ad as Banquo and Macbeth; he would have sat at
my table, and stood at the head of my bed. No, no; that would have
been a much more serious affair, to face, than a party of Burmese.
The title and estates would have been too dear, at the price."

"Well, you behaved like a brick, anyhow," the colonel said, "and
there is not a man in the regiment who would not have been proud,
indeed, if he had accomplished such a feat. Half my subalterns were
talking, at dinner last night, of learning the language so that, if
the chance fell in their way, they might emulate your doings."

"It is rather a tough language to master," Stanley replied. "It
gave me more trouble than the four or five Indian languages I
speak. I am afraid the campaign will be over, a long time, before
any of your officers learn to talk Burmese well enough to pass as
natives."

After the failure of the expedition of the 10th, no further effort
had been made against the enemy. Indeed, the troops had been
withdrawn from their outlying positions; and there had even been a
feint made of embarking stores, as if with the intention of
retiring down the river, in hopes of tempting the Burmese to make
an attack.

The season had now come when operations could again be carried on,
and the general was anxious to strike a decisive blow at the enemy,
and then to set forward on the march towards Ava. As to the result
of the fight, no one entertained the slightest doubt; although the
disparity in numbers was very great for, while the Burmese
commander had nearly 70,000 men at his disposal, Sir Archibald
Campbell had no more than 6,000, of whom about one half were
British.

It was determined that the main attack should be made on the
division of Maha Nemiow. This was now some six or seven miles away
and, beyond the fact that it was very strongly intrenched in the
jungle, no information whatever could be gained; for the most
vigilant watch was kept up by them, and all efforts to pass native
spies into their lines failed. But it was known that among his
division were 8,000 Shans, from Upper Burma and, as these men had
not hitherto come in contact with us, it was expected that they
would fight with more courage and resolution than those who had
become acquainted with our power.

A large number of princes and nobles were with the force; and great
reliance was placed, by the Burmese, upon three young ladies of
high rank; who were believed by them to be endowed with
supernatura