thout resistance, the forts of Colar and Ooscotah, and arriving
within ten miles of Bangalore, that the army encountered Tippoo's
cavalry.

This was on the 4th of March. They made an attempt to reach the
baggage trains, but were sharply repulsed, and on the following day
the army took up its position before Bangalore. As they approached the
town, three horsemen dashed out from a small grove, and rode furiously
towards a little group, consisting of Lord Cornwallis, General
Meadows, and the staff, who were reconnoitring at some little distance
from the head of the column. It was evident that their intention was
to cut down the general.

The Rajah, who was riding as usual with the staff, dashed forward with
four or five other officers, and encountered the horsemen before they
could reach him. The Rajah cut down one of them, another was killed by
one of the staff, and the third knocked off his horse and captured.

It was learned that the enterprise was not a planned one, but was the
result of a quarrel between the men, themselves. One had charged the
others with cowardice, and in return they had challenged him to follow
them where they dared go. All had prepared themselves for the
enterprise by half intoxicating themselves with bhang, and thus made
but a poor fight, when they found their object thwarted by the
officers who threw themselves between them and their intended victim.

Bangalore was a fine town, situated on a plain so elevated that the
climate was temperate, the soil fertile, and vegetation abundant. The
town was of considerable extent, that portion lying within the
fortifications being a mile and a quarter long, by half a mile broad.
It was surrounded by a strong rampart, a thick hedge, and a deep, dry
ditch. The wall, however, did not extend across the side facing the
fort, whose guns were supposed to render it ample protection.

The fort was oval in shape, and about nine hundred yards across, at
its greatest diameter. It was defended by a broad rampart,
strengthened by thirty semicircular bastions and five outworks. The
two gates, one at each end, were also protected by outworks. In the
fort stood the splendid palace built by Tippoo. Here also were immense
foundries of cannon, factories for muskets, the arsenal, and large
magazines of grain and ammunition.

The position taken up by the army lay to the northeast of the petah,
or town, and the next morning a reconnoitring party, escorted by
Colonel Floyd,