Pondicherry

“ From being besiegers the French became the besieged. For Boscawen at once laid siege to Pondicherry.
Then began (August 19, 1748) the first siege of Pondicherry by the English troops, assisted to a certain extent by those of the Nawáb. Many gallant deeds were performed on both sides. For a time Paradis was the soul of the defence. When he was killed, which happened whilst making a sortie on the 11th of September, the entire labour of directing the necessary measures fell upon Dupleix. In the attack were many good men and true. ”

“ Bussy should march with a detachment to join Bassaulut Jung, and conclude the negotiation, when the French squadron sailed away from Pondicherry, where news arrived the same day of the action at Vandiwash, on which Mr. Lally, as a complete victory, fired a hundred guns round the ramparts of Pondicherry, and wrote magnificent accounts of the success to every man of consequence within or near the province. ”

“ The Phousdar, sensible that there could not be much risk in taking part with such an apparent superiority, accepted the proposal, levied troops, and resolved to go to Pondicherry, as soon as the journey might be undertaken without danger. In the mean time 50 Europeans were sent from Pondicherry to Velore, and with their assistance he formed a conspiracy with the French prisoners in the fort of Arcot, who were to rise and overpower the English garrison, which they greatly outnumbered ”

“ Coote, Mr. Lally consents that the members of the council of Pondicherry make their own representations, on what may more immediately concern their particular interests, and those of the colony."
Father Lavaur and the other deputies presented another 'memorial, from the governor and council of Pondicherry. "That no hurt should be done to the inhabitants; their houses be perserved, their effects and mercantile goods left to their own disposal: that all who chose might remain in their habitations, and were to be considered as British subjects, and enjoy their former possessions and advantages. ”

“ He took part in Admiral Boscawen’s unsuccessful siege of Pondicherry, where he distinguished himself, and in his twenty-fifth year was promoted to be a captain. Shortly after the failure at Pondicherry peace was proclaimed. Nevertheless, there was but a short cessation of hostilities in India; for though British and French were supposed to have sheathed the sword, a great struggle for power was about to begin both in India and in America. Before long there was open war, which at first went greatly in favour of France. ”

“ Boscawen's instructions pointed out the reduction of Pondicherry as the first object of the expedition : and the land force- at his disposal, which, with soldiers, marines, small-arm men from the fleet, and eleven hundred sepoys, amounted to upwards of five thousand men, seemed to warrant a belief in speedy success. ”

“ On the fall of Pondicherry, the 19th Light Dragoons returned for a time to their old quarters at Shevtamodoo. Colonel Floyd remained at Pondicherry, in command of the place, for a few months, when he was appointed to command the Southern Division of the Madras forces, with his Head Quarters at Trichinopoly. In 1794, we find the 19th quartered at Seringham, near Trichinopoly. In the following year, they were encamped on the Trichinopoly plain, and in [101] 1796, they were moved into the cavalry cantonments at Trichinopoly.
For five years the war was confined to Europe. ”

“ Pondicherry, though a poor harbor, was well adapted for his political plans; being far distant from Delhi, the capital of the Mogul, aggressive extension might [275] go on unmarked, until strong enough to bear the light. Dupleix's present aim, therefore, was to build up a great French principality in southeast India, around Pondicherry, while maintaining the present positions in Bengal. ”

“ Soon after the fall of Pondicherry, the French settlement of Mahé, on the coast of Malabar, was reduced by Major Hector Munro, of the 89th Highlanders, who captured there 200 pieces of cannon, and thus the whole commerce of the mighty peninsula of India, from the point of the Carnatic to the banks of the Ganges, fell under the dominion of Britain, together with the extensive trade of the vast and wealthy provinces of Bengal, Behar, and Orixa. ”

“ He was as active and successful in improving the colonies of his own country, as he was fortunate and distinguished in his attacks upon those of its enemies.
Before the arrival of La Bourdonnais in India, the English had the superiority at sea, and the French settlements were almost defenceless: but the government of Pondicherry prevailed upon the nabob of Arcot to require the governor of Madras to abstain from making any attack upon the French ”

“ A week afterwards six ships, with six hundred fresh troops from England, arrived.
The Mysoreans, who had brought food into Pondicherry, made many excursions in the country, but were sharply checked. They were unable to supply themselves with food, and none could be spared them from the stores in the magazines. Great distress set in among them, and this was heightened by the failure of a party, with two thousand bullocks with rice, to enter the town. ”

“ Munro [q. v.] to attack Pondicherry, and Colonel Braithwaite to reduce Mahé on the Malabar coast. Pondicherry capitulated on 17 Oct. 1778. The directors voted Rumbold their thanks, and the crown conferred a baronetcy on him (23 March 1779) . Mahé surrendered on 19 March 1779. On 7 Feb. 1779 Basalut Jung leased the Guntur circar to the company, and shortly afterwards he dismissed Lally's contingent and received a British force in its place. This arrangement had been authorised in general terms by the governor-general (Warren Hastings) , who had left its completion entirely in Rumbold's hands. ”

“ The capital, Pondicherry (41) , is the capital of the French possessions in India; has handsome tree-lined streets, government buildings, college, lighthouse, cotton mills, and dye-works. The harbour is an open roadstead; trade is small, the chief export oil seeds.
Pondos, a branch of Zulu-Kaffirs, 200,000 in number, occupying territory called Pondo Land, annexed to Cape Colony, in South Africa.
Poniatowski, Prince Joseph, Polish general, born in Warsaw; commanded the Polish contingent that accompanied Napoleon in his expedition into Russia in 1812 ”

“ Also the name of a Spanish poet; was a professor of Theology at Salamanca; was translator of the Song of Solomon, and wrote a commentary on it in Latin.
Poncho, a kind of cloak or shawl, of woollen or alpaca cloth, oblong in shape, with a slit in the centre, through which the wearer passes his head, allowing the folds to cover his shoulders and arms to the elbows, and to fall down before and behind; worn by the native men in Chili and Argentina. Ponchos of waterproof are used by the United States cavalry.
Pondicherry (173) , a small French colony on the E. coast of India, 53 m. S. of Madras ”

“ Bussy received a letter written by Mr. Lally on the 13th of June, ordering him to repair to Pondicherry without delay, with all the troops which could be spared from the defence of Masulipatam and the northern provinces, and to take up Mr. ”

“ She not only spoke French, but dressed not inelegantly in the European manner, and being sprightly and captivating, was encouraged by Pondiac to go into the garrison on various pretexts. The advantage the Indian chief meant to derive from this stratagem was, that she might be a kind of spy in the fort, and that by her influence over the commander, the wonted caution with regard to Indians might be relaxed, and the soldiers permitted to go out unarmed and mingle in their diversions. ”

“ The next leader whose name has been preserved is François Martin, the founder of Pondichery, but as Fryer speaks of a “viceroy,” to whom the credit of the long and skilful defence was due, I have ventured to introduce the character of the Marquis de Tourvel. In any case, the incidents (including that of the stratagem by which the Dutch fleet was temporarily driven away) are real, the persons only fictitious. The history of this little band of Frenchmen, as also their subsequent adventures at Pondichery, reads like a romance. ”

“ She always said they should either make him their friend, or know him to be their foe.
In the meantime no one could be more busy than this politic warrior. While the Indians were in strict alliance with the French, they had their wigwams and their Indian corn within sight of the fort, lived in a considerable kind of village on the border of the lake, and had a daily intercourse of traffic and civility with the troops. There was a large esplanade before the garrison, where the Indians and soldiers sometimes socially played at ball together. Pondiac had a double view in his intended hostility. ”

“ Between Pondichery and the English settlement of Madras there had been in his time no thought of hostility. Peace between the rival powers reigned in Europe, and no temptation arose in India to disturb the happy relations of friendship.
In October 1741 M. Dupleix succeeded Dumas at Pondichery. A man remarkably gifted, endowed with a genius which could conceive the largest schemes, he continued that system of ingratiating himself with the native princes, which had been attended with such favourable results in the time of his predecessor. ”

“ These precautions taken, each seated himself in the circle, according to his rank, and Pondiac, as great chief of the league, thus addressed them:—
“It is important, my brothers, that we should exterminate from our land this nation, whose only object is our death. You must be all sensible, as well as myself, that we can no longer supply our wants in the way we were accustomed to do with our Fathers the French. ”

“ Meantime, the warriors had come dropping in from their bloody work, until, at nightfall, nearly all had returned. Then Pontiac, hideous in his war-paint, leaped into the central area of the village. Brandishing his tomahawk, and stamping on the ground, he recounted his former exploits, and denounced vengeance on the English. The Indians flocked about him. Warrior after warrior caught the fierce contagion, and soon the ring was filled with dancers, circling round and round with frantic gesture, and startling the distant garrison with unearthly yells. ”

“ Meet them away from your fort and your rum and you will find they're very much savages."
A horseman suddenly darted toward us, his bow drawn, seeking to learn if we were keeping watch. I covered his bobbing figure as best I could and held my fire until he should come within decent range. Just as I began to hope, he pulled his pony about and scuttled back to his mates.
"Who are you? Where were you born?" I asked, lowering my gun.
"English—England," she murmured, her gaze wandering far beyond the wild horizon.
"And I'm an American. Flat Mouth thinks your hair is medicine." ”

“ Never before has a Minnetaree chief cast his robe and not done as he said."
"He needs new medicine," I advised.
"He will give many ponies for a new medicine," eagerly cried Choke-cherry. "Has the white man some magic he will trade for ponies?"
"I have some medicine I will trade," I replied. "I don't know whether I will trade for ponies, or robes, or something else. It is a very strong medicine and will kill all bad luck, but I will not trade it for poor ponies. I want ponies such as the Cheyennes have." ”

“ Most fellows, of course, would think themselves in luck, but Ponty has all the tin he knows what to do with, and a wife would suit his book about as well as a tame white elephant. He is dog-in-the-manger in spite of himself. No others need apply. ”

“ The questions I addressed to them clearly revealed the fact that the Poncas in the Indian Territory were found by the commission unanimous and enthusiastic in their desire to stay; that they resisted every temptation of money held out to them to move; that they found their lands fertile, their health good, and their general condition comfortable, with the hope of greater prosperity than they had had in their old homes. The clear ascertainment of these facts was the result of the examination before the investigation committee. ”

“ Pondiac is now raising the St Joseph Indians, the Miamies, the Mascontins, the Ouiattenons, the Pians and the Illinois, to come to this place the beginning of next month, to make what effect they can against us; for which purpose he has procured a large belt for each nation, and one larger than the rest for a 'hatchet' for the whole. They are to be joined by some of the northern Indians, as is reported. This, they say, is to be an undertaking of their own, as they are not to have any assistance from the French. ”

“ Godefroi sat at a little distance from us; and presently came Pondiac, and squatted himself, after his fashion, opposite to me. This Indian has a more extensive power than ever was known among that people; for every chief used to command his own tribe: but eighteen nations, by French intrigue, had been brought to unite, and chuse this man for their commander, after the English had conquered Canada; having been taught to believe that, aided by France, they might make a vigorous push and drive us out of North America. ”

“ Polcher passionately cried:
“The white man lies. Echota is the white town. Ayuhwasi Egwahi is a red town and the path to it is red.”
“Dog of a mixed-breed!” thundered Sevier, levelling a finger at him. “Your soul shall curl up and become as nothing. Killer of great war-eagle out of season, your bones shall rattle in blackness! You dare deny the law of the Cherokees!”
The one shaman present shivered, his eyes glistening with fear, and, unable to witness the blazing scorn the blue eyes were pouring into Polcher, drew his blanket over his head. ”