There now remained but the force at Dalla to cope with and, in the
evening, a force composed of the 89th and 43rd Madras Infantry,
under Colonel Parlby, embarked in boats. The night was dark, and
the troops crossed unobserved. The alarm was not given until the
British actually entered the entrenchments, and opened fire upon
the enemy; who were sitting, unsuspicious of danger, round their
fires. Scarcely any opposition was encountered, and the whole of
the works, with the guns and the stores, were soon in our hands;
while the enemy were flying towards the forest.

In the actions during these three days, the Burmese lost some 5000
men, 240 pieces of artillery of every kind, and a great number of
muskets and vast supplies of ammunition; while the British had but
50 killed and 300 wounded. Great numbers of Bandoola's men never
rejoined the army, and the whole force was dispersed through the
country.

Bandoola himself was retiring towards Donabew, with but a remnant
of his army, when he met considerable reinforcements on their way
to join him. During his operations he had left a reserve corps at
the village of Kokein, four miles from the pagoda; and these had
been busily entrenching the position, which commanded the road
leading from Rangoon to Donabew. The ground was elevated and, on
his arrival there, Bandoola set his troops--now some 25,000 in
number--to aid in the work. In a marvellously short time the
heights were completely stockaded with trunks of trees; and with a
broad, deep ditch in front. Beyond this were lines of felled trees,
their heads pointing outwards and each branch sharpened--forming a
very formidable abattis--and, believing this to be impregnable,
Bandoola awaited the attack of the British.

As soon as his army had been dispersed, great numbers of deserters,
and of the inhabitants of the villages, poured into Rangoon. With
the deserters were mingled a good many of the troops sent in by
Bandoola, himself, with instructions to fire the town. In order to
lull the suspicions of the British, he caused a report to be spread
that an imperial commissioner from the court of Ava would arrive,
in the course of a few days, to treat for terms of peace.

The general, however, determined to attack Bandoola before the
commissioner could arrive; as it was evident that better terms
could be obtained, after the total dispersion of the Burmese, than
if their famous general remained, with 25,000 men, in a formidable
po