Page 483 - INDIANNAVYV1

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HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 451
this circumstance, no doubt, much increased Bundoola's anxiety
to drive us from so important a position."
On the night of the 30th of November, and again during the
night of the 1st of December, the ' Teignmouth ' had been
driven from her position off Kemmendine b}^ fire-rafts, when
she dropped down below the point, to return to hcv station
again, on the first occasion to participate in the furious fighting
of the 1st of December, and again, on the following morning,
when, says Captain Chads, " she was constantly engaged with
the enemy's war-boats, which had long guns in their bows and
annoyed her a great deal."
Captain Chads returned to Rangoon on this day, and ordered
the ' Arachne's ' pinnace, under Lieutenant Kellett, and three
more gunboats, under Mr. Midshipman Coyde, to take up their
stations ofi' Kemmendine, and, on the following day, still fur-
ther to strengthen Major Yates' garrison on the river, H.M.S.
' Sophie,' with three more gunboats, proceeded off that post.
"With the ebb," says Captain Chads, "the enemy again
brought fire-rafts down, not lighting them until within a very
short distance of the ships, with their war-boats firing their
shot over them, to prevent the approach of our boats. The
* Sophie ' cleared them, but the Teignmouth ' was touched, and
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on fire for a short time without damage."
As the enemy's boats had become very bold in their attempts
to fire the 'Sophie' and 'Teignmouth,' a force was sent against
them, consisting of seventy seamen, under the orders of
Lieutenant Kellett, of the ' Arachne,' Lieutenant Goldfinch, of
the 'Sophie,' and Lieutenant Clarke, of the 'Teignmouth,' em-
barked in three ships' boats and six gunboats, under Midship-
men Pickey, Coyde, Scott, i\Iurray, Boscawen, and Lindquist.
Pulling up the river at early morning they came upon the
enemy's war-boats, and, says Captain Chads, " boldly made a
dash upon them, notwithstanding their great number and size."
The enterprise was completely successful, and seven war-boats
were captured, some measuring 83 feet in length, pulling fifty-
two oars, and carrying a 9-pounder. The chase was continued
three or four miles up the river, when the boats returned with
the prizes, and towing a large floating stockade. Captain
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Chads says : " I enclose a report* of this gallant attack, which
* The following is Captain Chads' Report :
" Captain Kvves, having thought it practicable to suiT>i'isc tlie enemy's war-
boats, wlio were annoying the ships with their long gims very eonsiileiiiltly,
placed the whole of his disposable force of Europeans, about seventy in number,
under the orders of Lieutenant Kellett of this ship, and Lieutenant GoUlfincli. of
' Sophie,' Lieutenant Clarke, of the Bombay llarine, with Messrs. I'iokey,
the
Coyde, Scott and Murray, niidshipmcn, Mr. Clarke, and Messrs. Lindquist anil
Boscawen, Bombay Marine, in charge of the gunboats. The force was jiut into
the three men-of-war's boats and six gunboats, and, as the men went down on
the morning of the -llh inst., shoved olf, and pulling up on the contrary side to
the war-bouts, by daylight came abreast, and boldly made a dash at them, uot-
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