'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎229] (248/622)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY.
229
burnt fiercely. One shell which fell in the trench closed our
magazine door with a mound of earth, and we had to dig out
our magazine man, who fancied he had himself been blown up
with all his cartridges. But some of the shells had buried
themselves in the fascines of the breastwork, and the long
fuzes had soon set them in a blaze in several places at the
same time, and all we could do was to save the guns being
burnt with the battery. The covering the embrasures with
hides also proved to be quite inefficient, for the explosion from
the guns tore the skins away and left the fascines bare. The
battery was erected under the orders of the present Lord Napier
of Magdala."
Of the movements of the Indus flotilla up to the 11th of
January, Commander Powell says:—" The 6 Comet' and 'Con
queror,' steamers, are still above Mooltan, stopping all water
communication. The e Napier ? and ' Meteor ? are stationed off
Raj Ghaut, protecting the bridge and pontoon boats, also those
the siege train came up in, and the 4 Meanee' is towing up com
missariat grain boats to the same ghaut. The 4 Planet' also
arrived there yesterday, with two 10-inch mortars, six hundred
and thirty shells, and forty-four bales of clothing; she is now
having a few repairs made good, and will be held ready for
service down river." Again, writing under date the 25th of
January, he says:—"The 'Meteor' and 4 Comet,' steamers, left
Eaj Ghaut on the 14th and 16th of January for Scinde, the
former to bring up treasure from Sukkur, and the latter, with a
number of wounded officers, for Kurrachee. Since the with
drawal of the 'Cornet,' the 'Conqueror' has been employed
about Mooltan, stopping all communication by the river; but
as this is no longer required by the Assistant Resident, orders
were sent yesterday, directing Mr. M'Laurin to drop down to the
junction of the Ravee, and assist in making a bridge of boats
over that river. The boats, in charge of Mr. Acting Second-
Master Somerville, left Raj Ghaut this morning, accompanied
by the ' Meanee' steamer, with the engineer officers and a com
pany of sappers, who are to make the bridge. The 6 Planet/
steamer, is still at Raj Ghaut, where she has been employed
with the 6 Napier' for some time past, in guarding the fleet of
boats with government stores on board, and preventing the
enemy crossing the river. The ' Satellite,' 6 Assyria,' and
' Nimrod,' steamers, have been chiefly employed in Lower
Scinde, under the orders of Senior Lieutenant Drought, who, as
well as all the officers in charge of the tenders and their crews,
together with the other officers and men of the flotilla, have
evinced the greatest zeal in the performance of the arduous
duties which have devolved on them, during the recent move of
the Bombay division to Mooltan; and I beg to submit the en
closed copy of a letter from Brigadier the Hon. H. Dundas, C.B.,