•

permitted to dine with that gentleman. It was the first dinner, properly so called, that they had seen for nearly four years; and, under all the circumstances of the case, confessed by themselves to be one of the most agreeable that they had ever partaken of in their lives.

At length, after various needless delays, the prisoners were allowed to proceed, and on their arrival at Calle, they were joined by Lieutenant Dallas (who had been appointed by the commissioners to receive the prisoners) with a detachment of Madras cavalry, and two companies of Sepoys.

Here, then, the captives were finally released. Lieutenant Dallas had brought out with him clothes, wine, and other necessary stores, from Madras, by order of the government, for their relief. And at this place, once again at liberty, the gallant subject of our memoir took leave, for a time, of Tippoo's territories, to return to them, however, under very different circumstances. It is needless to add, that the rest of the liberated sufferers lost no time in taking advantage of their emancipation, and pushing forward with all possible speed to Madras.

CHAPTER VI.

CAPTAIN

BAIRD PROCEEDS TOWARDS MADRAS-INTERVIEW WITH CAPTAIN ROBERTSON-AT MADRAS FINDS HIMSELF ANTICIPATED IN A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE MAJORITY OF HIS REGIMENT

RECOMMENDATION

MEMORIAL OF HIS BROTHER OFFICERS-CONFIRMATION OF GENE-
RAL STEWART'S
REFUSED CAPTAIN BAIRD
ASSUMES THE COMMAND OF THE 73D-SECURES THE MAJORITY—
PROCEEDS TO ENGLAND-PURCHASES A LIEUTENANT-COLONELCY,
AND EXCHANGES INTO HIS OWN REGIMENT-RETURNS TO INDIA
-JOINS LORD CORNWALLIS'S ARMY-APPOINTED TO THE COMMAND
OF A BRIGADE-CAPTURE OF HILL FORTS-SIEGE OF RUNDYDROOG
-ITS FALL.

In his way to Madras, Captain Baird fell in with a body of his own gallant regiment, the 73d, and it is impossible to describe his feelings, upon recognising his companions in arms, and their recognition of him. In the course of the ensuing evening, he reached Poonamallee, where his particular friend, Captain Robertson, was stationed.

At the time of Captain Baird's arrival at his quarters, Captain Robertson was playing at cards, in the verandah, and Baird, softly stealing behind him, placed himself on the corner of the chair on which he was sitting. Robertson started, and

turned round to see who was the intruder; when, in spite of the change that severe wounds, continuous privation, and nearly four years of rigorous captivity, may be supposed to have worked in the appearance of his gallant young friend, he instantly recognised him, and caught him to his heart.

To this meeting Sir David Baird used frequently to recur, as one of the most gratifying events of his early life.

The next day Robertson accompanied Captain Baird to Madras, and, it was upon his arrival there, that the latter was doomed to receive his first, but by no means the last, severe mortification which he encountered in his professional career. He found, to his inexpressible regret, and, we may justly add, surprise, that during the period of his sufferings, and at the end of a series of active services, General Stewart had recommended Lord William Murray, a junior captain from the half-pay, over his head, for the majority of his regiment, and that, until the appointment were confirmed from home, his lordship was actually in command of the regiment.

The feelings which would be naturally excited in the breast of Captain Baird, by this most unaccountable proceeding, had been anticipated by his brother officers, who, before his return to the regiment, had forwarded a memorial to England, representing the cruel injustice that the confirmation of such an appointment would inflict, not

only upon Captain Baird, the next officer for promotion, personally, but upon the regiment generally.

The eventual result of this memorial, was the refusal, on the part of the Secretary at War, to confirm the appointment to the majority; which (as if in order to exhibit the impropriety and indelicacy of the case in the strongest possible light) turned out not to have been vacant at the time Lord William Murray was nominated to it.

The letter of the Secretary at War, which contained the refusal to ratify General Stewart's nomination, contained some extremely flattering compliments to Captain Baird, who shortly after had the gratification of assuming the command of the 73d, as senior captain, during the absence of Captain Dalrymple, at Pondicherry.*

Captain Baird, after he rejoined the 73d, continued to do duty with his regiment at Madras and Arcot, and then proceeded with it to Bombay, where he experienced the only attack of illness, excepting from wounds, that he ever suffered, during his long and glorious course of service in India.t

* It was not until about this period that the ball which Captain Baird received in his thigh at Perambaukum was extracted.

+ Sir David Baird, in speaking of this illness, used to attribute his recovery, under providence, to the care and kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Crawford Bruce, who took him to their country-house, and treated him with the greatest care and kindness.

In the year 1787, Captain Baird received the majority, of which he had before been so nearly deprived; and the same year, having obtained leave of absence, he proceeded to Europe, to enjoy the unspeakable gratification of again beholding his numerous relations and friends.*

Major Baird, whose affection for his family neither time nor circumstances could alter or weaken, arrived safely in his native country. The delight and welcome with which he was received may easily be imagined, and the unmitigated happiness he at that time enjoyed was never effaced from his recollection.

It was while he was staying at his elder brother's

* Major Baird had a very extensive family connection in Scotland. His eldest sister had long been married to Mr. Erskine, of Dunnottar, a gentleman of good fortune, and representative of an old family in Angus-shire; of this marriage, the only surviving issue (1831) is the Marchioness of Ailsa. Sir David's second sister married Mr. Renney, of the same neighbourhood; and in 1777, before his departure for India, Sir David was present at the marriage of his favourite sister, favourite because nearest his own age, to Mr. Wauchope, of Niddrie. She, at the period of his return, in 1787, was the mother of a fine family, whom he had never seen. In his absence, also, his youngest sister, who was remarkably beautiful, had married Lord Haddo, the eldest son of George, Earl of Aberdeen, who died before his father, October 2d, 1791, leaving seven children. His eldest brother, Mr. Baird, of Newbyth, had also married, and lived at the family seat in East Lothian, and he arrived in England in time to be present at the marriage of another sister, to Mr. Gordon, of Haughead. in Aberdeenshire, a near relation of Lord Haddo.