Christianity, according to the
influences of his ministers and the Brahmins who surrounded him, and the
too frequent offences given by the godless officers of the European
garrison which was stationed in the fort.

Mr. Swartz was anxiously soliciting for means to build a church for the
use of this garrison, when he was summoned to Madras, to the governor,
Sir Thomas Rumbold, who promised him a grant for his church; but, at the
same time, informed him that he was to be sent on a mission to visit the
formidable Hyder Ali in Mysore, in order to judge how far his intentions
towards the English were pacific. He was selected for the purpose on
account of his perfect knowledge of Hindostanee, the simplicity of his
manner of travelling, and his perfect immunity from any of the ordinary
influences of interest or ambition; and he undertook it, as he tells the
Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, because he regarded it as
conducing to peace, as opening fresh doors to the Gospel, and as a token
of gratitude to the Honourable Company for kindness he had received; "but
at the same time," he says, "I resolved to keep my hands undefiled from
any presents, by which determination the Lord enabled me to abide, so
that I have not accepted a single farthing save my travelling expenses."

On the 1st of July, 1779, he set out from Trichinopoly on this journey,
taking one of his catechists, named Sattianadem, with him. He travelled
in a palanquin, and took six days to reach Caroor, on the Mysore
frontier, forty miles off, where he stayed a month with a young Ceylonese
Dutchman in Hyder Ali's service, while sending to ask the Nabob's
permission to proceed. All this time he and his catechist preached and
gave instruction in the streets. It is curious to find him, on his
journey, contrasting the excellent state of Hyder Ali's roads and bridges
with the careless disorganization of the public works under the Company.
An epidemic fever was raging in Seringapatam, and Swartz pitched his tent
outside, where he could conveniently visit the many-pillared palace of
the sovereign. He was much struck with the close personal supervision
that Hyder Ali kept up over his officers, and with the terrible severity
of the punishments. Two hundred men were kept armed with whips, and not
a day passed without many being scourged, no rank being exempt, the
Nabob's two sons and sons-in-law being liable to be whipped like the
meanest groom. Swartz was the