66
HAIDAR ALÍ
designs, but as soon as he had got rid of his powerful enemy, he proceeded with a large force to Coorg, and intriguing with both sides, succeeded in reaching Merkára, the capital, with little opposition[1]. Devappa, the antagonist of the claimant whose cause Haidar had espoused, fled, but was shortly afterwards seized and sent to Seringapatam, where he died in prison. Haidar, having attained his object, at once despatched a force through Wainád to Calicut, and speedily achieved the re-conquest of the whole of Malabar.
- ↑ Some authorities state that on his first appearance on the frontier Haidar offered a reward of five rupees for the head of every Coorg which was brought to him, and that 700 heads were in consequence delivered. This account may be true, and is paralleled by the conduct of General Avitabile, who, when in command at Pesháwar, actually gave a grant of two villages to a leader of cavalry on condition that he brought in yearly the heads of fifty Afrídís. The writer has a copy of this assignment of land.
