'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎422] (441/622)

422
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
forming an island in deep water, on which the condensers were
raised. Several officers of the Royal Navy attempted to utilize
natives, but, owing to w 7 ant of tact and knowledge of native
languages and customs, were unable to control them ; and, at
length, Captain Try on, Senior Transport Officer, was glad to
leave their management in his hands. By his energy and
business capacity he was able to save Government a large sum
of money, in using his natives for ballasting a number of ships
detained in the bay under heavy demurrage. Lieutenants
Hewett and Dawes w 7 ere recommended by the Lords of the
Admiralty to the Supreme Government of India, for meritorious
services, and the latter was also favourably mentioned to the
Bombay Government by General Sir E. L. Russell, under
whose orders he served at Annesley Bay. Lieutenant Dawes
assisted in the embarkation of the troops, and was the last
officer to quit Zoula, # w^hich, on his departure, was immediately
taken possession of by Egyptian troops, w^ho not only mal
treated the natives on shore in order to extract their hard-
earned money from them, but actually had a small steamer
cruising outside the bay to pick up the native vessels for the
same purpose. Lieutenant Dawes left Abyssinia for Bombay
in broken health from excessive and unremitting labour; and,
for some inexplicable reason, Government rewarded him for
his arduous labour on the burning strand of Annesley Bay,
by refusing him the batta An extra allowance of pay granted to soldiers involved in special field service or to public servants on special duty. allowed to all officers serving afloat,
Avhich so disgusted him that he resigned the Service.f
* The neighbouring port of Massowali had been in possession of the Turks
for more than two hundred years. It was latterly administered for them by
Mehemet Ali, and about 1864 was ceded to the present Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of Egypt. The
occupation of Zoula was an act of usurpation, of which this ruler has given many
instances, though the gallant resistance of the Abyssinians under King John has
taught him that there is a limit to their patience.
f Lieutenant Dawes writes to us :—" Hewett was one of the reconnoitring
Committee, with the reconnoitring Force under Sir W. Merew ether. It con
sisted I think of Colonel Merewether, Commanding; Major Goodfellow, R.E.;
Surgeon Lumsden; Colonel E. Phayre, Quartermaster-General; Major. R.
Mignon, Commissariat; and Lieutenant Hewett, I.N. These I think composed
the Committee, though there were twice as many officers with the recon
noitring Expedition. When the Expedition was first planned, Morland of our
Service, was appointed Principal Transport Officer of the Expedition, and I was
to have been his First Assistant; his pay was to have been Rs. 1,500 a month I
believe, and, as far as I know, the appointment was actually made. I left Bom
bay, believing he would follow to take supreme charge of the Transport Depart
ment, but, shortly after arriving, I heard that Captain Try on, R.N., had been
appointed Senior Transport Officer, and I became Harbour-Master. When
Commander May, R.N., relieved me, I was made Bunder-Master, Morland
looking after the Transport Department in Bombay. My duties were multifarious,
and the work grew into a Department with about five European and twelve
native inspectors and £ Muccadums,' a muster of about five hundred natives on
shore, and about twelve hundred afloat in a fleet of one hundred and eighty
native vessels. I never knew the exact number of hands afloat, as the nacodas
were paid in a lump, and provided crews themselves. Besides these, I
good staff of pearl-divers, who constructed the pier-head, and were splendid
fellows. My Department assisted the Engineer, Commissariat, Quartermaster-