D'Anteuil, and three other
officers, should remain prisoners on parole for one year; that the
garrison should be exchanged, and the money and stores be delivered to
the nabob whom the English supported.

CHUNDA SAIB TAKEN AND PUT TO DEATH.

During these transactions, Chunda Saib lay encamped with an army of
thirty thousand men at Syrinham, an island in the neighbourhood of
Tiruchirapalli, which he longed eagerly to possess. Hither major
Laurence marched with his Indian allies,* and took his measures so well,
that the enemy's provisions were entirely intercepted.

* His army consisted of twelve hundred Europeans and
Topasses in battalions, two thousand sepoys, with the forces
of the nabob, the kings of Tanjore, Muissack, and the
Mahrattas; amounting to fifteen hundred horse and ten
thousand infantry. Topasses are descendants from the
Portuguese. The Mahrattas are native Indians of a very
numerous and powerful nation, which hath more than once
given law to the mogul.

Chunda Saib, in attempting to fly, was taken prisoner by the nabob of
Tanjore, an ally of the English company, who ordered his head to be
struck off, in order to prevent the disputes which otherwise would have
arisen among the captors. *

* Chunda Saib demanded leave of the Tanjore general to pass
through his camp to Tanjore, and this request was granted;
but instead of being allowed to pass, he was detained
prisoner, and as the allies could not agree about the manner
in which he should be disposed of, some of the Tanjore
officers, of their own accord, ended the dispute by cutting
off his head.

The main body of the army being attacked by major Laurence, and totally
defeated, the island of Syrinham was surrendered, and about a thousand
European French soldiers, under the command of Mr. Law, nephew to the
famous Law who schemed the Mississippi company, fell into the hands of
the conquerors, including thirty officers, with forty pieces of cannon,
and ten mortars. M. Dupleix, though exceedingly mortified by this
disaster, resolved to maintain the cause which he had espoused. He
proclaimed Rajah Saib, the son of Chunda Saib, nabob of Arcot; and
afterwards pretended that he himself had received from the mogul sanids
or commissions, appointing him governor of all the Carnatic, from the
river Kristnah to the sea; but these sanids appeared in the sequel to be
forged. In order