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HISTORY OF THE INDIAX NAVY. 131
shot. The Commodore of the Peishwa's ships was one Naroo
Punt, a man who had gained military distinction on land, but
who behaved in the most dastardly manner on this occasion.
In about four hours the enemy's fire was silenced, and, at
noon, a great part of the parapet of the north-east bastion, near
to which the 'Protector' lay, and the work itself, were in ruins.
About this time a shell exploded and set fire to one of the store-
houses, which the Commodore perceiving, he prevented the
enemy from interfering with the progress of the flames by
pouring in a hot fire of musketry ; one of the magazines soon
blew up, and thereby the fire was communicated thrt)Ug'nout the
entire fort. At eleven at night the grand magazine blew up
with a tremendous shock. When it was seen that the fort
could no longer be held, the garrison abandoned the place and
attempted to escape to Fort Goa, but were all intercepted and
made prisoners by the English ships. This fort, also, soon after
surrendered, and, immediately on the fact being known, the two
remaining forts, which were besieged by the Mahratta troops,
hung out flags of truce.
Whilst the Mahrattas were marching to take possession of
Fort Goa, the Governor, perceiving that the Commodore had not
yet occupied Severndroog, got into a boat with some of his most
trusty men, and crossed over to the island, hoping to be able
to maintain the fort until he should receive assistance
from Uabul, which is not far distant. Upon this the 'Protector'
renewed her fire upon Severndroog, and the Commodore, finding
that the Governor wanted to protract the dclence until night,
when it was not to be doubted that some boats from Dabul would
endeavour to throw reinforcements into ttie place, landed,
under cover of the fire of the ships, half his seamen, who, with
great intrepidity, ran up to the gate, and cutting down the
sallyport with their axes, forced their way into it; upon this
the garrison surrende'red. " This," says Orme, " was all the
work of one day, in which the spirited resolution of Commodore
James destroyed the timorous prejudices which had for twenty
years been entertained of the impracticability of reducing any of
Angria's fortified harbours."
In the fort were found a quantity of stores belonging to the
' Derby' and three Dutch ships captured in the previous year.
On the 8tli of April, the fleet and army proceeded to Pancoot,
a fort commanding a river ten miles to the north of Severn-
droog. This place, terrified by the fate of the latter, surren-
dered on the first summons, and the Commodore took [>ossession
of it in accordance with the terms of the treaty.*
Raraajee Punt was so elated by these successes, that he olTercd
* The country about Bancoot, being subject to tlie Seedce, was inliabilod by
Mabommedans, who suppHed Bombay with cattle, which were very dillieuh to
procure in other parts of" the coast, as the Iliiuloo Kajahs worship the cow, and
regard the killing of that aniuial as the greatest of crimes.
K 2