boats were, of course, rowed by the blue-jackets.
The other craft were, for the most part, manned by natives; though
the soldiers on board occasionally lent a hand.

Two days after starting, the boats destroyed three newly-erected
stockades, that were found unoccupied; and on the 19th reached
Pellang, where three very strong stockades had been erected. A
battery was thrown up next day from which, as well as from the
steamboat and sloops of war, shells were thrown into the stockade;
with such effect that two of the enemy's works were evacuated, as
soon as the troops took the offensive, and the main Pellang
stockade was also abandoned, without resistance. The two smaller
works were destroyed, and a portion of the 18th Madras Infantry was
left here, to maintain communication with Rangoon.

On the 27th the flotilla entered the main stream and, the next day,
the advance came in sight of Donabew. It was another five days
before the whole force was in position, for several of the most
heavily laden craft stuck fast on the sandbanks at the fork of the
river. The next day Donabew was summoned to surrender. Bandoola,
who was at the head of 15,000 men, returned a refusal; which was
given in courteous terms, differing very widely from the haughty
and peremptory language in which all previous communications had
been couched.

The next day a party of the 89th landed on the low-lying ground
between the main stockade and the river and, in spite of the heavy
fire, succeeded in ascertaining the strength and nature of the
defences. The main work was in the form of a parallelogram, about a
mile long, and stood on ground rising above the general level; and
fifty pieces of cannon, of various sizes, were in position on the
river face. Two outworks, constructed of square beams of timber,
with an outer ditch and a thick abbatis, defended the southern face
against an attack from an enemy landing below it.

It was necessary to leave a strong guard on board the flotilla,
lest an attack should be made by war canoes and fire rafts. The
general, therefore, had not more than 600 men available for the
assault. As the enemy's guns completely commanded the river, it was
necessary to land below it; and on the morning of the 7th the
troops were disembarked, with two six-pounder guns and a rocket
detachment. Forming in two columns, they advanced against the lower
of the two covering stockades and, after an exchange of fire with
the enemy, rushed forw