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258 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.

tained this blockade under the most disconranjing conditions,
the captains of the crnisers received the thanks of" the Lieute-
nant-Governor. After toiichinjij at Pontiana to procure boats
to ascend the river and other necessaries, the expedition
arrived, on the 22nd of June, off the mouth of the Sambas,
where there is a considerable mud flat, extending a distance of
four or five miles out to sea, but without a regular bar. Vessels
drawing 13 feet may get over it at high-water springs, but
at ordinary high tides there is only 11 feet, with 9 feet at the
ebb. Twelve miles above the bar the river branches into two
parts ; the broad, or northern, branch is called the Borneo river,
and the other, leading to Sambas, known as the Landa river, is
extremely serpentine, deep to the very bushes on both sides, and
quite clear of natural obstructions up to the town, except near
Siminis Creek, about ten miles below the fort, where a reef of
rocks runs out into the stream. About five or six leagues up
the Landa branch, and about thirteen from the sea, stands the
town and palace of Sambas, on the confluence of that river with
the Salako. On the right bank of the former, and about a
league below the town, was a strong fort, having two tiers of
guns, built of two rows of large piles, the interstices being
filled with mud and stone. A boom was constructed across the
river, one-eighth of a mile below this fort ; and, on the opposite
bank, was a second powerful fort, having a cross fire with the
other battery, while in the rear of both were redoubts, the
whole commanding a reach of the river one mile and a half in
extent. The land makes an elbow at this point, which obliged
the 'Barracouta' to haul athwart the river to get her broadside
to bear; and it was while thus engaged, after having made an
ineffectual attempt to burst through the boom, which was
placed originally across the stream, that she drew upon herself
the fire of the heavy batteries, and experienced considerable
loss. The river also at this point is very narrow and winding,
rendering it difiicult to proceed under sail.
On arriving at the mouth of the river, the frigates remained
outside the mud flat or bar, but the sloops and cruisers tried to
run over it. The 'Aurora,' not drawing more than eleven feet,
managed to do so, but the ' Hecate,' ' Procris,' ' Malabar,' and
' Teignmouth,' after running in a squall, stuck fast about the
middle; the njud being soft, anchors were laid out, and, by in-
cessant labour, in four days they were hove through and entered
the river. The disembarkation of the troops, consisting of about
seven hundred or eight hundred Europeans and six hundred
Sepoys, commenced on the 2ord June, the day after the arrival of
the ships, and, by the 25th, the whole of them, together with the

the fair way, in communication (by signal) with us, the mrire effectually to prevent
any egress by the channels farther southward, all the other branches being care-
fully watched from without."