rienced some failure in health. He was requested again to join the
Commissioners, but would not again attempt it, partly from the state of
his health, and partly because Tippoo was far more averse to Christianity
than Hyder had been. All the 12,000 Tanjoreen captive boys--originally
Hindoos--were bred up Mahometans, and he tolerated nothing else but
Hindooism, persecuting the Roman Catholics in his dominions till no one
dared make an open profession.

A treaty was, however, concluded in 1784, and there was for a time a
little rest, greatly needed by Swartz, who had been suffering from much
weakness and exhaustion; but a journey into Tinnevelly, with his friend
Mr. Sullivan, seems to have restored him.

There were already some dawnings of Christianity in this district. As
long before as 1771, one of the Trichinopoly converts, named
Schavrimutta, who was living at Palamcotta, began to instruct his
neighbours from the Bible, and a young Hindoo accountant, becoming
interested, went to an English sergeant and his wife, who had likewise
been under Swartz's influence, and asked for further teaching. The
sergeant taught him the Catechism and then baptized him, rather to the
displeasure of Swartz, who always was strongly averse to hasty baptisms.
Afterwards, a Brahmin's widow begged for baptism. She, it appeared, was
living with an English officer, and Swartz was obliged to refuse her
while this state of things continued, but he found that the Englishman
had promised to marry her, and had begun to teach her his language and
his faith. He died without performing his promise, but Christianity had
become so dear to her, that she again entreated for baptism, and was then
admitted into the Church by the name of Clarinda. She afterwards was the
chief means of building a church at Palamcotta, to which Sattianadem
became the catechist; and thus was first sown a seed which has never
ceased growing, for this district of Tinnevelly has always been the
stronghold of Christianity in India.

Meantime Swartz's poor friend, the Rajah Tuljajee at Tanjore, was in a
deplorable state. He had suffered great losses during Hyder Ali's
invasion of his country, and, moreover, was afflicted with an incurable
disease, and had lately lost, by death, his only son, daughter, and
grandson: He shut himself up in the depths of his palace, and became
harsh and moody, heaping all the treasure together that he could collect,
and employing a dean or minis