The Sun.
London, England, 1802-01-12 00:00:00

INDIA.

We have already given some accounts of the
origin and progress of the Polygar warfare, which
has fOr some thne prevailed in the Southern Pro-
vinces of Hindostan. The late dispatch has pos-
sessed, us of letters from the theatre of aaion, to
the zoth July. , •
CHINA .MA'Do6; the Chief of these Polygars,
having disposed in safety the stores which he had
obtained by sacking the Nabob's fort, on the fron-
tiers of Dindigul„ had abruptly changed his route to
Madura, and advanced rapidly towards' Chevlapa-
tore, the Sotith:.east -part of which is,bonnded by
hills and Jungles, almost inaccessible to strangers.
Here he had established himself, with five thousand
infantry, and three thousand cavalry, all well
armed and disciplined, besides a vast number
of
pike and matchlock men, who desolate the villages,
and geneklly tiet as precursors to the army.
.Accounts from Dindigul, of the zsth July, men-
tion that an attempt had been made to 'liberate the
Princess Of Dit.nt from her confinement in that for-
tress ; but sortie of those -engaged in the enterptize,
despairing'of success, discovered the plan, and led
to the arrest of the ringleaders:.
Delhi, the capital of the Mogul Empire, ',which
continued wars had greatly reduced from its pristine
consequence, has lately been visited by her winds,
to such, an uncommon degree as to have nearly' de-
populated the place, and rendered some Of the sub:
orbs wholly untenanted ; the grand canal has
dried-up, as well as the bason and fountains which.
it Supplied ; in short, Nature seems • resolved to
destroy the little which had been spared by war
/ and faction.
On the loth of April'; the period of a popular 'fair,
among the Seiks, in the neighbourhoOd of Hurwaar,
a number of Fakeers (itinerant priests) assembled
_for the professed purpose of bathing ; but they
shortly became so troublesome to the natives as to
provoke an attack ;—the Seiks, arming themselves
for the occasion in the best manner the time Would
allow. The Pilgrims at first made an obstinate re-
sistance, but in the issue were routed; three hundred
of them were killed on the spot, and. several
hundreds more, Who in endeavouring to reach the
mountains,, attempted to ford a river; swollen by

the rains, were drowned.
Accounts from Condahar, of the 22a of April,
state that the Fakeer Impostor, who has assumed
the title Of SULTAUN SHAH, having appeared on
the frontiers, ZEMAUN SHAH had ordered a con-
siderable force'againtt-him, but nothing intimidated
by its approach, he made dispositions to repulse it,
and so confident was he of success, that he had al- .
lotted the government of the towns and provinces
which he was to conquer to his fo'llowers. The
Cabul army, however, by an unlooked for move,
Merit, Crossed a branch of the Indus, and falling
upon his left wing, defeated it before the right
could engage.; thus compelling. the Impostor to tall
back upwards of twelve" English miles, with con-
sideraly,-.: loss.
At the cornmencement of -the campaign, this
F;tkeer's..foree comprised, upwards of 2o;000 in,
lantry, principally Rohillas 'and Seiks, and 4000
cavalry, with several small pieces of cannon. The
confidence of 'these' people in'their leader, nearly
compensates for' their want of discipline ; and in
their first 'atftion, 'near .Saiumpoor, enabled them
for some hoUrs to oppose three' battalions of Gene;
ral PER Ro N, supported by a hew cannonade from
the •.Beg. um of. Sombre's- a,ftilltiry, stationed on the
opposite side of a river. His., numbers arc. much
reduced,-. but 'he is still said . to be in sufficient
force to keep the field.