Tippoo will therefore again be able to ravage the plains, for weeks, perhaps, before the English can force him to give battle.
"But there is no army, at present, in existence of sufficient strength to meet him.

The Madras force would have to wait until reinforcements arrived from Calcutta.

It was bad before, but it will be worse, now.
Hyder, no doubt, slaughtered many, but he was not cruel by nature.

He carried off enormous quantities of people, with their flocks and herds, but he did this to enrich Mysore with their labour, and did not treat them with unnecessary cruelty.
"Tippoo, on the other hand, is a human tiger.

He delights in torturing his victims, and slays his prisoners from pure love of bloodshed.