So quietly had the work gone on, that it attracted no
attention among his neighbours. The mere rumour that the rajah had
some European deserters in his service, and that these were drilling
four or five hundred men, was considered of so little moment that it
passed altogether unheeded.
The accounts of the state of affairs in the Carnatic, which reached
Charlie, were not satisfactory--Dupleix, with his usual energy, was
aiding the son of Chunda Sahib, with men and money, in his combat with
the British protege; and most of the native allies of the latter had
fallen away from him. Trichinopoli was again besieged, and the
fortunes of England, lately so flourishing, were waning again. In the
Deccan, French influence was supreme. Bussy, with a strong and
well-disciplined French force, maintained Salabut Jung, whom the
French had placed on the throne, against all opponents. At one time it
was the Peishwar, at another the Mahrattas against whom Bussy turned
his arms; and always with success, and the French had acquired the
four districts on the coast, known as the Northern Sircas.
It was in vain that Charlie endeavoured to gain an accurate knowledge
of the political position, so quickly and continually did this change.
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