

On the 5th of February the army started on its march, and on the 11th
reached Vellore. Tippoo had, for two months, been wasting his time at
Pondicherry; but, upon hearing news that instead of, as he expected,
the English general having marched south from Vellout to meet him, he
had turned westward; and t