fighting, had shaken their hitherto profound
belief in their own superiority to any people with whom they might
come in contact.

Since that time no serious fighting had taken place. Occasional
night attacks had been made, and all efforts on the part of the
invaders to obtain food, by foraging parties, had proved
unsuccessful. The boats of the fleet had gone up the Puzendown
river, that joined the Rangoon river some distance below the town,
and had captured a large number of boats that had been lying there,
waiting until Rangoon was taken before going up the river with
their cargoes of rice and salt fish; but they had gained no other
advantage for, although the villages were crowded with fugitives
from the town, these were driven into the jungle by the troops
stationed there for the purpose, as soon as the boats were seen
coming up the river.

In some cases, however, the boats had arrived so suddenly that
there had not been time to do this; and the fugitives had been
taken to Rangoon, where it was said they had been very well
treated.

Great reinforcements had now come down from the upper provinces.
Two of the king's brothers had arrived, to take command of the
army; one had established himself at Donabew, the other at Pegu.
They had brought with them numbers of astrologers, to fix upon a
propitious time for an attack; and the king's Invulnerables,
several thousands strong--a special corps, whom neither shot nor
steel could injure--were with them.

About the 6th of August a strong position that had been taken up,
by a force sent by the prince at Pegu, in the old Portuguese fort
of Syriam had been attacked; with orders that the channel of the
Rangoon river should be blocked, so that none of the strangers
should escape the fate that awaited them. The position was a very
strong one. The trees and brushwood round the fort had been cleared
away; wherever there were gaps in the old wall stockades had been
erected; and great beams suspended from the parapet in order that,
if an attack was made, the ropes could be cut and the beams fall
upon the heads of the assailants.

The British had, however, thrown a bridge across a deep creek,
pushed on against the place, and carried it in a few minutes; the
garrison flying, as soon as the assailants gained the ramparts, to
a pagoda standing on a very steep hill, defended by guns, and
assailable only by a very steep flight of steps. The troops,
however, pressed up these fearlessl