Anecdotes of Tippoo Sultaun.

where it was recognized by the eunuchs and other servants of the family.

When the Sultaun was first brought from under the gateway, his eyes were open, and the body was so warm, that for a few moments Colonel Wellesley, who, with his accustomed activity, was then on the spot, was doubtful whether he was not alive; but on feeling his pulse and heart, that doubt was removed. The countenance was no way distorted, but had an appearance of calm composure. His turban, jacket, and swordbelt, were gone; but the body was recognized by his people; and an officer, who was present, with the leave of General Baird, tore off from his right arm the Talisman, which contained, sewed up in pieces of fine flowered silk, an amulet of a brittle metallic substance of the colour of silver, and some manuscripts in magic Arabic, and Persian, characters. The body was placed in his palanquin, and conveyed to the court of the palace, shewing him, who had left that palace in the morning a mighty prince, now brought back a lump of clay, and his kingdom overthrown!*

*

4.

L

The

Tippoo Sultaun, at the time of his downfall, was about fifty-two years of age. His constitution was much impaired, and he was subject to two disorders, the frequent return of which kept him under a constant course of medicine. In person he was from five feet eight to nine inches high, and rather inclined to fat, although formerly very thin; his face was round, with large full eyes; and there were much animation and fire in his countenance; he wore whiskers, but no beard; was very active, and sometimes took very long walks. He had eleven children: but only two of these were born in marriage, a girl and boy.

His disposition was naturally cruel; his temper was passionate and revengeful; he was prone to be abusive, but his words were often false and hypocritical as best suited his purpose He professed himself to be a Naib or forerunner to one of the Twelve Prophets whom the Mahometans believe are yet to come; and under this pretence he persecuted all other casts, forcing numbers to become Mussulmans. In the war of 1790, in particular, when he had ravaged the country of the Nairs on the Malabar coast, it was computed that upwards of

twenty

Wealth of Tippoo Sultaun.

The number of men actually under arms at this glorious assault was only 2494 Europeans, and 1882. native troops, making a total of 4376.

The

twenty thousand persons had suffered under his persecutions in the short space of about four months. The men who refused to submit to circumcision were hanged on the trees surrounding the villages; and the women of the cast, the noblest in India, on refusing to adopt the Mahometan custom of covering their bosoms, which they consider as a mark of degradation and slavery, had their breasts cut off, and suffered many other insults and indignities. Shortly, after this, he had nearly lost his life in an attack on the lines of Travancore where he was forced to leave his palanquin behind him, together with his pistols, and a small signet or seal ring which he usually wore, and which the editor of these sheets has seen, and so very small that the finger on which it was worn must have been delicate in the extreme. His wealth, after the conclusion of the first war with England, was very great. In an inventory which he caused to be taken of it, there were enumerated 700 elephants, 6000 camels, 11,000 horses, 400,000 bullocks and cows, 100,000 buffaloes, 600,000 sheep, 300,000 firelocks, 300,000 matchlocks, 200,000 swords and cresses, or daggers, and 2000 guns of different calibres in Seringapatam and his other fortresses : and his total revenue amounted to five crores and ninety-two lacks of Pagodas worth three rupees each.

His policy, however, arising from his prejudices, was inimical to bis interest; for the revenues diminished greatly after his father's death, partly from his removing all the Brachmans and others of the Hindu cast, who were well versed in country business, from the offices of Collection, and partly from his forbidding the sale of arrack and gunja throughout his dominions, which had formerly produced a very considerable revenue.

Upon the whole, though this man was certainly a very extraordinary character, yet his abilities have been undoubtedly over-rated; and it is now considered that he was neither so good a statesman, nor so able a general, as has often been represented. Selfish, cunning, and rapacious, he acted upon narrow principles, both in government and war; and was greatly deficient in that comprehension, and vigour of mind, which are essential ingredients in the composition of all true greatness; though it must be confessed that he possessed a considerable share of prudence, and was not wanting either in promptitude or judgment.

The consequence of all this was, that his revenue regulations, though. framed with great ability, and apparently well calculated to enrich both the prince and people, were frustrated in their operations by his shifting and narrow policy; and the same contrast ran through all his conduct and all his character, both political and military.

His

Gallantry of the assault.

The act of storming displayed a most animating and unrivalled picture of British gallantry; for we have seen that the columns of grenadiers dashed, as it were, across the river at noon day, despising the difficulties of the passage, to mount the breach, which could have been practicable alone to their irresistible force and bravery. The impetuous spirit which led them on in the face of a very heavy and continued

L2

His revengeful disposition may be easily conceived from the following curious extract from one of his own MSS.

"The means I have taken to keep in remembrance the misfortunes I experienced six years ago (alluding to the war with Lord Cornwallis,) from the malice of my enemies, are to discontinue sleeping in a cotton bed, and to make use of a cloth one; when I am victorious, I shall resume the bed of cotton."

His thoughts were constantly bent on war and military preparations. He has been frequently heard to say, that in this world he would rather live two days like a tyger, than two hundred years like a sheep; and, something on this principle, he adopted the figure of the royal tyger as a species of armorial bearing, and as the emblem of his state. His father had chosen the elephant.

The title of "Lion of God," was formerly given by Mahomet to his son-in-law, Ali, to denote the prowess and valour by which he signalized himself in fighting under the prophet's banners. Innumerable, indeed, are the traditions and records of the deeds of this celebrated warrior; and he seems to have been a second Jack the Giant Killer, as many of the romantic tales of the Moor-men have him as their hero. On his example, Tippoo was anxious to form himself; and him he adopted as the guardian genius, or tutelary saint, of his dominions. It was natural, therefore, for him to assume his name; and accordingly upon his sabres and other arms he had a cypher cut in Arabic character, signifying "the Lion of God is the conqueror;" and these letters were so artfully arranged as to bear some resemblance to a tyger's face and it is perhaps likely that the assumption of the tyger as his own emblem was as much in honour of Ali as boastfully indicative of his own disposition; for the natives of Hindoostan make no distinction between the Tyger and Lion.

It was a favourite maxim with him that kings should be inflexible in their orders! that God had forbidden the use of wine; and that he should persist in exacting a strict obedience to his edicts on that subject. Yet with all this inflexibility, his conversation was remarkably lively, entertaining, and instructive; and during his meals he was fond of reciting passages of the most admired historians aud poets; and sometimes amused himself with sarcasms upon the infidels, and the enemies of his government.

French republican officers.

continued fire of cannon and musquetry, the rapidity with which they ascended the ladder, and the resistless courage with which they drove the affrighted enemy from the walls, soon combined, in deed, to throw the particular works into their possession. The hour of attack also was fortunate, and judiciously chosen; 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 carnage also on this occasion was much less than might have been expected (however it may still be lamented) when we contemplate a large city thus entered by storm, and filled with people whose opposition was continued in the streets and from the houses, and where no incentive was wanting to gratify lust, rapine, and revenge. But it should be for ever remembered, to the honour both of officers and men, that the effusion of blood was very soon restrained; and that under circumstances of provocation which sufficiently proved, if proof were ever 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.

With respect to the French republican officers,

and

*The proceedings of these republican gentry may be justly appreciated from the fact that in the archives of the Sultaun, after the siege, there was found a journal of the proceedings of a Jacobin Club established by them; from which it appeared that their secretary could not spell, and that the members could not write their own names. These men, with all the ignorance and audacity of their brethren at Paris, on the 24th of April 1797, had actually raised the national colours, surmounted with the bonnet rouge, in the presence of “Citizen Prince Tippoo," as they ridiculously called him, whilst the Jacobin army at Hyderabad, the court of the Nizam, under Perron, displayed the colours of the republic of France on a staff, whose head was ornamented with a scymeter, which piercing a crescent, (the em

blem

Occurrences after the storm.

and others indeed, though they obtained the quarter, which from their conduct they so ill deserved; yet it has been observed by an eye witness that it must be imputed to accident rather than to any disposition in their favour: but that party had shut theinselves up with the defenders of the palace till the first burst of violence was past; and, mixing with them, partook of the mercy by which they were preserved.

Every delicacy was shewn to the remains of the unfortunate chief; and the preparations for his funeral were superintended by the principal Canzee of Seringapatam, every article which he thought proper to order being provided, in order that the ceremony might be performed with as much pomp as circumstances would admit of. Indeed Colonel Wellesley, who was then appointed commandant, gave directions not only that four flank companies of Europeans should attend, but also that minute guns should be fired during the interval, a mark of respect which the Prince, Abdul Khalie, at first declined the acceptance of, until he was convinced of its true intent.

On the morning of the 5th of May, Colonel Wellesley relieved General Baird; and on 'the following day was appointed to the permanent command of Seringapatam, as noticed above, on which occasion he, with the greatest promptitude, used every means in his power to prevent every kind of excess. Public notice was given that severe examples would be made of any persons detected in the act of plundering the houses, or molesting the inhabitants: four men in consequence was executed for plundering, and the most perfect tranquillity was immediately restored. These examples, and the personal activity of the Colonel himself, who went into all the houses of the principal inhabitants to establish safeguards,

soon

blem of Mahometanism,) was most daringly and significantly crowned" with the Cap of Liberty.