The rajah, on his side, had also sent messengers to Hyderabad, with
assurances to the nizam of his fidelity and friendship. He urged that
the preparations he had made were intended solely for the defence of
his state, against marauding bands of Mahrattas, and especially
against those of Murari Reo, who was a scourge to all his neighbours.
In the meantime, every effort was made to strengthen the defences of
Ambur. The walls surrounding the town were repaired, and although
these, in themselves, could have offered but a slight defence to a
determined assault, the approaches to the town were all covered by the
guns of the fort above.
The weak point of the defence was the hill behind the town. This
sloped up, gradually, to a point higher than the level of the
projecting rock upon which the castle stood. It then rose, in rugged
cliffs, some two hundred feet higher; and then fell away again,
steeply, to its summit. This was too far back for the fire of guns
placed upon it to injure the castle or town. Guns placed, however, at
the foot of the rocky wall, would dominate the castle and render it,
at last, untenable.
Charlie had often looked, with an anxious eye, at this point; and one
morning, accompanied by the rajah, he rode up to examine the position.
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