Desirous of gaining the friendship of so able a partizan, and foreseeing the strategical value of Coorg in the impending struggle with Tippu, the Government of the East India Company eagerly seized the proffered hand of Vira Raja, who dreaded and hated Tippu from whom he could expect no mercy, and whose assurances and promises he knew he could never trust. His hopes depended on his success in gaining the support of a powerful ally.
Meanwhile the Mussalman garrison at Mercara had consumed all its provisions. Tippu, afraid of losing his last stronghold in Coorg, despatched a convoy with a considerable force under Khadar Khan. On its reaching Mallusoge (near Fraserpet), ViraRaja attacked and repulsed it, with a loss of 500 men on the side of the Mysoreans. Recognising in Khadar Khan, the commander of the Mussalmans, an old acquaintance who had befriended him during his captivity at Periyapatna and protected the honour of his sister, Vira Raja resolved to spare his life.These proceedings could not fail to raise a suspicion of treachery in the mind of General Abercromby, the Governor of Bombay, that the Raja was leagued with Tippu against the English. But Vira Raja was able to satisfactorily explain his motives. On the evacuation of the Fort of Mercara, all its guns, ammunition and treasure were delivered to the Coorgs, and the Raja, who had come over from Nalknad, liberally supplied the wants of the captured garrison and permitted them to withdraw in safety across the frontier. He was now for the first time undisturbed master of his ancient patrimony.
The period had now approached when Tippu was to encounter the most formidable combination he had yet met, and the capture of Bangalore gave hope of success. Lord Cornwallis advanced towards the capital from Madras, and General Abercromby was to meet him from the west for support. A passage was prepared through Coorg for the Bombay army. The route of the Heggala pass was chosen. Vira Raja accompanied Sir Robert before Seringapatam. Operations had commenced with every prospect of an immediate and successful termination, when the'severity of the monsoon of 1791 suspended active military operations and obliged both armies to fall back, Lord Cornwallis to Bangalore, Sir Robert to Bombay. The artillery, stores and ammunition belonging to the Bombay army, were left in charge of the Raja.
Aware of the great advantages that would attend the friendship of the Coorg chief at this juncture, Tippu now condescended to send a confidential officer, Khadar Khan, the friend of Vira Raja, with an autographed letter from Tippu, and letters from Mir Sadak, his prime minister, and Purnaiya, the minister of finance, soliciting Vira Raja's forgiveness and friendship, and offering as the price for his co-operation against the English, to cede the following districts on his eastern frontier, Heggadadevankote, Periyapatna, Bettadapur, Konanur and Arkalgudu, and to extend his western boundary by the addition of certain districts dependent on Cannanore. Vira Raja showed these letters to Sir Robert, who at the end of the monsoon had returned, and after consulting with him, replied to the Sultan's overtures in these words, "By similar fair speeches and promises you have formerly deceived and ruined Coorg. God has given me but one tongue, with which I have pledged fidelity to the English. I have not two tongues like you." And thus stayed faithful to the English.
Source: Mysore and Coorg, Vol. III by Lewis Rice
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