"will march, with the detachment under your "command, to Mandwa, the capital of the Gra 66 cians, and there endeavour to secure the per"son of Gomang Singh, the Gracian chief"tain, together with his Vizier, and the prin 66 cipal persons of his court, who have lately "committed the most insolent outrages, and "wanton cruelties, throughout the districts. belonging to the Honourable Company, and "which are placed under my care. "If you succeed in your attempt of seizing "the Gracian chief, or any of his principal "people, you will please to send them under a proper guard to Dhuboy, that I may oblige "them to give ample security for their future "good behaviour, and settle such other preliminaries as are requisite, previous [to their enlargement. 66 "You will, in the mean while, with the re"mainder of the detachment, continue at "Mandwa, 'till you receive further notice, from 66 me, or the chief and council of Baroche. "If you should not have the good fortune to "succeed in the principal object of the expedi"tion, by seizing the Gracias chief, you are to "make yourself master of the town, and remain "there with the whole detachment until you "receive further orders. So soon as you are 66 66 possessed of the town and citadel, you will immediately issue out strict orders, that the " inhabitants are, upon no account, to be plun"dered or otherwise ill-treated; but on the "contrary, provided they submit, you are to assure them, in the fullest manner, of the Company's protection. "Wishing you success, "I am, &c. &c. The following letter will also show, in the most satisfactory manner, that the British authority is not always abused in the East Indies. To Kessoor Khaun, Chief of the Vazeria Gracias. After the Oriental Compliments. "During three years that I have resided in a public character at the city of Dhuboy, I have "too frequently had occasion to complain of "the numerous robberies, insults, and cruelties " which have been committed by your subjects " in the districts under my care; but I am sorry "to observe that all my expostulatory letters "have been written in vain. "Some months ago you sent your Vizier to me, to apologize for your conduct, and to 46 assure me of your anxious desire to live on "terms of friendship with the English; notwithstanding which, your troops are perpetu ally making incursions into our territories, " and plundering the harmless villagers of their property. "The whole of my conduct, since I have "resided here, must have convinced you of the ་་ 46 lenity of the English laws and inhabitants, and must also have assured you of my ardent "desire to live in bonds of amity with all the surrounding nations, however opposite their "mode and forms of government might be; but "the various tribes of Gracias will not permit 16 me. Either the one or the other of their Rajahs (as you are pleased to style yourselves) are continually sending out parties to rob and "murder. 66 "I have too long submitted to this injurious "treatment from all your monarchs. But the "behaviour of the Mandwa Prince, who is the "most powerful of all your chiefs, having "exceeded all the bounds of humanity, has "at length brought down that terrible vengeance which has been so long with"held. 66 "I have been compelled to send a powerful army and take his capital town. The surprise "was so complete, that he narrowly escaped "from his bed, and instantly fled into the depth "of his mountains; but his wives, his daughters, " and all his family, are now captives in Dhuboy, where they shall be honourably treated; nor need they have determined on self de"struction if brought into my presence, for I "have two much feeling for the delicacy of "their sex, and two great a respect for their "rank, and sympathy for their unhappy situation, than to add to their misfortunes, by oblig ing them to any action unbecoming their peculiar cast or religion. #6 "I assure you, I have neither seen them nor "shall I attempt it, since they have affirmed, "by being brought into my presence they shall lose their cast, and will in consequence in"stantly destroy themselves. They are kept as prisoners, only the more "effectually to oblige the lawless chief to offer proper terms of peace, which I shall be ready "at all times to attend to, provided the most 46 respectable security is given; and no other security than Bhauts of the very first cha"racter will I accept from any Gracias. "To you I once more offer peace and friend ship, before I command the very same army "to march against your capital towns of Va"zeria, and Valeria. Send a proper ambassador "to treat, with me; for all I want is the "Bhaut's security for your future peaceable "behaviour. 66 "I now assure you, that the person of your envoy shall be perfectly safe, and whatever may be the result of our negociation, he shall come in and go out of Dhuboy un"molested. It is not the custom of the British to "be guilty of treachery; nor to break their "word. Judge not of us by yourselves."But if, in the space of two days, you do 66 not comply with the terms contained in this "letter, I will order our troops to march against you without any further delay. 66 “I have this morning sent out another fieldpiece, and more European artillery, together "with two hundred Sepoy grenadiers, and seve "ral British officers, to join the Dhuboy forces, |