to complete the comedy, a supposed messenger from
Delhi was received at Pondicherry as ambassador from the mogul. Dupleix,
mounted on an elephant, preceded by music and dancing women, in the
oriental manner, received in public his commission from the hands of the
pretended ambassador. He affected the eastern state, kept his Durbar or
court, where he appeared sitting cross-legged on a sofa, and received
presents as prince of the country from his own council, as well as from
the natives. In the meantime, hostilities continued between the forces
of the two companies, as auxiliaries to the contending nabobs. The
English, under major Kinnier, made an unsuccessful attempt upon Gingee,
a strong town situated to the west of Pondicherry. Major Laurence
defeated a strong body of French and natives, commanded by Dupleix's
nephew, M. de Kerjean, in the neighbourhood of Pondicherry, and took him
prisoner, together with fifteen officers; after this success, Mr. Clive
reduced the forts of Cove-long and Chengalput, the last very strong,
situated about forty miles to the southward of Madras. On the other
hand, M. Dupleix intercepted at sea captain Schaub, with his whole Swiss
company, whom he detained prisoners at Pondicherry, although the two
nations were not at war with each other. During these transactions,
Sallabatzing, with a body of French under M. de Bussy, advanced towards
Aurengabad, which was the seat of government; but he was opposed by a
chief of the Mahrattas, at the head of a numerous army. In the meantime,
Gauzedy Khan, the elder brother of Sallabatzing, whom the mogul had
appointed viceroy of Decan, took possession of his government at
Aurengabad, where, in fourteen days after his arrival, he was poisoned
by his own sister. The mogul immediately appointed his son Schah Abadin
Khan to succeed his father; and this prince actually raised an army to
come and take possession; but the mogul's affairs requiring his presence
at Delhi, he was obliged to postpone his design, so that Sallabatzing
was left without a competitor, and made a present to the French of all
the English settlements to the northward. Thus concluded the year one
thousand seven hundred and fifty-two. Next campaign was chiefly confined
to the neighbourhood of Trichinopoly, where major Laurence made several
vigorous attacks upon the enemy's army, and obtained many advantages;
which, however, did not prove decisive, because he was so much
out-numbered that he could