two hours' duration, the tide beginning to fail, the commodore was obliged to wear round and drop down the river. Both the Research, Asseergurh, Asia, Felix, and Isabella, took the ground and remained fast for several hours near the batteries; but the enemy made no attempt to fire at or molest them. The loss was severe : here Major Schalch lost his life, with Mr. Rogers, second officer of the Research, and three privates of the 54th regt. ; the wounded amounted to thirty-two.-Cal. Gov. Gaz. The whole of the Arracan coast appears to be inaccurately described in the charts, and full of dangers. The unsuccessful result of the attack on Chambala did not derange the plans of Brig. Gen. Morrison, whose line of march did not approach the stockade. On the 17th March he had approached to within fourteen miles of Arracan, without the loss of a man. On that day the elephants, with a preparation of draught cattle, reached his camp, and an immediate advance was to take place. It appears certain that the enemy received reinforcements from Ava via Talak; but the estimate of their number has diminished from 20,000 to 2,000. The greater part of the Burmese troops lately stationed at Khione Peela had been withdrawn, and the enemy were said to have concentrated their force at Muhat-hee, a place twelve miles distant from the British camp, where the first serious opposition was expected. His further progress may be gathered from the following extracts: Camp, Key-Kraingdong, March 14.The reports prevalent in camp at present are extremely at variance with each other, but it is generally imagined that the Burmese, encouraged by their late success in repelling the attack of the ships at Chambolla, will make a stand either at Mahatee or Arracan itself. Hence, ere long, you will probably hear of a rencontre between us and them; but as we have now got over our twelve pounders, they will in all probability find an enemy to contend with very different to any they have hitherto met in this quarter. The weather has of late been very sultry, the thermometer in my tent frequently rising above 95° at noon, and the wind occasionally is dry and hot as at the commencement of the hot winds in the upper provinces. Fowls are here in great abundance, and of the finest breed perhaps in India, being large and fat. The people in the villages present no appearance of poverty, but on the contrary are in good condition and have all the appearance of being fed. Their features correspond closely with those of the Malays; but I have discovered no traces of opium smoking, although the use of the pandoo, or pipe formed of a long hollow reed with an earthern chillum at the extremity, is universal as in Java. The women are here observed employed in various occupations, such as pounding rice, and making and mending mats, one or two instances of which I have observed in passing through the village of Paisamar. They are without exception the ugliest race upon which I ever set eyes, being in general much taller and more masculine in their appearance than the Malay women. The Mugs are apparently friendly to us, and I have no doubt will hereafter be rendered a most useful class of our subjects. In every village is at least one school superintended by several Pongrees or priests, who instruct their pupils exactly on the Lancasterian principle, every boy being furnished with a black painted board covered with pounded charcoal, on which the writing is performed by means of a pen or pencil made of steatite or soap stone. So far as I can judge, every Mug is acquainted with his alphabet, and enabled to read and write; but of course this must be received with limitation, as I have as yet had very limited opportunities of making inquiries into their character and manners. [Scotsman, Mar. 29. Gen. Morrison's Camp, March 24."We expect to march to-morrow in advance, and on Monday we shall force the Pada Pass, which is within five miles of Arracan." Some officers who had gone out reconnoitring, had proceeded as far as this pass, and were fired on by the enemy. It is formed by the river or nullah on one side and a mountain of some elevation on the other, and is south of Arracan. The capital is said to be strongly situated, between two rivers or nullahs, and having in front and on the opposite side of the river a fort called the Bundoolah's fort, and also a strong stockade to the west. By the line of march which General Morrison has pursued, he has avoided many of the nullahs by which the country is intersected; and from his present position in the capital, there is scarcely a single nullah to impede him. Chambola, where the stockade attacked by Commodore Hayes is situated, lies to the N. W. of Kainkrungdyng, where Gen. Morrison was at the date of the last accounts, and is distant about seven or eight miles, and about ten from the capital.-[Cal. John' Bull, April 5. Letters from Brig.gen. Morrison's camp, of the 30th of March, mention that the Chambala stockade had been evacuated by the enemy, and afterwards totally destroyed by our gun-boats. Arracan, at that date, had not been attacked, but was closely invested, the Burmese being strongly posted on the summits of the surrounding hills, which completely command the fort.-[Ibid., April 7. We have seen a letter from Chittagong of April 3, which, in a short postscript, says, says, that letters had been received from Ramoo announcing that Arracan is taken. We are ourselves disposed to believe it; but up to a late hour we could not obtain any further confirmation of its being true. -Ibid., April 9. [When the Albion left Calcutta, 16th April, it was understood that Arracan had fallen, but the fact is uncertain.] CACHAR. The operations in this quarter are suspended by reason of the weather. Cachar, March 11.-"The state of the road through the forest now beggars all attempt at description; the rain which fell during February made it so soft, that the cattle sunk, and could not extricate themselves without assistance. Attempts were made to repair the road by putting grass and reeds over the worst places; in the mean time we have had several successive days of heavy rain, which has made it infinitely worse. "The necessity of supplying the local battalion and pioneers with provisions became daily more urgent; and as many of the elephants were already done up, and about 300 Binjarrah bullocks lost in the mud, a supply was sent forward by the coolies: a thousand are said to have been sent, out of which only 250 reached their destination. "It is most distressing to see the poor Binjarrahs it must be seen to be adequately felt. Fancy the bullocks up to their backs in a quagmire; some that succeeded in throwing their loads struggled out of the mud, and only escaped a miry grave to die on the road side. Many elephants, public as well as private, have been lost. No means that could be devised, in such weather, would be of any avail. Troops accompanied by artillery, and dependant on cattle for the carriage of their supplies, cannot move after such a deluge of rain. A few days ago the weather cleared up, and held out the most flattering prospect of enabling us to cross the forest, when suddenly the weather changed, and it rained incessantly. There is yet a month or six weeks before the regular rains set in, during which it is barely possible to reach Munipore lightly equipped: the thing seems quite out of the question with a force on the present scale. The 16th locals are near to a place called Noonshy, beyond the forest; the pioneers. are repairing the damage done by the heavy rain, and the 3d brigade, Blair's horse, artillery, and the head-quarters, remain at Banskandy. The loss in elephants has been very severe to individuals who have preceded the 3d brigade. The weather to-day promises to clear up, but it will require a considerable time of dry weather to make the road passable."[Ind. Gaz, March 21. "Camp in Cachar, March 23.-"The force that passed through the forest has been obliged to fall back, in consequence of the very inclement state of the weather, which prevented supplies being sent on to them. The attempt to supply provisions by means of small boats going up the Jeeree nullah failed, from the numerous rapids, and strong current. With the exception of the 4th brigade, the whole of the troops in Cachar are now concentrated at Banksandy. The loss sustained in elephants, camels, and bullocks has been very great indeed; as well as grain, that was from necessity abandoned in the forest. The weather continues in the most unsettled state; there is no dependence whatever on the climate-one day it looks as clear and dry as if the hot winds were approaching, and before midnight we have thunder, lightning, and rain in torrents. We expect daily to receive orders regarding our future operations: the idea of penetrating to Munni. pore with the force originally destined for that service must now be abandoned, and there is scarcely time, before the setting in of the regular rains, to make another attempt with a detachment on a less extensive scale. The pioneers have had a most arduous time of it; they have been employed three months working in a thick swampy forest, and lately the numerous carcasses were sufficient to create a pestilence: it is wonderful so few of the advance party have returned sick, considering what they have been exposed to. It is supposed Gumbeer Sing will not try, with his legion, to get to Munnipore. One thing is very certain—that he is materially interested in getting there; and if he will make the attempt, with ten or twelve days' provisions on the men's backs, the thing is by no means impracticable.”—[Ibid., April 4. Bankundy, March 26.-The rains had fairly set in at Munnipore, and operations there are at an end until next November.. Gumber Singh, the Cachar Rajah, remains at Banskundy with his Munniporees, about 1,200 strong... Capt. Dudgeon's corps will occupy a position in advance towards Sylhet; and in this manner a chain of communication will be kept up between Sylhet and Banskundy. Blair's horse, and the cattle of the division, will take up their quarters in the Jynteeal Rajah's territories, between Sylhet and Budderpore, on some elevated ground in that country, and the Brig. Gen. and staff will be stationed at Dacca and Sylhet.- Cal. John Bull, April 5. ASSAM. Rungpore, Feb. 27.-The boats are now twenty-two miles from camp, and the public cattle have to bring all supplies from thence, which is no small labour, through swamps and jungle; and having had rain nearly every day for the last ten days, has made it worse than ever. There are about 500 men in the fort that came We must over to us, and those who went off by permission (said to be, in number, upwards of 700 men), it is reported cannot get back to their own country, having been attacked and dispersed by a race of people bordering on Assam, ten days' march from this. It is reported they wish to return and give themselves up, but the information is not to be depended on. remain as we are till the arrival of the Governor-General's agent, who will, I suppose, decide on what next is to be done; driving the Burmese out of Assam was the intention, and that being effected, it is thought we shall not move on further at present. There is not a thing to be had, and all hands are in want of supplies.[Ben. Hurk., March 26. Rungpore, March 9.-We are now in full possession of the country; and the campaign, so far as military operations are concerned, is nearly closed. Mr. Scott, the Governor-General's agent, arrived at Rungpore on the 8th; and the final distribution of the force for the rains is soon to be made. Col. Richards, with five companies, is about proceeding to Jeypore, at the foot of the passes, more with the view, it is believed, of gaining as much information as possible, than from any expectation of service.-[Cal. John Bull., March 29, The following documents, referred to in Col. Richards' despatch of Feb. 3 (see p. 209), are not inserted in the London Gazette of July 19, but are necessary to a complete knowledge of the transactions: No. 1. From the Burmese Authorities in Assam, to the Agent to the Governor-General. Moonkoong Aloompoo, and Mueeng-Amah Muntue (the one a Phokun commander-in-chief of the forces, and the other a state counsellor), represent, for the information of the presence who has come into Assam by the orders of the hon. Company's Government, that the Prince of Moonkoong and the Prince of Assam, caste we're brothers, descended from Indra, and as our titles, Swurgee Rajah (celestial princes), signify, alighted from heaven by means of a gold and silver ladder. We participated in equal shares in the territories of Moonkoong and Assam, which we have held, until the present time. The deep friendship we have professed and signified by the endearing terms of brotherhood, remains still unimpaired. A treaty of alliance between, on the one hand, the Princes of Moonkoong and Mueeng, with their statesmen, Phokuns and Barooas, and, on the other, with your Government of Bengal, would realize the attainment of all our common objects. The Assamese letter your agents sent by the hands of our kutkee of Moonkoông, he delivered to me at Jorhat, on the 4th of Puash 1746, Assam era, which I recognized as an authentic document. Should you adhere to your former manifestations, I am willing to meet them. At present a large force, officered by your nation, has advanced as far as from Kanjee Ranga to Mo hoora. Such a demonstration of your troops will prevent the negociation of the terms proposed. If desirous of prosecuting the advance of an accommodation you have made, we are in Assam, here ready to meet them, but must depend for in'structions upon the authorities of our government Asiatic Journ. VOL. XX. No. 118. in Moonkoong, ourselves being merely subordinate agents. The three letters we received from you were sent by an express horseman to Moonkoong, with injunctions to proceed there day and night. The answer to these letters, which we despatched by a kutkee, will reach us five months hence. I am but an inferior agent, and can, consequently, give you no further decisive answer for the present. Do you, until we receive an answer to our despatches, remain with your forces in the neighbour. hood of Kulliabar and Char-Dooar, while we take up our quarters in the vicinity of the country, immediately in advance of Kanjee Ranga. In the meantime, the traders who have come up to vend their wares, will be allowed to traffic as formerly, while you will be expected, in your turn, to reciprocate the privilege. We will make a definitive arrangement upon the return of the answer to our despatches to our government. There exists no enmity between our two nations. No. 2. Translation of a letter from the Agent to the Governor-General, to Suam Phokun and Baglee Phokun. After Compliments. Your letters, in the Bengal and Burmese characters, have been received, and the contents understood. You write, amongst other matters, proposing an armistice, and requesting that the British troops may not advance further until you' receive an answer from Moonkoong, which will take four or five months. My friends, the purport of my former communication to you, was to acquaint you that war having been declared between the hon. Company and the King of Ava, the invincible armies of the former power were advancing by sea and land to the golden capital, and that a favourable opportunity was therefore offered to the people of Moonkoong, and the other conquered states of Assam, to throw off the grievous yoke imposed upon them' by the Burmese. In respect to the kingdom of Assam, our orders are to occupy that country, and to destroy all opposing forces; but considering that you and your countrymen were acting against us by compulsion, we were desirous of affording you an opportunity of returning to your own country unmolested, and there adopting such measures as might enable you to regain your national independence, for which purpose we offered aid in the event of your evincing your sincerity. The proposal you make that our army should halt at Kulliabar, cannot, therefore, be listened to for a moment; nor can we enter into any negocia tion with the Burmese authorities respecting the country of Assam, which, you must well know, we have ample means of occupying, in despite of any opposition the armies of that nation are capable of making. Considering these matters, you will best consult your own safety, and the future welfare of your countrymen, by entering heartily into our cause, and availing yourselves of our aid to re-establish the independence of your country, and avenge yourselves of the many injuries suffer, ed at the hands of the Burmese." D. SCOTT, Ag. Gov.Gen, f Durrung, Jan. 4, 1825, The following is a detail of the force invading Arracan:-Brig.gen. W. Mor, rison, c. B., H.M.'s 44th foot, commanding; Lieut. F. Hawkins, H.M.'s 44th foot, aid-de-camp; Brig.gen. W. Mac Bean, C. B., H.M.'s 54th foot, 2d in command; Lieut. J. Clarke, H.M.'s 54th foot, aid-de-camp; Lieut. F. J. Bellew, 62d regt. N.I., act.mil.sec.; Lieut. W. B. Scott, H.M.'s 44th foot, dep. assist. adj. gen.; Capt. F. Flemming, H.M.'s 44th foot, act. dep. judge adv. gen.; Capt. J. G. Drummond, 6th regt. N.I., dep. assist.qr.master-gen.; Lieut. J. Paton, 58th regt. N.I., do. do.; Capt. Alex. Bannerman, 20th regt. N.I., assist.com. 3 Q gen. gen.; Lieut. J. Frederick, 67th regt.N.I., sub. do. do., detached to Chittagong; Lieut. G. Huish, 27th regt. N.1., do. do. do., detached to Cox's bazar; Lieut. H. Gordon, 27th regt. N.I., dep. paymaster; Capt. Austen, 10th regt. M.N.I.do.do.do., Madras troops; Lieut. Grag, H.M.'s 44th foot, baggage-master; Capt. Drummond, 6th regt. N.I., dep.postmaster; Lieut. R. Wroughton, 63d regt. N.I., surveyor; Lieut. Thompson, eng., field Lieut. Crommelin, eng. do.do.; engineer; T. C. Robertson, esq., civil serv., pol. agent; Lieut. M. Smith, 23d regt. N.I., assist. do. do.; W. Grant, esq., super. surgeon. 1st Infantry Brigade.-Lieut.col. Commandant W. Richards, 26th regt. N.I,, brigadier; Capt. R. Fernie, 27th regt. N.I., major of brigade; his Majesty's 44th foot, under Major J. C. L. Carter; 62d regt. N.I., under Lieut.col. G. T. D'Aguila; 49th regt. N.I., under Lieut. col. T. P. Smith. 2d Infantry Brigade. Lieut.col. C. Grant, C.B., H.M.'s 54th foct, brigadier; Capt. A. Burnet, H. M. 54th foot, major of brigade; H.M.'s 54th foot, under Lieut.col. A. Relly; 42d regt. N.I., under Lieut.col. W. Baker; 62d regt. N.I., under Major B. Roope :-six companies of the 42d are not yet arrived. 5th Infantry Brigade.-Lieut.col. Fair, 10th regt. M. N.I., brigadier; Capt. Anderson, 16th regt. M. N.I., major of bri. gade; 10th regt. M. N.I., under Major Mansell; 16th regt. M. N.I., under Capt. French; Bengal artil., eight 9-pounders, four 12-pounders, four 5-inch howitzers; Madras artil., four 9-pounders; Lieut.col. Lindsay, Bengal Artillery; six companies of pioneers, Capt. Wilkie, 8th regt.; The following miscellaneous intelligence will probably be interesting at the present juncture: The following is a letter dated Soomga, 28th February." Soomga is twenty-five miles from Lain, and two long days' march from the Irawaddy; every thing continued at that date to wear the most favourable aspect: Maha Bundoola had written to the governor of that district, informing him that Paulang and Sarratabem had fallen; and expressing his apprehension that even Donabew might follow: and information had been received from some prisoners, picked up by the cavalry, that he was actually in full retreat up the right bank of the Irawaddy. The only army assembled to dispute our progress was the late force under Maha Siluab, now thoroughly dispersed; the men of the lower provinces returning quietly to their villages; and those from Ava and the upper country, assembling into law Levy of Mug pioneers, Lieut. Scott, artillery; 1st Lt. Inf. bat., Major Bucke, 64th regt. Major Romin, 50th regt. ; 2d regt. local Corps not yet arrived.-2d Lt. Inf. bat., horse, Lieut. Monke; 39th regt., in charge. Flotilla. Commodore Hayes, commanding; Capt. Crawfurd, Bombay ma rine, flag captain. Research, C.'s cruizer, 12 guns, Capt. 12 do., Capt. Guy. 8 do., Capt. Warden, 6 do., Capt. Royce. 6 do., Capt. Higgins. 6 do., Capt. Dyer. 1st division of gun-boats, 10 boats of 1 gun 12 per each, Mr. Reymer. 5th do. do. do. of 2 do. 18 do., Mr. Ravencroft. 7th do., 10 do. of 2 do., Mr. Ellis. 8th do, 10 do. of 2 do., Mr. Humble. Each gun-boat has a havildar's party on board: Gunga Saugor gun-boat, of 1 gun, 6 do., Capt. Purl. Capt. Pridham. Capt. Davies. Capt. Macnell. Indiana transport, 8 guns, Highland Chief (brig), do., 4 do., Capt. Brougham, do. do., 4 do., Capt. Hall. Lord Amherst, do. do., 2 do. Capt. Woodley. And between 30 and 40 transports taken up by Government for the occasion from native merchants and others, with about 250 mug boats.--Scotsman in the East, March 1. less bands, pillaging and burning the de fenceless villages as they pass along, and committing every degree of barbarous cruelty on the helpless Carian tribes. Par ties of these incendiaries are frequently seen at the work of destruction in front of the advancing column; but the cavalry even had little chance of coming up with them, so perfectly are they acquainted with all the local advantages of the country, and so uncommonly expert in availing themselves of them. It is gratifying to observe that the real Burmese inhabitants of the district, in which Soomga is situated, had shewn a disposition to follow the example of the Carian population, of submitting quietly to the fate of war, and remaining peaceably in their houses. On the column arriving at Soomga, three Bur mese deputies from their people, who had fled into the jungles on its approach, came in to ask what was to be done with them; that they were only three, and their lives were were of little value, as their friends and families would take warning by their fate, and retire into the fastnesses of the forest, should they be put to death. On being told that they and their families might return unmolested to their villages, and inhabit them in peace, their first expression was a stare of amazement at lenity they did not understand, and like true Burmese, perhaps a shrewd suspicion that it was only meant to deceive them. When, however, they received a copy of Sir Archibald's proclamation, and a glass of brandy, and were told they might go to their friends and act as they thought best, they undid their hair as a token of submission, and, in the name of their people, accepting our protection; saying, the whole peasantry of the country would follow their example, as it was felt from Rangoon to Ava they could not fight with us. "The troops continued very healthy, and were in condition to undergo any fatigue; our advanced guard of 400 Europeans, mostly old stagers, had marched in one day 23 miles, without a man falling out." The following letter is dated Rangoon, 14th February: "Having a little time to breathe, I will endeavour to give you some idea of this extraordinary place. On our first approach to Rangoon we were struck with the number of king's ships, gun-boats, and other vessels with which the river is crowded opposite the landing-place; then with the appearance of the stockade, near the water's edge, which is now merely a wooden wall with an open-work at top, being sixteen or seventeen feet from the ground; behind this wall is a platform to stand or kneel upon, made of bamboos. These wooden walls are supported by heaps of clay and mud, and outside them are often eight or nine trenches, four feet from each other, and nine feet wide and deep, and in the bottom are stakes of bamboo, hardened by burning, which are also very much scattered about, giving great trouble and many serious wounds; for though not longer or much thicker than the blade of a common knife, still they penetrate the thickest of shoes; while, passing all these obstructions, the Burmese have an opportunity of firing with every security; but having passed these trenches, they do not wait for the bayonet, but scamper off. Their mode of attack is very strange: they extend in line, each man taking five or six feet, which he burrows in, and makes himself perfectly secure from all sorts of shot; he loads, pops up his head and fires, earths again, and repeats this as long as bis ammunition serves. In this manner hundreds may be near you without any sign of them, except the earth they may have thrown up. Rangoon, I should imagine, to be one of their holy cities from the number of buildings to which we have given the name of pagodas; but they appear to be tombs or monu ments. At the base they are square; these are hexagonally pyramidal with a slender spire of tapering form crowned with a fillagree work of gilt iron, resembling the papal crown, with the addition of numerous small bells, which give a not unpleasing tinkling as the zephyrs pass. Of these buildings there are thousands, particularly near the great one, the approach to which, on one side, is through a lane of them, occasionally mixed with colossal figures in a sitting posture, the legs crossed, the right hand pointing downwards, in the peculiar manner, which is to be observed in all the figures sent to Calcutta. The great pagoda is a pile of brick-work similar to the rest, but greatly exceeding them in size and beauty. A side of the base, I think, should measure 100 feet, making the area 10,000 feet square, from which it ascends 200, in hexagons, octagons, decagongs, &c.; the whole, from the base, is gilt. Its position is very elevated, commanding an extensive view, and is well calculated for a fortification, but we have no works of moment about it. By some chance a few of those gilt and plated images were found in the pagoda, and since that, every other has been defaced by a breach sufficient to admit a man. This reminds me of the spoliation of the Grecian temples by the Turks. To these principal objects of notice here, I may add one more; namely, the wharf at the landing-place, which is ycleped Scandal Wharf; it is the course, the mall, the general rendezvous, where are liberally dealt out reports true and false; and any thing not credited is called a shave, which one tells another, without giving offence, saying "that's a shave."-[Beng. Hurk. We have been favoured with a copy of the following letter, which want of room prevented our inserting last month : Extract of a private letter, dated River Sooura, opposite Budderpore, Jan. 1825. In opposition to the opinion of those who have ascertained the condition of the roads to Munnipore, Government has ordered the army to make the attempt. The 7th and 44th regiments left Sylhet on the 2d of Jan.; they were to reach Doodputly about the 17th, from whence they were to march where cattle could be had, which was very uncertain. An officer with the pioneers had got to Banskandy, where the difficulties commence, and as he could make only sixty yards of the road a day, and was four days at one small nullah getting to that place, his progress will now be still slower; a third of his men are in the hospital. The last returns of Col. Innes's brigade, consisting of three regiments, there were only 1,160 3Q 2 men |