hould recommend."

"I saw a number of men working at a battery they are erecting by the
river side. Could we not take service there until something better
presents itself?"

"I should not advise that," the native replied, "for the work is very
hard, and the pay poor. Indeed, most of those employed on it are men
driven in from the country round and forced to labour, getting only
enough pay to furnish them with the poorest food. There would also be
the disadvantage that, if you were so employed, you would have no
opportunity of seeing any English captives who may have been brought
here of late.

"All that I can at present do, myself, is to speak to some of my
friends who have been here for a long time, and ask them whether they
can remember an English captive being sent up here from Coorg, some
eight years ago, and whether they ever heard what was his fate. I
should say, of course, that I have received a message from friends at
Conjeveram; that some of the man's relations have sent out to make
inquiries concerning him, and asking me if I can find any news as to
his fate. My friends may not know themselves, but they may be able to
find out from others. Very many of our people were forced into the
ranks of the army, and there is not a regiment which has not some men
who, although regarded as Mohammedans, are still at heart, as we all
are, as true to our faith as ever.

"It is from these that we are more likely to obtain information than
in any other way. You will not be very long before you will be able to
satisfy yourself as to whether or not he whom you seek is in this
city; and if he should not be here, there remain but the two towns
that I have named, and the hill forts. As to these, it will be
well-nigh impossible to obtain an entrance, so jealously are they all
guarded. None save the garrisons are allowed to enter. The paths,
which are often so steep and difficult that men and provisions have to
be slung up in baskets, are guarded night and day, and none are
allowed to approach the foot of the rocks within musket shot--lest, I
suppose, they might find some spot where an ascent could be made. The
garrisons are seldom changed. The soldiers are allowed to take their
wives and families up with them, but once there, they are as much
prisoners as those in the dungeons. That is one reason why captives
once sent up there never come down again, for were they to do so they
might, if by chance they escaped, be able to give