Page 492 - INDIANNAVYV1

460 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN XAVY.

followed, on the IGtli, by the water column ; but, before
detailing the services of the Marine with the latter throughout
the arduous campaign that ensued, we will briefly refer to the
capture of Bassein, in which the ' Mercury' participated.
After a tedious voyage the Expedition arrived off the mouth
of the Bassein River on the 24th, and, on the 26th, weighed
and stood in for the river—the ' Mercury,' owing to her light
draft of water, leading. At noon the first stockade commenced
firing, and shortly afterwards, the ' Larne' and 'Mercury' took
up their positions within a hundred yards; the enemy's fire
was soon silenced when the troops landed and destroyed the work
and guns. The ships then proceeded to the next stockade, and,
says Major Sale, " the effects of the guns from the ' Larne' and
' Mercury' were as decided as before f these works were also
destroyed and the guns spiked. The Expedition proceeded up
the river on the following day, and ran past four deserted
stockades, three of which stood in commanding situations on
the island of Negrais. Erora this point, the stream being very
narrow, and the wind strong and contrary, the ascent became
extremely arduous ; the ships often getting on shore and towing
and warping day and night, till the evening of the 3rd of
March, when they anchored about three miles below Bassein,
which had been almost entirel}^ burnt to the ground by the
people, who had then deserted it. The troops were landed,
and, a few days later. Major Sale made a reconnaissance to
Lamena, about one hundred and forty miles distant, with three
hundred soldiers, and seventy seamen, proceeding up the river
in boats and bivouacking at night upon the banks. The villages
as well as Lamena, were foiuid to be deserted, and, on the 2ord,
the force returned to Bassein with several war-canoes. On the
15th of April Captain Marryat assumed command of the
' Tees,' twenty-six guns, and, in May, finally quitted Burmah.
The water column, under Brigadier-General Cotton, having
left Rangoon on the 16th of Eebruary, burnt several stockades
on the 17th and LStli, and, on the following day, arrived before
Panlang, the extensive stockade of which, though of great
strength and garrisoned by three or four thousand men, was
captured after a feeble resistance, the flotilla co-operating by
their fire with a shore battery of three mortars and two guns.
At Panlang stockade a post was established, and the 'Satellite'
remained behind to assist in its defence, as her draft of water
caused her to take the ground. On the 25th of Eebruary the
General, with the flotilla, proceeded to Mezle, about ten miles
from Panlang, and, on the following day, reached a point
eighteen miles higher up, where the shallows commenced and
the larger vessels grounded. On the 27th it was found
necessary to unload the ' Diana' and gun-vessels, for which
purpose boats were allotted, and the remainder of the flotilla