n triumphantly waving over its battlements. The greater
part of the town was reduced to ashes. The bazaar, the principal place
of merchandize, and most of the private dwellings were consumed by fire.
The triumph had now been completed over the Malays; ample satisfaction
had been taken for their outrages committed upon our own countrymen, and
the bugle sounded the return of the ship's forces; and the embarkation
was soon after effected. The action had continued about two hours and a
half, and was gallantly sustained both by officers and men, from its
commencement to its close. The loss on the part of the Malays was near a
hundred killed, while of the Americans only two lost their lives. Among
the spoils were a Chinese gong, a Koran, taken at Mahomet's fort, and
several pieces of rich gold cloth. Many of the men came off richly laden
with spoils which they had taken from the enemy, such as rajah's scarfs,
gold and silver chunam boxes, chains, ear rings and finger rings,
anklets and bracelets, and a variety of shawls, krisses richly hilted
and with gold scabbards, and a variety of other ornaments. Money to a
considerable amount was brought off. That nothing should be left undone
to have an indelible impression on the minds of these people, of the
power of the United States to inflict punishment for aggressions
committed on her commerce, in seas however distant, the ship was got
underway the following morning, and brought to, with a spring on her
cable, within less than a mile of the shore, when the larboard side was
brought to bear nearly upon the site of the town. The object of the
Commodore, in this movement, was not to open an indiscriminate or
destructive fire upon the town and inhabitants of Quallah Battoo, but to
show them the irresistible power of thirty-two pound shot, and to reduce
the fort of Tuca de Lama, which could not be reached on account of the
jungle and stream of water, on the morning before, and from which a fire
had been opened and continued during the embarkation of the troops on
their return to the ship. The fort was very soon deserted, while the
shot was cutting it to pieces, and tearing up whole cocoa-trees by the
roots. In the afternoon a boat came off from the shore, bearing a flag
of truce to the Commodore, beseeching him, in all the practised forms of
submission of the east, that he would grant them peace, and cease to
fire his big guns. Hostilities now ceased, and the Commodore informed
them that