waters. He arrived off the Coromandel coast towards the end of January. I shall now proceed to show how, had he possessed the smallest modicum of sense or energy, had he not been the worst officer who ever commanded a fleet, he might have compelled the surrender of the only available English force in Southern India. It was an opportunity such a Fortune but rarely offers, and which only a fool or a coward refuses.
Haidar Alí, having out-manœuvred Munro, beaten Baillie, and captured Arcot, had laid siege to Wandiwash, Vellore, Ambur, Permakol, and Chengalpat. He had compelled the surrender of Ambur when he heard that Sir Eyre Coote, whom Warren Hastings, with his wonted prescience, had despatched to restore the British fortunes in Southern India, had left Madras the previous day with the intention of attacking him. Haidar, who had the true instinct of a general, at once massed his forces, and so manœuvred as to interpose between Coote and Madras. Coote, careless of this, was bent only on reaching Pondichery, from which place the French had managed to expel the small English garrison. Haidar followed him, carefully occupying the strong places on the way. At length, on the 8th of February, he came close up with the English force near Gudalur, that force being nearest the sea, whilst Haidar, marching almost parallel to it, commanded the country inland. Coote, in fact, was between Haidar and the sea, the strong places in front of him and behind him occupied by
