The enemy continuing the purfuit, he was compelled to make a circuitous route in order to avoid falling in with ftraggling parties, by which means, though Hanfi was not more than forty cofs from George Ghur, he was compelled to travel nearly double that distance.*

Arrived at length in fafety at Hanfi, Mr. Thomas's first care was directed to its defence.t

* In this retreat Mr. Thomas rode a favourite Persian horse of a very superior breed and the highest spirit. On this generous animal, without allowing any intermission on the road, he performed a journey of one hundred and twenty miles within twenty-four hours. This horse, which Mr. Thomas brought with him down the country, is now in the possession of Sir Frederick Hamilton, Bart, of Be

nares.

serves,

+ Hansi, according to the Ayeen Akberi, is included in the Soobah of Delhi. Speaking of the rivers contained within this Soobah, the author of the Ayeen Akberi ob"There are also many lesser streams, and amongst "them the Kenkkar, vulg. (Cuggur). Hansi is an ancient city, where reposes Sheik Jumal, successor of Sheik Fe"reed Shuker Gunj (of whom we have spoken in our de"tail of the Battee country). The city of Hissar was founded by Sultaun Ferose, who dug a canal which

Warned by paft experience of the treacherous difpofition of the Mooffulmans, he committed the charge of the fort and city to his faithful Rajepoots, whom on all occafions, and in the most trying fituations, he had ever found worthy his confidence.

He was not mistaken in his conjectures, as daily inftances occurred during the fiege of the inconftancy and treachery of the others.

Two pieces of artillery were all that remained in the fort fit for fervice. The dilatory march of the enemy to inveft the town afforded Mr. Thomas fufficient time to caft and

mount eight additional cannon. The enemy advancing by eafy ftages poffeffed themselves of the wells in the neighbourhood of Hansi, and at length commenced the fiege.

brings the water of the Jumna near this city. This ca"nal

passes the town of Sersah. Hissar has very few rivers, and in order to make wells, the inhabitants are obliged to dig to a great depth."-See Mr. Gladwin's Translation of the Ayeen Akberi, Calcutta editionarticle Delhi, vol. ii.

The Rajepoots who ftill adhered to Mr. Thomas, by this time reduced in their numbers to three hundred men, were ftationed within the fort; the remainder of his force, consisting of about nine hundred men, were diftributed for the defence of the city and the out-pofts. Aware of his very critical fituation, Mr. Thomas himself remained within the fort, taking care to keep a ftrict guard during the night.

The troops destined for the fecurity of the out-pofts had scarcely occupied their respective stations, when, in a manner most daftardly and treacherous, they delivered them over to the enemy; and the fort and city were thus left to be defended by a handful of men.

This even was rendered impracticable by the treachery of fome Rohillas, who invited the enemy to advance to the attack. The affault was accordingly made: on the entrance of the enemy into the town, a desperate conflict was maintained on either fide, Mr. Thomas's remaining troops fighting with the most determined valour: three different times the enemy were repulfed with lofs, but numbers at

length prevailing, Mr. Thomas could no longer perfuade his men to continue the conflict; he was therefore reluctantly compelled to take shelter within the fort, and abandon the town, of which the enemy took immediate poffeffion.

Of his whole force, feven hundred men now only remained. The enemy having erected their batteries, commenced the fiege of the fort, which, notwithstanding its fiege and the fmall garrifon which it contained, had there been a fufficiency of provifions, could ftill have made a fuccefsful refiftance; but provifions were fcarce, the Mahomedan troops were clamorous for their pay, and receiving no fatisfactory answer on this head, they made offers to Mr. Perron of joining his army on condition of payment of their arrears, and an advance of money as a reward for their treachery.

Mr. Perron would readily have agreed to this propofal, had he not conceived Mr. Thomas could still defend the place with his remaining Rajepoots, in which cafe he might lofe many of his own men; he accordingly

made Mr. Thomas acquainted with the treachery that was carrying on within the garrifon, and advised him to be upon his guard.

66

Confidering, therefore, (concludes Mr. Thomas) that I had entirely lost my party, " and with it the hopes of at present fubduing

my enemies, the Seiks and the powers in "the French interefts; that I had no expec"tation of fuccour from any quarter, Luck"wah having gone to Joudpore; that if hofti"lities continued, my resource in money would "have failed; in this fituation, I agreed to " evacuate the fort; and the neceffary arrange"ments being completed, I ftipulated for a "battalion of sepoys to escort me to the Eng"lish frontier, where I arrived in the middle "of January, 1802.