334 THE STRUGGLES OF DUPLEIX WITH ADVERSITY. little advantage, were clamorous to return to their own country. So pronounced were the secret intrigues and 1752. so undisguised the mutual suspicions, that, although Law's force had surrendered on June 11. it was not till the 9th of the following month that the Nawwab and his English allies were able to leave Trichinapalli, and even then he was forced to leave 200 of the latter and 1,500 of their sipahis as a garrison to protect the city against his former associates, — the Maisurians and the Marathas. The delay thus caused, and the disaffection in the enemy's camp were eminently serviceable to Dupleix. It so happened that in that very interval the yearly reinforcements of troops arrived at Pondichery from France. It is true that the men composing it were not of the best material, — indeed Dupleix himself asserts that they were a collection of the vilest rabble, — but they formed at least a basis upon which to work. To increase their number he landed the sailors from the fleet, and manned the vessels in their place with lascars. By these means he found himself provided with a body of nearly 500 European soldiers, able once more to present a respectable ap- pearance in the eyes of the native powers. To effect all this he had freely drawn upon his private resources, and made his entire fortune subservient to the cause of his country. An opportunity soon presented itself still further to confirm the opinions entertained regarding the magnitude of his resources, and to intimate very clearly to the native princes that Pondichery was yet unconquered. Harassed by their native allies, and by the intrigues fomenting around them, the English had made but slow progress after leaving Trichinapalli. They took indeed Tiruvadi, held by a small garrison of French sipahis, on July 17; but from that moment their counsels became as uncertain as had been those of the French two months earlier. Major Lawrence had
