Page 215 - INDIANNAVYV1

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 183
defiance that tliey opened fire upon her and shot away her main-
mast. On the 20th, Captain Torriano, desirous of conveying
news of his critical situation, sent off two boats from the
' Wolfe,' one to Mangalore and another to Sedashighur, but both
were dashed to pieces on the bar, and the greater part of the
crews were drowned.* On the 27th of October, one of the
Company's cruisers arrived off the port from Mangalore, having
General McLeod on board, who promised to relieve Captain
Torriano as soon as he received sufficient reinforcements from
Bombay to enable him to force Tippoo to raise the siege. On
the 3rd of December, the 'Drake' cruiser, commanded by
Captain Penny, and a large galivat, anchored off the port, bearing
a letter from the Commander-in-Chief, informing Captain
Torriano that he had entered into an agreement with the Nawab
for the supply of provisions to the garrison, which were, accord-
ingly, landed from the ' Drake.' Notwithstanding this agreement,
the investment of Onore was continued, but, on the conclusion
of peace in March, 1784, the fort was surrendered according to
the terms, and the garrison embarked in the ' Wolfe,' and other
vessels, which took them to Bombay. On landing here on the
18th of April, they nnistered two hundred and thirty-eight,
being the survivors of seven hundred and forty-three, the re-
mainder having fallen by the sword, but chiefly by disease,
aggravated by insufficient food.f
On the 4th of July, 1790, Lord Cornwallis, tlie Governor-
General, signed a treaty with the Nizam, and another with the
Mahrattas on the 1st of Jane, having for its object the punish-
ment of Tippoo, who had captured Travancore by storm, and
of whose power all parties to the triple league were in dread.
The ships of the Bombay Marine participated in the ensuing-
operations, while the officers and men were landed to assist in
the reduction of some of the forts that fell to the British arms.
It was phanned that General Meadows, who had been api)ointed
to succeed Mr. Holland as Governor of Madras, with the prin-
cipal part of the Carnatic army, should occupy the Coimbatore
country, and endeavour to penetrate into the heart of Mysore ;
that General Abercromby, with the Bombay Army, should reduce
the territory of Tippoo on the JMalabar coast, and, if desirable,
effect a junction with Meadows, while Colonel Kelly should guard
the passes leading from Mysore into the Carnatic.
: —
* A military writer on the defence of Onore, says " It should be recorded as
a remarkable instance of attachment to the Service, that some of the lascurs cast
ashore on tlie point, were taken prisoners bj the enemy and sent to Cundapore
in irons ; they effected theii* escape, and four months afterwards, when the
garrison was in extreme distress, made their way through the enemy's camp at
the imminent hazard of tlieir lives, and returned to the fort."
t l*"or a detailed account of the defence of Onore, see the " Naval and Military
Magazine" for 1828. The Commander of the Porccs, the Bombay Government
and the Court of Directors, acknowledged in handsome terms the constancy and
courage of Captain Torriano and his garrison.