down by the cavalry before they reached the shelter of
the woods. The British troops marched back to Rangoon; while the
Burmese retreated to Donabew, leaving strong posts on the two
rivers leading in that direction.

Their retirement left it free to the country people to return to
Rangoon, and very large numbers came in, including very many of the
villagers who had been forced to fight against us. All had alike
suffered from famine and hardship. Even the women had been
compelled to labour in the work of stockading, and the sufferings
of all had been terrible. The work of rebuilding the town began at
once, and the wooden huts sprang up with great rapidity; markets
were opened and, in a short time, supplies of fish, fruit, game,
and vegetables poured in; sufficient not only for the native
population, but to effect a most welcome change in the diet of the
troops.

As most of the natives were accustomed to the construction and
management of boats, the work of preparing the flotilla by which
the troops were to proceed up the rivers went on rapidly; and
numbers of men were hired as servants and drivers for the
commissariat--with which the force was very insufficiently
supplied, as the natives of India of that class for the most part
refused, on account of their caste prejudices, to engage themselves
for service across the sea. Reinforcements arrived; and Rangoon,
which but six weeks before presented a miserable and deserted
appearance was, towards the beginning of January, a cheerful and
bustling town.

Preparations were being made in other quarters to assume the
offensive. Some 3000 men were driving the Burmese out of Assam; and
a force 7000 strong was marching from Sylhet, to expel them from
Cachar and capture Manipur; while 11,000 men were assembled at
Chittagong, and were advancing into Aracan with the intention of
driving the Burmese from that province--and they meant, if
possible, to cross the mountains and effect a junction with Sir
Archibald Campbell's force. The first part of the operations were
conducted with complete success, and Aracan wrested from Burma; but
it was found impossible to perform the terrible journey across
mountain and swamp, or to afford any aid to the main expedition.

Chapter 10: The Advance.

But while the preparations for the advance were being made, the
general's aides-de-camp had been kept at work from morning until
night. There were constant communications between the military