nd continued for
about half-an-hour; when, as it was noticed that the Marabouts were
gradually leaving the mosque and all going in one direction, a
reconnoitring party of ten men, under Lieutenant F.J. Connell, 1st West
India Regiment, was sent to the northern side of the town. Lieutenant
Connell, on reaching the town gate, found from 1800 to 2000 natives
armed with fire-arms, spears, bows and arrows, formed in a semicircle,
from eight to ten deep, facing the small picket that had been there
posted. The whole of the main body, with the seamen and marines, was at
once ordered up, and took up a position on the plateau to the north of
the town, facing the natives, while a detached party occupied the walls
and gates. At first there was a disposition on the part of the natives
to resist this movement, but it was so rapidly executed that they were
taken by surprise, and, losing cohesion, they soon after gradually
dispersed.

The king, Bamba Mima Lahi, now signified his desire to come to terms,
promised to comply with all demands, and to pay one thousand dollars as
a fine for his offences. The force accordingly re-embarked, the object
of the expedition having been effected without bloodshed, and returned
to Sierra Leone on December 6th. The following letter may be of
interest:

"H.M.S. BRITOMART,
"_Sierra Leone, December 6th, 1854._

"SIR,

"In bringing back the troops that have been embarked on board the
_Prometheus_ and landed at Malageah, and who, whilst afloat, have
been under my command, I beg to bear testimony to their quiet,
orderly, and zealous conduct, both afloat and ashore, where, had it
not been for the above good qualities, collision would have been
inevitable.

"To Captains Rookes, Mockler, and Fletcher, and the officers of the
force, I beg to return my sincere thanks for their zealous and
active co-operation; further comment on my part would be
presumptuous.

"A. HESELTINE,
"Commander and Senior Naval Officer.

"Lieutenant-Colonel Foster,
"Commanding troops."

On the 14th of December, the Gambia contingent sailed for the Gambia in
the Colonial steamer _Dover_, and the garrison of Sierra Leone remained
at its ordinary strength of three companies.

In May, 1855, as the King of Malageah had not observed the stipula