the highest encomium on the vigorous and prudent counsels, which, amid much pecuniary embarrassment, anticipated his destructive designs; and crushed them, with their bold projector, for ever.

We believe that our readers will prefer a connected' narrative of the circumstances which preceded the destruction of the Mysor usurpation, to a desultory notice of the contents of this volume *; which are indeed too multifarious to admit of such a report.

As early as the month of March 1796, Tippu dispatched ambassadors to the court of Zeman Shah, to instigate that Prince to an invasion of Hindustan, for the extermination of the infidels; under which name he comprized the English and the Mahrattas. At the close of the following year, deceived by the interested misrepresentations of a French adventurer named Ripaud, he sent ambassadors to the Mauritius, to demand a powerful military succour, and to solicit an alliance offensive and defensive with the French republic. Though the sentiments of this unhappy Prince were decidedly hostile to the English, they were also extremely unfavourable to the French; as were those of his council. One of the latter expresses himself as follows: "This Ripaud that is come, God knows what Ass it is; whence it comes, and for what purpose.-The French are not firm to their engagements; when, through the assistance of the Rhodadad Sircar they shall have obtained possession of territory, perhaps they will not adhere to their engagements." At this time, Tippu seemed desirous to acquire some formation of the political situation of Great Britain; and the result of his inquiries, minuted in his own hand. writing, cannot fail to amuse our readers. "Names of the three islands, belonging to the English: Ireland-Guernsey— Jersey, On the English island, there was once the Rajah of a tribe called Coosseea, (écossais, Scotch); a hundred years ago, the English Rajah put the Rajah of the Coosseeas to death, and took possession of his country.'

Previously to the departure of the Ambassadors for the isle of France, there appears to have been a party of 60 Frenchmen, in the service of Tippu Sultan. The arrival of M. Ripaud' (who was scarcely able to write his name) communicated the democratic frenzy to these wretched persons, who instantly met in a primary assembly; burnt the colours under which they had hitherto served; planted the tree of liberty; 'conferred the title of " Citoyen Prince Tipou" on a ferocious and bigotted tyrant; and declaimed in their meetings in favor

Of which the Appendix constitutes two-thirds.

of

of equality and freedom, in defiance of all grammar and common sense. On the arrival of the Ambassadors at the Mauritius, they were publicly received by the Governor in that capacity, who issued a proclamation encouraging the inhabitants to engage in the service of the Sultan. The transaction soon reached the ears of the English Governor General, who took immediate measures to counteract the effects of the proposed confederacy.

While the military preparations were going forwards, the Sultan was informed of the detection of his intrigues; and he was urged by Lord Mornington to consent to receive an Ambassador to conciliate all differences between the states. Denial and evasion only were produced by these remonstrances. In consequence, the army commanded by General Harris, consisting of 5000 Europeans and 14,000 natives, entered the Mysore dominions from the east at the same time that the Bombay army under General Stuart penetrated from the west. The campaign commenced by an unexpected attack on the latter, on the 5th March 1799, when they scarcely had reached the boundary of the Sultan's territory: it was made with every advantage, from the dispersed situation of the encampment, yet the result was a decisive victory to the Pombay troops. A few days after, as soon probably as he heard of General Harris having entered Mysor, he turned to the east to meet the army of Madras. He did meet it, and was again defeated on the 27th of the same month.'

On the 7th of April, General Harris sat down before Seringapatnam, and on the 14th was joined by the army under General Stuart. An attempt was made by Tippu to arrest the progress of the siege by negotiation: but just at this period, a most alarming, and hitherto unaccounted for deficiency of grain was discovered,' in the English camp; a circumstance which rendered the most energetic measures indispensible. The terms proposed by General Harris met with no reply; and as if to close every avenue to negotiation or forgiveness, Tippu ordered all the prisoners he had taken to be barbarously murdered.'

On the 30th of April, the breaching battery opened against the walls of Seringapatnam, and on the 3d of May, the breach -being deemed practicable, dispositions were made for the storm, which, on the 4th at noon, were most gallantly, rapidly, and success. fully executed. In this assault, Tippu lost his life in the 45th year of his age. On a careful investigation it was found, that the wife of Crisna Raj Uriar, the Prince who reigned at the time of Hyder Ali's usurpation, was still alive, and that the surviving representa ive of that persecuted family was a boy of five years of age.'

Vellor in the Carnatic has been allotted for the residence of Tippu's sons, and the females of his and his father's Harams; and an allowance of 80,000l. sterling is fixed annually for their maintenance. The relative value of the territory bestowed on the young Prince now seated on the throne of his ancestors, and of that acquired by the allies in virtue of the partition treaty, must not, indeed, be appreciated solely by the revenue which they produce, but may derive additional advantages from their local situation, natural productions, and peculiar manufactures. The revenue of the territory ceded to the Rajah of Mysor is valued at 560,000l.; of that acquired by the English, at 200,000 l.; the cession to the Nizam 200,000l.; and that to the Mahrattas at 120,000l. The aggregate will shew the amount of Tippu's revenues, and how grossly they have been exaggerated by writers in this country. This propensity to magnify the revenue and resources of the Indian Princes is so general, that we feel it our duty to caution the public against such statements. Major Taylor, in a late work, has stated the revenue of Hydernagor (one of the provinces acquired by the company) at 18 lacs of Mangalor Pagodas, value 14 rupees each: substituting 4 for 14, (which is doubtless a typographical error,) it amounts by the Major's statement to 720,000l. per annum, whereas the official documents reduce it to 120,000l. We have to regret a similar mistake in the work before us; where it is stated that, The revenues of Zeman Shah have not been ascertained. Those he collects from the two provinces of Casmir and Jamboor only are said to amount to two or three millions sterling.' Mr. Forster, whose authority is the best procureable on this point, states the whole revenue of the Abdalli Prince at only one million, of which Casmir only yields 70,000l. With Jamboor we are totally unacquainted; if Jumbhu be meant, it is possessed by an independent Rajah.

The editor of this volume remarks that the Cali Yuga com menced with the fourth incarnation of Vishnu: but, according to the Hindu mythology, nine incarnations of the preserv ing Deity preceded the commencement of that æra.

From the title page of this work, the reader might conclude that Col. Wood was the writer of it: but the dedication only is from that Gentleman's pen, and the name of the author of the Review of the War does not appear.

* See Review for May last, vol. xxxii. p. 90.

ART. XVI. A Journey from India, towards England, in the Year 1797; by a Route commonly called Over-land, through Countries not much frequented, and many of them hitherto unknown to Europeans, particularly between the Rivers Euphrates and Tygris, through Curdistan, Diarbek, Armenia, and Natolia, in Asia; and through Romalia, Bulgaria, Wallachia, and Transylvania, in Europe; illustrated by a Map and other Engravings. By John Jackson, Esq. 8vo. pp. 277. 7s. Boards. Cadell jun. and Davies. 1799.

THAT

AT portion of the immense continent of Asia, which extends from the shores of the Mediterranean to the Indian ocean, has of late been so frequently traversed in various directions, by gentlemen going to or returning from India, and so many of their itineraries have been submitted to the public, that these regions are become almost as familiar to the readers of travels, as the numerous writers of tours on the continent had already rendered certain countries of Europe. From Basora to Aleppo, by the route of the great desert, a tract is exhibited which, from the arid nature of the soil, and the consequent want of inhabitants, is little calculated to furnish information or incidents that are likely to excite attention. The route pursued by Mr. Jackson presents a different picture; it lay through countries which are by many supposed to have been the seats of early civilization, and which in much more recent times displayed the splendor and luxury of extensive empire: asserted the prowess of its arms, pointed by religious enthusiasm; and owned the benign influence of the fine arts, in the multitude of their literary compositions. The observations of an impatient traveller, however, whose principal object is dispatch, will prove very inadequate to the gratification of a laudable curiosity.

The banks of the Shat al Arab (the united streams of the Euphrates and Tygris) are planted with date trees; under the shade of which, the Arabian husbandmen cultivate their fields, till the approach of the sandy desert puts a period to their labors. The city of Basora is seated contiguous to it, and is very large and extremely populous. The Bazar or

market-place is nearly two miles long, and appears to be well supplied. Our superfine broad cloth, and our watches, will here sell for more than double what they cost in England. The majority of the people are Arabs, the rest are Turks and Armenians; the latter are the merchants, and some of them very respectable. The ships from Basora to Bombay, or Bengal, usually receive a full cargo; the greater part of which consists of copper in small cakes, and drugs of various kinds; and the Bombay ships generally take dried fruits. It is very

seldom, however, that a vessel sails to any part of India without taking a considerable number of Arab horses. There are many instances of ships carrying away silver, in bars and specie, to the amount of 20 lacs of rupees; the specie chiefly in Spanish dollars and Venetian sequins. The greatest part of the trade of this branch of the Turkish empire is in the hands of the Armenians; who, when they have a considerable sum on hand, in order to prevent the Turks from laying hold of it, (which is sometimes the case,) export it to India, where they often receive 12 per cent. interest, usually remitted to them in piece goods. Considerable sums are sent

for this purpose from Constantinople; and we learn that the quantity of copper exported from Basora to India increases so fast as to interfere with the company's outward cargoes.

The Arabs, with a very little pay, are enabled to support their families; for their dress costs them little; and their food consists of dates, bread, and water, with which they are perfectly satisfied; and indeed, though their food is so simple, they have, generally speaking, twice the strength of Europeans, and are able to endure much more fatigue.'

Mr. Jackson sailed up the river to Corno, a small village situated at the confluence of the Euphrates and Tygris. Though Bagdad is situated on the latter, yet, to avoid its circuitous windings, the first part of the navigation is usually performed on the former; and this by dragging the vessel, in opposition to the current, at the rate of about 3 miles in an hour. The most considerable town on this part of the Euphrates is named by Mr. Jackson, Suke-shue. Its chief was then absent with an army collected to oppose the progress of the Waahy, who is extending his conquests up the western shore of the Persian gulph, almost as high as Grain; and propagating a new religion, which, like Mahomet, he enforces by the sword.' We regret that Mr. Jackson has not furnished us with some farther particulars of the extraordinary person abovementioned, Abdul Wahib, who now shakes the religion of Mohammed at its source. Of his manner of propagating his system of faith, we may form some opinion from a circumstance afterward related:

The chief of Suke-shue was slain, while asleep in his tent, by a slave belonging to the Waahy. This happened only a week ago: - the news arrived soon after we came to Bagdad, and has very much alarmed the government, because much confidence was placed in the superior abilities of the Sheik, and he was fully relied upon to check the progress of the Waahy, who immediately after attacked and defeated the Turkish army, and it was apprehended that he would reach Basora.'

A branch