Part 8

It is not necessary to enter into the detailed progress of the siege. It may, however, be proper to remark, that notwithstanding the errors committed by the sultan, in defence of the place, nothing less than the vast combined army in our service, could have carried the enterprise into effect. The extent of post we were obliged to occupy on both sides of the river, required the whole force of the coast and Bombay armies; besides the troops necessary to dislodge the numerous swarms of the enemy. As the service was entrusted chiefly to European officers, who were appointed to the various branches of it, not by selection, but in regular succession, opportunities were given, as they were universally employed, to display the skill and military superiority of the British character.

The act of storming was a most animating and unrivalled picture of valour. The columns of grenadiers dashed across the river at noon-day, despising the difficulties of the passage, to mount the breach, which could be practicable alone to their irresistible force and bravery. The impetuous spirit which led them on in the face of a very heavy and continued fire of cannon and musketry, the rapidity with which they ascended the ladders, and the daring courage which drove the affrighted enemy from their walls, soon combined to place the British colours on them. The enfilading batteries of the Bombay advanced post were of signal service, as they deterred numbers from disputing the breach, who might otherwise have kept up a galling fire upon it. The hour of attack was also fortunate, it being one at noon, when numbers of the besieged had retired to take refreshment, though enough still remained to have repelled less daring assailants. The sultan, who had hitherto commanded his troops, was also engaged in another quarter; but on hearing the alarm, he hastened back, when finding our grenadiers had entered the breach, and seeing his people falling all around him, he made for a sally-port, where, amidst a crowd of fugitives, he was overtaken and slain.

Since our arrival in England, we have ofttimes heard him extolled for a brave prince; but those who have thus stated, we presume, know little of him. That he was a coward, we could easily demonstrate, and that he was a tyrant, equal, if not superior, to a Domitian, a Caligula, a Nero, or even Nabis the tyrant of Sparta, is a fact of which we had ocular demonstration. For vigorously defending his country against any power on earth, I give him credit, and for using every exertion in expelling all its invaders; but this should have been done without those unheard-of cruelties, which were interwoven in his very nature;—but he is gone, and I proceed.

It is not yet known by whose hand the tyrant of the East was laid low; and it is supposed, that the jewels which he always wore about his person, and which became the property of some fortunate soldier, whoever he might be, that was his conqueror, are too precious to be hastily acknowledged.

The following particulars were related by Bejeb Saib, one of the sidars who came with the hostage princes to Lord Cornwallis. “He constantly wore a ruby ring, which was esteemed by him as the most valuable in his treasury; his turban also was always adorned with a diamond of great value; and a pearl rosary was continually ornamental of his person. The pearls of which it consisted were of uncommon size and beauty; they had been the collection of many years, and were the pride of his dress. Whenever he could purchase a pearl of extraordinary size, he never omitted the opportunity, making it supply, on his rosary, the place of another inferior in form and beauty.” Neither of these precious articles has appeared since the sultan’s death. His body was found late in the evening, beneath a heap of others, mingled together in one promiscuous slaughter; it had been shot in the temples, and was otherwise wounded, as appeared, by a bayonet. After it had been properly identified, it was delivered to the survivors of his family, and interred in the sepulchre of his father, Hyder Ali, with the solemnities and ceremonials belonging to his exalted rank and station.

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; all these he ordered to be put to death. Even his small motley band of French auxiliaries, execrate his memory as a most cruel tyrant, and represent, with bitter imprecations, the ignominy and hardships to which he subjected them.

The carnage, on this occasion, is very much to be lamented, though it was much less than might have been expected in a large city entered by storm, and filled with people, whose opposition was continued from the streets and from their houses. Here was a spot where no incentive was wanting to gratify lust, rapine, and revenge! but it should be for ever remembered, to the honour of the general officer who conducted the assault, and to others who seconded his humane efforts, that the effusion of blood was very soon restrained, and under circumstances of provocation, which sufficiently proved, if proof were wanting, the humanity of the British character; nor in the course of that plunder, which the laws of war allow in certain cases, to the conquerors, was any defenceless inhabitant killed, or any woman treated with wanton brutality.

That the French republicans obtained the quarter which they so ill deserved, must be imputed to accident, rather than any disposition in their favour. This party had shut themselves up with the defenders of the palace, till the first burst of violence had passed, and mixing with them, partook of the mercy by which they were preserved. Their appearance, in every respect, was extremely mean, though their commander, for there was an elderly man among them who bore some sort of commission, displayed somewhat of the military veteran in his aspect.

The two sons of Tippoo, who had been hostages at Madras, comported themselves well, submitting with resignation to their fate. They were ignorant of their father’s death until the body was found, it being believed by them, as it was suspected by us, that he had made his escape. Tippoo was so infatuated, as not to entertain an idea of the catastrophe which befell him. He considered himself in a state of perfect security in his capital, where he retained all his family and treasures, instead of sending them off to remote strong-holds, where they might at least have been safe from a victorious enemy. His principal people, and all the inhabitants, possessed the same confidence, so that no preparations had been made either for concealment or flight. The plunder of the city was consequently very great; and many of the soldiers, both native and European, possessed themselves of very precious effects in gold and jewels. Considerable fortunes are also supposed to have been made by persons of higher rank, by way of purchase. The houses of the chief sidars, as well as of the merchants and skioffs, were completely gutted; while the women, alarmed for their personal safety, emptied their coffers, and brought forth whatever jewels they possessed.

Fortunately, however, for the army in general, the palace was secured, and all the riches it contained reserved for the army at large, as captured property. They were immense, and consisted of jewels, gold and silver, plate, rich stuffs, and various other articles of great price and rarity. The quantity of money yet discovered, though great in itself, is by no means what ought to have been expected from the known extent of Tippoo’s revenue and expenditure. Many lacks of specie, it is supposed, are not yet found, and it is equally probable that they will never be discovered. This enormous mass of wealth appeared to be arranged without taste or judgment. All the parts of this extensive building, except the Zenana and the state durbar, were appropriated to its reception. A succession of quadrangles, with their ranges of storehouses and galleries, were filled with the articles which were the least susceptible of injury. The jewels were kept in large dark rooms, strongly secured behind one of the durbars, and were deposited in coffers. In the same manner were preserved the gold and plate, both solid and in filigree, of which last manufacture there was an almost endless variety of most beautiful articles. The jewelry was set in gold, in the form of bracelets, rings, necklaces, aigrettes, plumes, &c. &c. An upper, and very long apartment, contained the silver plate, solid and filigree, of all dimensions and fashions. In one of the galleries were two elephants, of this metal; there were also many pieces of massive silver plate, richly inlaid with gold and jewels. The greater part of this treasure must have been the plunder of the unhappy Mysore families, and of many other inferior rajahs, which Tippoo and his father had amassed, after the extermination of their respective possessors. Two of the most capital articles were, however, of his own purchase, and were deposited in two small rooms on each side of the hall of audience. The one was a throne, estimated at a lack of pagodas; and the other an howdar, of equal value.[34] His repositories of curious and costly fire-arms and swords were equally astonishing, and some of the latter were most magnificently adorned with gold and jewels. The greater part of these have been presents, and several of them were of English manufacture. The palanquins of state were four; but those which were presented to him by Lord Cornwallis for his two sons, appeared never to have been unpacked. There were also several door-posts of ivory, of exquisite workmanship.

To this succession of treasure, may be added, various extensive workhouses, filled with the richest furniture and most costly carpets. In short, there was every thing that power could command, or money could purchase, in this stupendous collection. Telescopes of every size, spectacles for every sight, with looking-glasses and pictures in unbounded profusion; while, of china and glass ware, there was sufficient to form a large mercantile magazine. But amidst the confusion that appeared in the arrangement, there was an unexpected degree of regularity; the whole being accurately registered, and every article bearing its corresponding label. Tippoo, whose desire of hoarding was insatiable, passed the greatest part of his leisure hours in reviewing this various and splendid assemblage of his riches. Nor is this all: Tippoo, with his tyrannic nature, blended the love of literature, and was possessed of a very large and curious library. The volumes were kept in chests, each having a separate wrapper, so that they were in excellent preservation. Some of those that have been examined, were very richly adorned, and beautifully illuminated, in the manner of the Roman missals. 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. The gunpowder, to the manufacture of which great attention appears to have been paid, was better than ours; and some of their shot was thrown from their walls considerably within our lines, which were at the distance of two miles. All his brass six-pounders, which were fifty-one in number, were said to be English; the others were in general cast in his own foundry, and curiously ornamented. One brass forty-two-pounder, and one brass six-inch howitzer, with a great number of his iron ordnance, were of English manufacture: and it was said he did not succeed so well in casting iron as brass ordnance. Tippoo had established powder mills on the European construction; but as they were without the walls, and on the side of our approaches, he had destroyed them. There was a paper mill also within the fort, on a large scale. His stores of grain surpassed all credibility. In the stables were found only a few fine horses and brood mares, his cavalry being at that time in the field. The body of the fort appeared as large as Tritchinopoly, but its defences and outworks were vastly more extensive; and as the most laborious additions were continually making to it, there is little doubt, when its insular situation is considered, that it would, in a short time, have been rendered impregnable. Its population was very great; and the mosque, which was built while we were in Seringapatam in the years 1787 and 1788, was a magnificent structure. 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. It is, however, a pleasing reflection, that its former inhabitants are returning by degrees to rebuild their ruined dwellings; the deserted villages will also be shortly reinhabited; and there is every reason to believe, that notwithstanding its hostile invasions, Seringapatam will soon be seen to flourish in a renewed state of cultivation.

One material mischief will not, however, be easily remedied; this is, the draining off the water in the Moottertellua lake, which was kept up by natural streams, and by means of sluices a large tract of country was watered. It is about twelve miles from Seringapatam; and the army was encamped near its bed. Its ordinary depth was about 40 feet, and Tippoo had employed a number of men for several weeks, under his own inspection, to make a breach in the mound, which is really tremendous, being about 100 feet deep, and much more in width and thickness.

Of the two gardens, the Laul-bog and Dowlah-baugh, the former has been already described; the latter, being close under the walls of the fort, was not in our possession in the last war. It contains a large, handsome, and ancient mansion, but has neither temple nor mausoleum; it formed the headquarters of the commander-in-chief. On one of the buildings was represented, but, as may be supposed, in a miserable style of painting, the defeat of Colonel Bailey, which the painter exhibited with every exaggeration that might flatter the vanity of the conqueror. The Laul-baugh was employed as an hospital.

The houses of Patam are very spacious, and well constructed; but the interior embellishments are without variety, yet as gaudy as splendid colours can make them. The streets are like those of Tanjour, but contain a larger proportion of houses of two stories. The situation of the ancient capital of the Mysore dominions must have been originally Chaser, on account of its strength, as the district is naturally barren. It is indebted for its population and fertility to the most persevering industry, in procuring the means of watering it. The water-courses from the river, as well as the distant lakes and tanks, in all directions, are stupendous works. The principal erections are finished with stone, having bridges at convenient intervals.

The chief, Sirdar Kumeradeen Cawn, surrendered himself at our post on the fourth day of the capture, as did Tippoo’s eldest legitimate son, and Hyder Saib, his eldest illegitimate son, who commanded a separate army. All the circar horses were shortly after delivered up; and there has been selected a sufficient number of them to complete the king’s regiment of dragoons, serving on the coast, as well as the Company’s establishment of native cavalry. Upwards of 2000 of an inferior order were transferred to the Nizam. The draft and carriage bullocks, with the camels and elephants, surrendered at the same time, so that our army was immediately furnished with every necessary equipment. To crown the whole, the dispersed and affrighted natives gradually returned in great numbers to their former situations.

As a proof of the mental derangement of the late sultan, which his subjects in general confirm, he neglected for several months past the war department of his affairs, and particularly that branch of it which related to the maintenance of those animals which are so essentially necessary to it. This was an object to which his father Hyder, throughout his reign, and himself, till very recently, had paid the most unremitted attention: but of late, his bullocks, his horses, and his elephants, were almost starved; and the people who had the care of them were in long arrears of pay. This too was at a time when he must have expected to be attacked by us; for he actually invited an army of French auxiliaries, who, being destitute of every kind of equipment, must necessarily have been provided by himself with the means to render their services effectual.

J. SCURRY.

SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER.

_Repairs from the Downs to London—Receives all his Arrears of Pay—Indiscreet Expenditure—Personal Appearance and Manners—Visits his Friends—Affecting Interview—Mental Improvement—Superintends a Grocery Concern in Plymouth— Marries—Commences Business for himself—Forms other Engagements—Wreck of the Dutton East Indiaman—Employed as a Diver on the occasion—Repairs to Wales—Sails in a Privateer—Revisits Wales—Dangerous Passage—Returns to Plymouth—Manages some Mines—Illness and Death— Conclusion._

Thus far the narrative of this unfortunate adventurer has been written by himself; and, with some trifling variations, the account has been given in his own language, not only with respect to his personal sufferings, and the fate of others, but as his details relate to the capture and riches of Seringapatam. The remaining particulars have been collected from the statements of his widow and son, and partially from detached papers.

On landing at the Downs, Mr. Scurry and his companions repaired to London, where the singularity of their dress, their manners, and their colour, so far excited attention, that they were followed by troops of boys, as objects of curiosity. On appealing to the proper authorities, and giving proof of their identity, all arrears of pay, from the time of their capture to their return, were instantly paid. Mr. Scurry also obtained a pension of £7 per annum, which was continued for several years. It was afterwards augmented to £18. which he retained through life. Being thus amply supplied with cash, their prodigality increased with their resources, and, like true British sailors, a considerable portion was squandered away in thoughtless extravagance. On one occasion, Mr. Scurry attended a sale, and laid out about forty pounds in articles, of which he scarcely knew either the quantity, the use, or the names. His lot was, however, packed up altogether, and forwarded to Devonshire, to which place he also after some time repaired.

From his long confinement in India, and his involuntary conformity to Asiatic manners, he had nearly forgotten the customs of his early years, and the delicate refinements of his native land. To the wearing of English clothes he felt the greatest aversion; nor could he even sit, except according to the manner to which he had been so long accustomed. Of a knife and fork he had almost lost the use, nor could he eat any thing with comfort, only in the style to which stern necessity had compelled him to submit. His language was broken and confused, having lost nearly all its vernacular idiom. His body was disfigured with scars; and his skin was likewise so deeply tinged with the heat of the climate in which he had so long resided, and by the rays of the sun, to which he had been so much exposed, that it was only a few shades removed from black. It so nearly resembled the swarthy complexion of the negroes, that he might have passed through Africa without being at all noted for the singularity of his colour. These combined peculiarities exposed him to several inconveniences, and brought upon him many an eager gaze, and many a curious inquiry, and pointed observation.

On leaving London, he travelled by coach to Exeter, to visit his friends, but stopping at an inn on the road to dine, instead of conforming to the customs of his fellow-travellers, he followed those which he had been obliged to adopt in Asia, to the no small amusement of his companions, and the equal astonishment of the people belonging to the house. His bones, offal, and rejected food, without ceremony were thrown on the floor, no regard being paid either to company or carpets; and when admonished of the impropriety of his conduct, his inattention to the hints which were given, and perseverance in domestic irregularity, only served to confirm those who witnessed his singularities, that he was either deranged, or some foreigner totally unacquainted with the refinements of civilized life. A British sailor, however, in any disguise, if flowing with money, can easily make his peace with a waiter at an inn, and metamorphose a frowning aspect into a smiling countenance.

On reaching Exeter, he learned that his mother, and sister Dannan with her husband, were living at Porlock. Thither he repaired; and, that he might reach this place in a style suited to his purse, he entered it in a chaise drawn by four horses, and drove immediately to their door. Surprised at this equipage, his sister first appeared, of whom, on putting his head out of the window, he inquired if Mrs. Scurry lived there, and was within? He was answered, that this was the place of her abode, but that just then she was not within. He then requested that she might be called, but could scarcely restrain his impatience during the absence of the messenger. On his mother’s arrival, he inquired whether she had not a son in India? She replied, that she once had a son there, but not having heard from him for many years, she concluded he was dead. This latter was a point which he seemed to doubt, but his mother was not to be dissuaded from a belief which she had so long indulged.

While this conversation was carrying on, his sister, Mrs. Dannan, who was listening with much attention, and viewing this stranger with eagerness, imagined that she could discover, amidst the scars of conflict, the effects of an equinoctial sun, and the furrows of distress, some remnants of features that had once been familiar. Full of this persuasion, she hailed him as her long-lost brother, nor did he keep her in any tedious suspense. His mother, however, was not so easily convinced. She had concluded that her son was dead, and the appearance of this stranger was not calculated to remove the unfavourable impression. But the chaise and four being dismissed, his mother’s unbelief gave way, and mutual recognition and joy succeeded to the astonishment that had been excited.