on shore. The British
instantly advanced; and before the Burmese could recover from their
surprise at a movement so little expected, the place was carried without
another casualty. HMS _Fox_ had three men wounded, and the _Phlegethon_
one seaman killed.

The force, after destroying the fortifications, returned to Rangoon on
the 5th.

EXPEDITION UP THE IRRAWADDY.

It being important to ascertain the number and position of the enemy
posted on the banks of the Irrawaddy, Commodore Lambert directed Captain
Tarleton to take under his orders HMS _Medusa_ and three Company's
steamers, and to proceed up the river for the purpose of obtaining that
information. Accordingly, on the 6th of July, the vessels proceeded up
the Irrawaddy.

At a place called Konnoughee, twenty-five miles below Prome, a large
body of armed men were observed collected on the banks; and on a shell
being fired among them, they opened a vigorous fire from six guns and
from a large number of musketry. At a short distance from Prome the
river divides into two streams,--the left, or western, being the
deepest, and the only navigable branch at any season but the rainy one.
At sunset the expedition anchored off Meaoung. At daylight on the 8th
it again weighed, and proceeded till within sight of an extensive
fortification, crowning the end of a ridge of hills 300 feet high,
terminating abruptly at the town of Akouktoung, which completely
commands the river. Here, the position being strongly fortified, a
Burmese army of about 10,000 men had been assembled, under General
Bundoola, to guard the passage to Prome and the capital. Captain
Tarleton having been warned of the resistance he would meet, and hearing
from the native pilots that at that season the eastern stream was
navigable, determined to try it. Instead, therefore, of keeping on, to
the disappointment of the enemy, who had begun to fire on him, he turned
off through the eastern channel, and was quickly beyond their reach,
having had not less than two fathoms water in the channel. By steaming
through the night, the rest of the squadron came off Prome by daylight
on the morning of the 9th. At the south end of the town, near the
water's edge, four heavy guns were seen, but no troops were observed in
the place.

Captain Tarleton accordingly anchored the _Medusa_ abreast of the spot,
and soon hove them off. The iron guns were disabled and sunk in deep
water, and the brass ones were taken on boar