d impassible by cross ditches,
besides the intrenchment at the top: in every other part the hill was so
steep and dangerous, that the soldiers were obliged to pull themselves
up by the roots and boughs of trees growing on both sides of the path.]

[Footnote 515: Note 4 A, p. 515 The chagrin and mortification of Lally
are strongly marked in the following intercepted letter to M. de Legret,
dated from the camp before Madras:--

"A good blow might be struck here: there is a ship in the road, of
twenty guns, laden with all the riches of Madras, which it is said
will remain there till the 20th. The expedition is just arrived, but M.
Gerlin is not a man to attack her; for she has made him run away once
before. The Bristol, on the other hand, did but just make her appearance
before St. Thomas; and, on the vague report of thirteen ships coming
from Porto-Novo, she took fright; and, after landing the provisions
with which she was laden, she would not stay long enough even to take on
board twelve of her own guns, which she had lent us for the siege.

"If I was the judge of the point of honour of the company's officers, I
would break him like glass, as well as some others of them.

"The Fidelle, or the Harlem, or even the aforesaid Bristol, with her
twelve guns restored to her, would be sufficient to make themselves
masters of the English ship, if they could manage so as to get to
windward of her in the night. Maugendre and Tremillier are said to be
good men; and were they employed only to transport two hundred wounded
men that we have here, their service would be of importance.

"We remain still in the same position: the breach made these fifteen
clays, all the time within fifty toises of the wall of the place, and
never holding up our heads to look at it.

"I reckon we shall, on our arrival at Pondieherry, endeavour to learn
some other trade, for this of war requires too much patience.

"Of one thousand five hundred sepoys which attended our army, I reckon
near eight hundred are employed upon the road to Pondieherry, laden
with sugar, pepper, and other goods; and as for the coulis, they are all
employed for the same purpose, from the first day we came here.

"I am taking my measures from this day to set fire to the Black-town,
and to blow up the powder-mills.

"You will never imagine that fifty French deserters, and one hundred
Swiss, are actually stopping the progress of two thousand men of
the king and company's tro