Happily, he did not perceive that their arms were piled at a
distance of sixty yards from the nearest man. Had he done so, the
English would have been helpless in his hands. After waiting an hour,
to be sure that the last of the English were sound asleep, he ordered
a tremendous fire to be opened on the hollow and village.
Astounded at this sudden attack, the men sprang up from their deep
sleep, and a rush was instantly made to their arms. Clive, ever
coolest in danger, shouted to them to be steady, and his officers well
seconded his attempts. Unfortunately the artillerymen, in their sudden
surprise, instead of rushing to their cannon, joined the rest of the
troops as they ran back to their arms, and the guns at once fell into
the hands of the enemy.
These had now climbed the eastern bank, and a fire from all sides was
poured upon the troops, huddled together in a mass.
"Major Marryat," Clive said, "if we fall back now, fatigued as the men
are, and shaken by this surprise, we are lost. Do you take a wing of
the Sepoy battalion, and clear the right bank. I will advance, with
the main body, directly on the village."
"Come on, my lads," Charlie shouted, in Hindostanee; "show them how
the men of Madras can fight.
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