Page 387 - INDIANNAVYV1

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 355 ;
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officer of the Royal Army who was present: " The batteries
of the town b(jre directly on the entrance of the port—the har-
bour was full of shippinj^—the main land on the opposite coast
appeared picturesque and verdant, with innumerable date trees,
and the mountains of Arabia reared their dim, hazy outline
in the background. The place of our encampment and soil
of the tongue of land was parched, sandy, and herbless. Two
thousand of the Imaum's troops joined us : they had forced the
passes in the hills, deemed iujpregnable, and brought in some
prisoners.
" Parties of seamen were landed to assist in the erection of
the batteries. Smart skirmishing took place during the 4th
the rifle company of the 65th advanced within twenty yards of
the largest fort and reconnoitred. The gunboats particularly
distinguished themselves by their activity.
"The hrst line of trenches having been made by means of
sandbags, an advanced battery opened on the place at the dis-
tance of three hundred yards. A mortar battery to the right
was served very effectively. There was a gun from one of the
enemy's batteries which enfiladed the trenches, whilst we could
get none of our artillery to bear on it. It did considerable
execution among the men. ]\Iajor Molesworth of the 47th
mounted the parapet of the trench, to reconnoitre more minutely,
and in an instant fell back in the trench, his head blown to
atoms. At length, however, we succeeded in silencing the piece.
The ships of war having approached nearer the town, in con-
junction with our batteries, opened a most vigorous fire on the
morning of the 5th. Shells were thrown witli evident eft'oct.
The giuiboats contributed as before their powerful assistance.
Towards the close of the (lav's work a Joasmi sj)y was brought
in prisoner ; he informed us that the enemy h;id suffered great
loss, nearly ninety killed, besides wounded. The Sheikh's
brother had lost his leg by a cannon-shot.
" The duties of the seamen in the trenches were severe and
unremitting. Whilst the soldiers were relieved every four
hours, the sailors remained frequently twenty-four hours, without
any rest or respite. Jack grumbled a good deal at this unfair
distribution, though he did not work tlie less strenuously. It
was not a little vexatious to be saluted with a "good night" by
several parties in succession as they quitted the trenches, with
the prospect of comparative comfort in the camp, whilst the jioor
fellows left behind luul to pass the time as they best could. The
firing from the ships and batteries still continued on the (ith,
that of the Arabs was very faint, and they evidently did not
possess much ammunition, as large stone shot came hailing in
upon us, but often wide of the mark. As soon as a discharge
was made from our guns, the Arabs were seen leaping out of
the embrasures to pick up the round shot, which they imnie-
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