"تاريخ البحرية الهندية. (١٦١٣- ١٨٦٣)." [‎٢‎٥‎٣] (٦٢٢/٢٧٢)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY.
253
balls, and the fi Pegu' received some shot in the main boom.
There were many remarkable escapes ; an officer's hat was shot
through with a jingall ball, and immediately afterwards the
sleeve of his coat received a bullet. The boats of the 6 Zenobia'
and the 4 Pegu' returned on the following day to the anchorage
off the creek. The fatigue and exposure undergone by both
officers and men rendered the work very arduous, the seamen
bein^ on their oars nearly the whole of the time, and
constantly wet through. Eighteen canoes were captured
in all.
On the 3rd of June an Expedition was despatched to Pegu,
about seventy-five miles nearly north of Rangoon, consisting of
a detachment of troops, under Major Cotton of the 67th Regi
ment; the 'Phlegethon,' five boats from H.M.S. 'Fox,' and a
paddle-box boat from the ' Moozuffer/ under Mr. Midshipman
Harding, the whole under Commander Tarleton,* commanding
the Irrawaddy flotilla. Pegu was captured on the 4th with
small loss, and the force, after destroying the fortifications,
returned to Rangoon on the following day.
Early in the month of July an Expedition was undertaken
by Commander Tarleton against the important city of Prome,
and the officers and men of the 6 Medusa/ Lieutenant Eraser,
greatly distinguished themselves. The 6 Medusa,' with Com
mander Tarleton on board, proceeded up the river as far as
Yeanjun, where she anchored on the 7th of July, having been
joined on the way by the steamers 'Proserpine' and 'Mahanuddy.'
This place was deserted both by the enemy and its inhabitants,
and the crews were compelled to procure their own fuel; while
thus employed, the 4 Phlegethon'joined company, and, there being
coal sufficient to supply the other vessels, the four steamers,
accompanied by three boats from the ' Fox,' immediately pro
ceeded. At two p.m., when opposite to Konnonghee, a large
number of armed men were observed collected on the bank, but,
on a shell being fired amongst them, they immediately dis
appeared, either into the jungle or some trenches near the
water's edge, whence they opened a most vigorous fire from
muskets and five or six guns. The flotilla remained abreast
their position for an hour, shelling the enemy, but no decided
impression could be made on them, as they were protected by
the embankment. The work could have been captured by run
ning one of the small steamers alongside and landing the
seamen; but Commander Tarleton was of opinion that this
service could not have been performed without considerable loss,
as the jungle covering the bank offered the enemy a secure
retreat, and, moreover, he had. received strict injunctions only
to reconnoitre. Under these circumstances he very wisely de-
* Despatch of Commander Tarleton, dated H.M.S. ' Fox/ Rangoon, the 8tli of
June, 1852. 6