We  have  before  mentioned  the  extensive  system  of  peculation
practised  by  Jaffar  Sahib,  of  whom  indeed  we  have  long  lost
sight ;  but  as  he  was  employed  in  a  different  sphere  from  the
persons  who  belong  to  our  history,  we  have  not  thought  it  worth
our  while  to  follow  him  into  his  career  of  oppression  and  spolia-
tion, where  he  revelled  in  all  the  opportunies  of  gratifying  his
worst  passions ;  nor  was  he  a  singular  instance  in  the  army  of  the
Sultaun.  Bigots  in  faith,  zealots  in  the  practice  of  it,  there  was
no  greater  enjoyment  to  hundreds  than  the  destruction  of  the
Hindoos  in  those  provinces  of  Malabar  which  had  gradually  been
driven  into  rebellion,  and  afterwards  conquered  by  the  Sultaun,
as  we  have  already  mentioned.
Employed  with  a  portion  of  the  risala,  he  had  carried  out  to
the  letter  the  instructions  which  the  Sultaun  had  personally  com-
municated to  him.  Bum,  slay,  destroy,  convert,  were  the  reiter-
ated orders,  and  they  were  literally  obeyed.  JaiFar  Sahib  had
been  with  the  camp  only  for  a  few  days,  when  the  storming  of  the
breach  was  expected ;  and  that  having  taken  place,  he  was  sent,
with  the  rest  of  his  own  character,  to  finish  the  work  in  the
defenceless  territories  of  Travancore.  But  he  had  at  last  been
withdrawn  from  thence,  and  was  now  attached  to  the  large  cavalry
force  which  held  possession  of  the  plain  of  Coimbatoor,  and
guarded  the  passes  into  the  table-land  of  Mysore.
To  the  Jemadar's  system  of  deception,  however,  Kasim  Ali
fancied  he  had  at  length  gained  a  clue,  when  it  was  prominently
brought  to  his  notice  by  the  Khan  himself,  who,  much  disturbed
upon  the  subject,  one  day  handed  him  a  letter  he  had  received

*  Clerks.
.3o8  TIPPOO  SULTAUN.
