enabled his court to form the plans the moft pernicious to
the fafety of our Indian empire. Mr. Elliot had fet out in the
rainy feafon, without any profpeit o f accommodation necefiary
to his Rate of health, laboring under a diforder peculiar to the
eaft, originating in bilious obftruftions, the cure of which depended
on the quantity o f mercury. In thofe circumftances he
heard that M. Chevalier was at no great diftance before him;
he puihed on by forced journies : unfortunately, juft as he had
his chace in view, his progrefs was retarded by a fudden overflow
o f one of the great branches of the Cattack; regardlefs of
his health, or the dangerous medicines he had taken, he plunged
into the rapid itream, followed by a few o f his attendants
and Sepoys, and found M. Chevalier at the capital Cattack. He
clamed his perfon with fuch manly eloquence, that the
Rajah furrendered him. Mr. Elliot engaged the paroles of
M. Chevalier, and his companion M. Monneron, to return
and furrender themfelves at Calcutta to the Governor General,
which they did in the moft honorable manner. Mr. Elliott
purfued his journey, and in a few days, in OElober 1778, fell
devoted to genuine patriotifm, and fidelity to the interefts of
his country. The Mahrattas have fince built round it a town,
and ftill farther to preferve his memory, named it in honor of
him Elliot Gunge, or Elliot's Town. Mr. Hajlings caufed a monument
to be eredted over his grave : he experienced affliction
equal to his lofs; and in his paflage to England compofed an
imitation o f Horace, Ode xvi. Book ii. equally a proof o f his affection,
as o f his turn, uncommonly elegant, for compofitions of
this
this nature. It has been more than once printed, which, I truft,
will be fufficient apology for the omifiion in this place.
T h e city of Cattack is the capital o f Orixa, and is o f great
confequence, as it is the only road into the Bengal government.
Part o f Orixa is at prefent fubjeCt to the Nizam, or the Soubab
o f Deccan ; the reft has been conquered by the Mahrattas, and
the chief is ftyled the Berar Rajah, as that province forms a portion
of their conquefts.
T h e city of Cattack ftands on an ifland o f the river, and is of
an oblong form, a league in length and a mile in breadth, and
walled round. In Hamilton's time it was defended by artillery,
but the walls and city were in a moft ruinous fituation, and not
a quarter inhabited, but the magnificence o f many o f the buildings
evinced its former fplendor.
Abulfazul, in the Ayeen, ii. p. 16, mentions a fine palace in
that city, built by Rajah Muckund Deo, confifting o f nine-
ftories. The firft ftory is for the elephants, camels, andhorfes.
The fecond, for the artillery and military ftores, where are alfo
quarters for the guards, and other attendants. The third is
occupied by the porters and watchmen. The fourth is appropriated
for the feveral artificers. The kitchens made the fifth
range. The fixth contains the Rajah's public apartments. The
feventh is for the tranfaCiion o f private bufinefs. The eighth
is where the women refide. And the ninth is the Rajah's
fleeping apartments. To the fouth o f this place is a very
antient Hindoo temple. In refpeift to the palace, we have, on
the borders o f England and Scotland, numbers o f fquare caftel-
lets, known by the name o f border-houfes, which in onereipedt
4 refembled
C a t t a c k .