'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎360] (379/622)

360
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
until the approach of the first division, which, in the order above
mentioned, now steamed up to the attack. At about six o'clock
they anchored in close order in line a-head, and opened a deli
berate well-directed fire. The enemy's batteries opened alono-
the whole line of defence, and with considerable effect on the
hulls and rigging. The roar of the guns was tremendous, and
the shells could be seen bursting in and among the defences in
all directions. Many Arabs at first were seen sitting on the
Turkish banks, coolly smoking, and watching the proceedings;
but some Persian shot flying over the ships, and lodging in the
bank close to them, soon sent them off. In half an hour the
' Ferooz/ followed by the ' Assaye,' slowly passed the south
fort and opened a tremendous fire on the north fort. It was a
beautiful sight. The ' Ferooz's ' ensign staff, shot away, was
hanging over the stern, and the white ensign from her main
mast head also came floating down, but others were quickly
hoisted. The rattle of musketry was now joined to the roar of
the guns, the enemy keeping up a well sustained fire from a
long mud wall and the parapets of the forts, which was replied
to by small armed parties of riflemen and infantry, who were
stationed on board each vessel. The first division lost no time
in joining the 'Ferooz' and ' Assaye,' the steamers forming in
line ahead in the following order, two to three hundred yards
from the forts ' Ajdaha,' ' Ferooz,'' Assaye,' ' Semiramis,' and
' Victoria,' the 'Clive' and ' Falkland' engaging the south fort;
the latter ship, which had been somewhat prematurely cast off
by the ' Victoria,' making all sail, while under fire, in splendid
style. The effects of the well directed fire at so short a range,
were soon visible. The forts, whose parapets were twenty feet
thick, were reduced to heaps of mud, and most of the guns
buried in or choked with the ruins of their casemated embra
sures. The signal for the small steamers and vessels with the
Army to advance was now made. Captain Rennie pulling down
through the fire to accelerate this movement. The way in
which the vessels were brought up, crammed with troops, was
beautiful. The forts were not yet entirely silenced; and a field-
piece had been quietly brought down half a mile below the
south fort to fire at them as they came up; but fortunately
very little damage was done, owing to the fact that all these
vessels were also barricaded with hay-bales. The 'Berenice,'
which had fifteen hundred men on board, was struck repeatedly.
Such of the merchant captains as possessed a piece of ordnance
fired away at this field-piece, and most of them lay claim to the
honour of dismounting it, although it seems to have been soon
put up again, and was not silenced till the 'Falkland' had fired
several broadsides into the date-trees where it was hidden.
The fight was now over. Just on the approach of this second
fleet, the first magazine exploded. The effect was electric—a