When Hyder Ali marched down here, eight years ago, he swept the whole country, from the foot of the hills to the sea coast.

My father would have been glad to stand neutral, but was, of course, bound to go with the English, as the Nabob of Arcot, his nominal sovereign, went with them.

His sympathies were, of course, with your people; but most of the chiefs were, at heart, in favour of Hyder.

It was not that they loved him, or preferred the rule of Mysore to that of Madras.

But at that time Madras was governed by imbeciles.
Its Council was composed entirely of timid and irresolute men.