l gifts, and to have the power of rendering the missiles
of the English innocuous. These young women, dressed in warlike
costume, constantly rode among the troops; animating them by their
presence, and exhorting them to deeds of courage. The English had
received vague rumours of the doings of these Burmese Joans of Arc,
and thought it probable that the enemy would fight better than
usual.

On November 30th, arrangements were made for attacking the enemy on
the following morning. The flotilla were to open a furious
cannonade upon their works, on both sides of the river. A body of
native infantry were to drive in the advance posts of the centre;
while the main force was to attack their left in two columns, one
moving directly against it, while the other was to attack on the
right flank--thus preventing the enemy from retreating in the
direction of the centre. Four regiments of native infantry were
left in Prome.

General Cotton commanded the main attack and, soon after the column
moved out from the camp, a tremendous cannonade showed that the
flotilla was engaged with the Burmese, on both sides of the river.
The column, which was composed of the 41st and 89th Regiments, with
two battalions of native infantry, proceeded some distance before
becoming engaged with the enemy's outposts; as the Burmese had been
deceived by the cannonade, and believed that the attack was
entirely upon the centre. The troops therefore reached their main
position, around two native villages, without serious opposition.

Illustration: The old Burmese general was carried from point to
point in a litter.

As they issued from the jungle into the cleared space in front of
the stockade they rapidly formed up, under a tremendous fire, and
rushed forward to the attack. The old Burmese general--who was too
infirm to walk--could be seen, carried from point to point in a
litter, cheering on his men, while the three Amazons exposed
themselves fearlessly to the fire. The ladder parties, however,
rushed forward unchecked and, in spite of the opposition of the
enemy, scaled the stockade at one point, and won a footing on the
rampart of earth behind it. Others pressed after them and, soon, a
destructive fire was opened upon the crowded mass, pent up between
the outer stockade and the next. The Burmese method of forming
stockade behind stockade was useful, against a foe of no greater
dash and energy than themselves; but was absolutely fatal when
opposed to