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340 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
hours, when the sj'rang received a severe wound and was carried
below ; in about an hour after, the tindal, who had assumed the
command, was killed by a shot in the stomach ; the three bag-
halahs had by this time closed, and, instantly boarding, by force
of numbers overpowered the brave little crew of the ' Deriah
Dowlut.' Some jumped overboard, and others into the hold,
and out of a crew of thirty-three, seventeen were murdered,
eight were carried prisoners to Ras-ul-Khymah, and the re-
mainder, being wounded, were landed on the coast and proceeded
to Bombay. The ' Deriah Dowlut' only mounted two 12-pounder
and three 2-pounder.iron guns, while the pirate vessels carried
each six 9-pounders, and had crew^s of from one hundred to two
hundred men, armed with swords, spears, and creeses. But
their next venture was not equally successful.
In this same month of January, they attempted to cut off a
large baghalah laden with treasure, in tow of the ' Aurora,'
fourteen guns. Captain Jeakes, upon which the cruiser wore
round and fired into them. After a smart action, during which
Captain Jeakes exhibited seamanlike skill of a high order, in
manoeuvring his ship so as to prevent the pirates from capturing
his convoy, the enemy were beaten oif and made sail. In this
affair the Joasmi fleet consisted of about fifteen dhow^s and
trankies, and the fire of the 'Aurora' was so sustained and
accurate that she sank many of them, the remainder making
their escape under cover of night.
Captain Richard Kinchant, who was Acting-Lieutenant on
board the ' Aurora,' writes to us of this action : " At Bushire we
received orders from the Political Resident of the Persian Gulf,
Captain Bruce, formerly of the Bombay Marine, to convoy to
Muscat, on our way to Bombay, a large baghalah containing a
considerable amount of treasure for the Imaum of Muscat. On
our passage down the Gulf, one evening a little before sunset,
we fell in without about fifteen dhows and trankies, and they
looked to me like a forest of masts ahead with all sails down.
We looked well to the baghalah astern, in tow of us, knowing
that their object in laying in wait for us was to cut her off.
The ' Aurora ' stood on her course with a light nor'-wester,
steering right through the fleet, and as we approached we gave
them both broadsides, shotted with grape or canister, which told
well. During the action that ensued we sank many and dis-
abled others. We had to pay great attention to our convoy to
prevent their cutting her tow-rope, and some of the smaller
craft, pulling twenty oars, ventured near at times for that pur-
pose. Captain Jeakes directed me to superintend the manage-
ment of the baghalah, so I was on the poop of the 'Aurora' the
whole time, and had no very easy task in keeping so towering a
vessel close to the 'Aurora' without great risk, and small shot
came fast and thick among us on the poop. We continued to