rauze in 32 places. Had they failed, the other two remaining in the forest were bound by the same oath to perform the deed or perish in the attempt.
The army hastened to quit this tragic ground. They proceeded through the hills to the north, summoning the tributes of a variety of polygars, who, terrified by the fate of Bobilee, paid without resistance; nor did they meet any opposition, until they arrived at the districts of Gumseer. This country is much more extensive than that of any other of the ancient Polygars; it commences about 40 miles to the North-west of Ganjam, extending about 50 miles in that direction, and 20 in breadth; it is even more impenetrable than the country of Bobilee, its forests consisting entirely of bamboes, which grow closer, and resist the axe and fire better than any other vegetation; relying on which, the inhabitants do not think it necessary to erect redoubts for the defence of their paths, but obstruct them with frequent and temporary barriers of bamboes, wrought in a variety of entanglements. The polygar of Gumseer refused his tribute, of which the arrears amounted to 180,000 rupees; and Mr. Bussy, intending for other views to remain awhile in the northernmost parts of the Chicacole province, resolved to employ some of the time in reducing this country. Day by day the troops were employed with excessive toil and fatigue in rooting up, cutting down, and endeavouring to burn a way through the forest. The whole district is esteemed one of the hottest regions of Indostan, and is peculiarly subject to strokes of the sun; by which seven Europeans were in one day killed; several barriers were forced, or past, and the Polygar, beginning to think himself in danger, made proposals, which Mr. Bussy was equally willing to accept, having lost 30 Europeans, and a much greater number of Sepoys, in the little progress which the army had made; this accommodation was concluded in the middle of April.
Some time before, Mr. Bussy had received letters from Surajah Doulah, the nabob of Bengal, requesting his assistance to expel their common enemy, the English, out of that province; the Nabob offered to defray all the expences of the French army, and promised further
