James Scurry

“ Nearly four tedious years had rolled away, during which we had scarcely heard of war; at length, Bangalore was taken by Lord Cornwallis: this was news indeed! but we were forced to dissemble, and affect to be very sorrowful. How necessary to act the hypocrite in some cases! We soon learned also—for they were kinder to us now, through fear—that the Mahrattas were making (to us glorious) inroads into Tippoo’s country, which afforded us some hopes of one day having an opportunity of making our escape. ”

“ Having morosely ordered us to pack up what we had, the guards, which were doubled, hurried us away to the square in front of the palace. Here, being ordered to sit down, the guards surrounding us, we remained four hours, under a scorching sun, nor could we procure a drop of water, or stir one step from the spot. Here was a scene indeed! our women in tatters, our children naked, and ourselves nearly in the same state, without food, or any means of procuring it; the women weeping aloud, the infants crying for nourishment, and ourselves expecting to be massacred. ”

“ Our captain consulted his officers, and the result was, to tack and stand toward them; in fact, we had no other alternative, for we were upon a lee-shore, and the extreme point of the rocks was bearing upon our weather bow.
Our crew were called aft, and informed of the situation of the ship; but it is a well-known truth, that whatever the danger may be, English seamen are always ready, yes, and proud, to run any risk, or face any kind of danger, for good officers; to say nothing of their innate courage, of which they have given proofs to the world. ”

“ We now more than ever put our mental powers to work, to effect our escape; the plan we adopted, was, apparently to be more zealous than ever we had been, in Tippoo’s service. When we supposed this was sufficiently noticed, we went to the commandant, who had the sole direction of the four battalions. We could now all talk the language fluently, and we appointed Mr. Drake, midshipman of the Hannibal, to negociate this, to us, important business, in which he acted the hypocrite admirably, and to our entire satisfaction. ”

“ The punishment, in India, of cutting off the nose and ears, is common, but they have a method of substituting a piece of their forehead for another nose: this operation is painful indeed! But to my subject: John Levesley, who had been taken in the same ship with myself, and who was a presumed doctor, undertook, for six rupees, to put a nose on a poor wretch’s face, who had lost his own fourteen years before. The ignorant man, believing in the abilities of this surgeon, consented to undergo the most painful operation, that he might accomplish the business. ”

“ Tens of thousands were spectators, both from the Mahratta and the Nizam’s army; and they all supposed it impossible for any troops in the world to stand against the heavy and tremendous fire that was opened in every direction; but such was the case. The morning shewed the allies that the English had not only defeated them in their camp, taking seventy pieces of cannon, &c. but were absolutely possessed of most part of the suburbs of the island. ”

“ Captain Lucas’s battalion of Sepoys, at the time when our men moved up to a rising ground, was stationed to the right of the European grenadiers; but that corps seeing the Europeans in motion, and perhaps understanding that motion for a retreat, broke in the utmost confusion. The Europeans, however, bravely maintained their reputation for intrepid valour, and remained in this extremity of distress steady and undaunted, though surrounded by the French troops, and Hyder’s cavalry, to the number of 40,000. ”

“ This edifice was ornamented by a deserter from Bombay, whose name was Elliot. He was a man of considerable talents, but I suppose he met his fate in the general catastrophe. But, amidst all their splendour, neither the ancient Mysore palace, nor the pagodas, are on a grand scale. The ruins of the Pettah, or citadel, form a very striking spectacle; they occupy more ground than the fort and black town of Madras, including the vacant space, and cover the greatest part of the island. It was closely built, and in regular streets, but nothing remains except the walls of the houses. ”

“ This observation, from a gentleman of his known courage and ability, was not a little in our favour; we were respected by all who knew our circumstances. Here we ranged every day where we pleased, having nothing to do, but to march with the camp, and strike and pitch our tent when we came to the ground. The Mahratta army consisted of 40,000, and its followers three times that number; their infantry was the most contemptible I ever saw, but the cavalry was good, and has often proved fatal to troops once broken. ”

“ Myar Saib, Tippoo’s brother, with the Mogul and Sanoor cavalry, made the first impression; these were followed by the elephants and the Mysorean cavalry, which completed the overthrow of the detachment. Colonel Bailey, though grievously wounded, rallied the Europeans, and once more formed them into a square, and, with this handful of men, he gained an eminence, where, without ammunition, and most of his people being wounded, he resisted and repulsed fifteen separate attacks; but fresh bodies of cavalry continually pouring in, they were broken, without giving way. ”

“ He was not so stout as his opponent, but he was daring, and appeared sure of conquest. Tippoo watched them narrowly, to ascertain if any symptoms of fear were shewn, or if either of them would decline the combat; but finding them both staunch, his heart, perhaps for the first time, relented, and he graciously ordered both of them presents, and to withdraw, and be friendly with each other.
Outside the semicircle, there would every day appear a man on lofty stilts, with one of the Company’s uniforms on; at one time he would seem to take snuff, at another tobacco ”

“ Exclusive of the women and children, whose cries now became loud and strong, we were ourselves differently agitated; some wringing their hands, others casting a piteous look toward heaven, and not a few looking at our persecutors (who were now exulting) with a manly defiance. After being ironed two and two, to which we were well accustomed, we were marched out of the fort, to the distance of a mile. Several poor Bramins were with us in heavy leg-irons, and in that condition forced to walk, or stride rather, as fast as their unfeeling guards could make them go. ”

“ Of these animals, my reader will be pleased not to draw any conclusions from what he may have seen of exhibitions in Europe, as they bear no more proportion to lions and tigers, in their natural state, than a stout puppy does to a full-grown dog. In short, it is my humble opinion, that the tigers of India are stronger, more active, and much fiercer, than the lions of Africa, and in every respect their superior, with the exception of generosity, of which quality the tiger is quite destitute. ”

“ His numerous cavalry, supported by his infantry, driven on by threats, and encouraged by promises, and led on by his most distinguished officers, bore down upon our little army, without making the least impression; our men, both Europeans and Sepoys, repeatedly presenting and recovering their arms, as if they had been manœuvring on a parade. ”

“ This library, which contains many thousand volumes, will, it is presumed, be presented by the army to the English nation; if so, it will form the finest, most curious, and valuable collection of Oriental learning and history, that has ever been introduced into Europe.
The collection of military stores rivalled the arsenal of Madras; the cannon, mounted on the works, were very numerous; and the quantity of ordnance and musket ammunition expended, must have been very great, from the constant heavy fire which was maintained, and which, from the variety of its bearings, could never be silenced. ”

“ It remained for three weeks with every appearance of doing well; but, unfortunately, the stitches decayed, and the artificial nose fell off. The poor man, as his only alternative, demanded his six rupees; but he might as well have asked for Tippoo’s turban jewel.
Here three tedious years rolled over our heads, during which period we learned, that, previous to Hyder’s usurpation, this place was held by a rajah or prince, happy in his subjects, having a district to himself, as we were informed by some intelligent Hindoos; but in process of time, Hyder got possession of this strong fortress. ”

“ In a little time, however, Hyder ordered no more heads to be brought to him while the English officers were present.
A tent was then fixed up for the unfortunate gentlemen, but without straw or any thing to lie on, though many of them were dangerously wounded; and as the tent would contain no more than ten, the remainder were obliged to lie in the open air. When the prisoners were removed from place to place, they were wantonly insulted, and even beaten, by those who had the care of them. I have heard a long catalogue of sufferings, which I could easily believe to be but too true. ”

“ He also informed us, that prior to his lordship’s arrival, the principal street in Seringapatam, on each side, was ornamented with paintings, such as, elephants whirling Europeans in the air,—tigers seizing whole battalions of English Sepoys,—five or six English officers supplicating for mercy at the feet of one of his troopers,—and companies flying frightened at the charge of ten or twenty of his horse: with a variety of other worse than silly representations. ”

“ It is not among the customs of European nations to war with the dead, otherwise the remains of such a tyrant, whose peculiar aversion towards, and inveterate cruelty exercised on, the English, whenever they were so unfortunate as to become subject to his tyranny, might have been treated with indignity. The rooted and barbarous antipathy which he manifested against his prisoners in a former war, seems to have accompanied him to the last.
About twenty unhappy stragglers from our army had fallen into his hands in the course of our march, among whom was a little drummer-boy of the Scotch brigade ”

“ A few minutes after, large bodies of the enemy’s cavalry appeared on their flanks; and at the moment the pagoda of Conjeveram appeared in view, and our men had begun to indulge hopes of a respite from toils and dangers, a rocket boy was taken prisoner, who informed them that Hyder’s whole army was marching to the assistance of his son Tippoo. Four guns now opened on the left with great effect; and so hot was the fire they sustained, and so heavy the loss, that Colonel Bailey ordered the line to quit the avenue, and present a front to the enemy ”

“ Very few who were so unfortunate as to be confined here, escaped with less punishment than the loss of their nose and ears. The chumbars, by whom this operation was performed, are held in abhorrence by the Mohammedans, and, on that account, they were consigned to this office; and such was their brutality, that they frequently cut (or sawed, rather) the upper lip off with the nose, leaving the poor unfortunate wretch a pitiable object, to spin out a most miserable existence, being always sent to Tippoo’s arsenals, to hard labour on a scanty allowance. ”

“ Had we continued this a while, the two frigates must have been ours; but our captain ordered our lower-deck ports to be hauled up, the French ensign and pennant to be struck, and the English hoisted, which was done in an instant; but no sooner done, than the French frigate Bellona was under a press of sail. This frigate could, without much difficulty, have been taken by us; she had money to a very large amount on board, for the troops at the Mauritius; it was the same frigate that did so much mischief to our trade in the East Indies, afterwards; but profit and honour are often at variance. ”