dominions---and describing to me, in the most exaggerated terms, the number of his troops----his military talents----his vast, and, according to his account, unrivalled genius----his amazing abilities in conquering and governing nations-----and above all, his many amiable qualities, and splendid endowments of heart, no less than understanding."

The jemadar next endeavoured to demonstrate the folly of Europeans attempting to oppose the irresistible power of Hyder; after which, he invited Mr. Campbell, as the son of colonel Campbell, to sit on a mat near him, where he was presented with betle nut, rose water, and other compliments. As Mr. Campbell was returning to the fort he had the coup de grace given to his miseries, by being informed that Hyder intended to honour him with a respectable command in his service. Our unfortunate traveller, however, resolved to resist every entreaty or menace, and to lay down his life, though in obscurity, with honour.

Shortly after, Mr. Campbell was again honoured with an audience by the jemader, received clothes, victuals, and money, and was sent to the house of a man high in office. This man, after an artful introduction, offered him the command of 5,000 men. On rejecting the proposal he was dismissed. When I returned to my prison," says he, I related to my companion, Mr. Hall, every thing that passed between us: we canvassed the matter fully, and he agreed with me, that it was likely to turn out a most dreadful and cruel persecution. It was on this occasion that I first felt the truth of the principle, that persecution never fails to be subversive of its own end, and to promote that which it is intended to destroy. There is, in the human mind, an innate abhorrence of compulsion; and persecution always gives new strength and elasticity to the soul; and at last, when strained to its utmost extent, makes man surmount difficulties which at first seem to be beyond the reach of humanity.

6

Picqued by the idea of persecution, I began to feel a degree of enthusiasm which I was before a stranger to: I looked forward, with a kind of gloomy pleasure, to the miseries that brutal tyranny might inflict upon me, even to

death itself; and already began to indulge the exultation of martyrdom. "No," said I, "my dear Hall! never will I tarnish the character of a British soldier-never will I disgrace my blood or my profession--never shall an act of mine sully the pure fame of my revered father--never shall any sufferings of mine, however poignant, or worldly advantage, however seductive, tempt me to do that which his noble spirit would regard with horror or contempt. I may, and I foresee I must be miserable; but I never will be base or degenerate!" Indeed, I had wrought myself up to such a pitch of firmness, that I am persuaded the most exquisite refined cruelties which the ingenuity of an Iroquois Indian could have inflicted on my body, would have been utterly incapable of bending the stubborn temper of my mind.

The place in which we were lodged was situated in a way not very favourable to our feelings. Just within sight of it, the commandant of the citadel held a court---by him yclep'd a court of justice-where the most shocking, barbarous cruelties were hourly exercised-most of them for the purpose of extorting money, and compelling the discovery of hidden, or suppositious hidden treasure. Indeed, 5-6ths of those who suffered were of this description; and the process pursued was as artful as barbarous: they first began with caresses, then proceeded to examination and cross-examination, thence to threats, thence to punishment, and, finally, to the most cruel

tortures.

Directly opposite to us, was imprisoned an unfortunate person, who had for years been a close captive, and the sport and subject of those enormities. He was a man once e of the highest rank of the country where now he was a prisoner: for a series of years he had been governor and sole manager of the whole province of Bidanore. This was during the reign of the last rana, or queen, whose family had been sovereigns of the country for time immemorial, till Hyder made a conquest of, and annexed it to his other usurpations. Unfortunately for him, he was supposed to have amassed and secreted enormous treasures, in consequence of which he had already VOL. IV.

T

undergone the fiery ordeal of torture several times. I myself saw him treated with the highest respect, and afterwards brought to the lowest stage of misery and humiliation. One thing, however, I must not forget, is the fortitude with which he and all of them bore their punishment: it was truly heroic ---indeed, beyond all belief. Nothing could surpass it, except the skill and inventive ingenuity which the barbarians exhibited in striking out new modes of torture.

'Mr. Hall, notwithstanding the various sufferings both of mind and body which he had undergone, began to recruit, and get a little better; and this circumstance, of itself, diffused a flow of spirits over me that contributed to my support. We consoled each other by every means we could devise---sometimes indulging in all the luxuries of woe-sometimes rallying each other, and, with ill-dissembled sprightliness, calling on the goddess Euphrosyne to come with her "quips and cranks, and wreathed smiles:" but, alas! the mountain nymph, sweet Liberty, was far away, and the goddess shunned our abode. We, however, began to conceive that we might form a system for our relief, and, by a methodical arrangement, entrench ourselves from the assaults of grief: to this end, we formed several resolutions, and entered into certain engagements---such as, never to repine at our fate, if we could---to draw consolation from the more dreadful lot of others, if we could; ----and to encourage hope----hope that comes to all; and, on the whole, to confine our conversation as much as possible to subjects of an agreeable nature: but these, like many other rules which we lay down for the conduct of life, were often broken by necessity, and left us to regret the fallibility of all human precautionary systems.'

$

After decidedly refusing to enter Hyder's service, Mr. Campbell was yet repeatedly urged on the subject. They then,' says he, had recourse to menace; then they withheld the daily pittance allowed for my support; and at length proceeded to coercion, tying a rope round my neck, and hoisting me up to a tree. All this, however, I bore firmly: if it had any effect, it was to confirm me in my resolution,

and call in policy to the aid of honour's dictates. Every man of feeling or reason must allow, that it was better to die, than live a life of subjection to tyranny so truly diabolical.

Mr. Hall and I, thus drove to the brink of extinction, yet consoled ourselves with the reflection, that those whom most we loved were not sharing our unhappy fate, and were fortunately ignorant of our sufferings; and as I enjoyed perfect good health, hope yet lived within me.

Thus we continued for many months, during which no alteration whatsoever took place in our treatment or situation. We heard a thousand contradictory reports of victories gained over the English, and again some successes on their part: they, however, desisted to press me into their service.

Projects and hopes of a new kind now began to intrude themselves on my thoughts; and I conceived a design, which I flattered myself was not altogether impracticable, to effect an escape, and even a revolt in the place. A variety of circumstances concurred to persuade me, that the tyranny of Hyder, and his servant Hyat Sahib, was abhorred, though none dared to give vent to their sentiments. I thought I could observe, that the native prisoner opposite to me was privately beloved, and might, from the recollection of his former dignities, have considerable influence in the place. Several Arcot sepoys and their officers (some of them belonging to my own regiment) were also prisoners at large; and withal I recollected, that difficulties apparently more stupendous had been overcome by Englishmen-having often heard it asserted, that there was not a prison in the known world out of which a British subject had not made his escape.'

He now began to form projects for his escape, and to sound the officers of the Arcot sepoys. Whether these proceedings were discovered or not does not appear; but, so it was, while his sanguine mind was overflowing with hope, all these schemes were unexpectedly frustrated. Mr. Hall and I,' says our author, were 'one day unexpectedly loaded with irons, and fastened together, leg by leg, by one bolt. This, as nearly as I can compute, was four or five months before my release. Of all the circumstances of my life, it has made the strongest

impression upon my mind: it unexpectedly and suddenly broke down the most pleasing fabric my imagination had ever built. The surprise occasioned by the appearance of the irons, and the precautionary manner in which it was undertaken, was indeed great: still more was I surprised to observe, that the person who was employed to see this put in execution, manifested unusual emotions, seemed much affected, and even shed tears as he looked on: and while the suddenness and cautionary mode of doing it convinced me that some resistance on our part was apprehended, the sorrow which the officer who superintended it disclosed, portended in my mind a fatal, or at least a very serious issue.

6

Unfortunately, poor Mr. Hall had for some time been afflicted with a return of his dreadful disorder, the dysentery; and our being shackled together increased an unconquerable mortification of feelings which he had before undergone, from a delicacy of nature that would have done honour to the most modest virgin, be her sensibility ever so exquisite, or her delicacy ever so extreme. From this unlucky event, I received a temporary depression; and the rapidly increasing illness of poor Hall rendered my situation more than ever calamitous; when, again, my spirits, eagerly prone to grasp at every thing that gave a momentary hope of support, were a little recruited by confused rumours of the English army having made a descent on the Malabar coast: and so powerful is the influence of mind on the animal system, that Mr. Hall enjoyed from the report a momentary alleviation of his malady; but, having no medical assistance, nor even sufficient sustenance to further the favourable operations of nature, he relapsed again; the disease fell upon him with redoubled fury: a very scanty portion of boiled rice, with a more scanty morsel of stinking salt fish or putrid flesh, was a very inadequate support for me, who, though emaciated, was in health and very improper medicine for a person labouring under a malady such as Mr. Hall's, which required comfort, good medical skill, and delicious nutritious food. The tea which Hyat Sahib had given me was expended; and we were not allowed to be shaved from the hour we were put in irons, an indulgence of that