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354 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. ;

mendations of the senior naval officer, v^ho was one of those
rare disinterested characters who arc animated by no feelings
of petty jealousy, but can recognize Zealand ability when mani-
fested in other officers than those of their own service. " The
conduct of Captain Maillard of the 'Aurora," he says, "who
anchored close to the town with this ship and the ' Nautilus,' is
truly meritorious ; the well-directed fire he kept up does his
officers and njen great credit."
To assist in the siege operations a body of five hundred sea-
men was landed from H.M's and the Hon. Company's ships, and
was placed under command of Lieutenant Campbell, First of
the ' Liverpool,' an officer who displayed in no common degree
the qualities of energy and resource for which the British Navy
is so pre-eminently distinguished. During the arduous work
in the batteries, the contingent from the Company's cruisers,
serving on shore with their officers, vied with their brethren of
the Royal Service in the ardour and zeal with which they worked
the guns.
Some account of the defences of Ras-ul-Khymah at this time,
derived from an officer of the Bombay Marine who was present,
will properly preface a narrative of the operations which resulted
in its capture and final abasement from its position as the
capital of as powerful and warlike a race of pirates as any in
the East. " The town was walled in along the sea face, across
the end nearest the point, and also across the south-west face,
the walls, which were well built, being about nine feet high and
two feet thick. At intervals were round towers about twenty
feet high, the lower half of solid masonry, and a small store or
guard-room between this portion and the roof which was sur-
rounded by a parapet with loopholes for guns instead of embra-
sures. The side next the creek was open, but had a number of
guns planted along it. To the southward of the town was a
square fort, or ghuny, in which were mounted some small guns.
On the island of Mahara, opposite the town, was also a strong
tower, and there were several more in the date groves. The
number of men in the town at the time of the arrival of the
Expedition is said to have amounted to near seven thousand,
but, from various enquiries I have made since, I do not think
it exceeded at an}^ time four thousand. These consisted of the
Joasmis, Taal, Shahine, and Motarish tribes, and there were
also about one thousand mercenaries who had been in the Mah-
ratta service. A very large portion of the property of the place
was removed, on the arrival of the Expedition, to the date groves
most of the women and children were also sent there, and the
chief Hassan Bin Rahma, with his brother Ibrahim, prepared
for the defence."
The following narrative of the operations before Ras-ul-
Khyraah, embracing a few circumstantial details, is from an