tricacy of the channel, the steamboat
and flotilla had not yet arrived, a few shots were fired at the
boats by the field guns. This had the desired effect, many of the
boatmen jumping overboard, leaving their craft to drift down the
river; while the great bulk hastily turned their vessels about, and
anchored in their former position.

As soon as the steamer with the flotilla came up, two war boats
pushed off from shore, saluted the steamer, and rowed alongside of
her until she and the flotilla were safely anchored above the town.
This was so evidently a mark of a real desire for the suspension of
hostilities that the two officers were again sent across the river.
A truce was agreed upon, and an arrangement made for the meeting of
the negotiators, upon the following day.

Four meetings were held, between the two commissioners and those
appointed by the British general, the meetings taking place on
boats moored in the centre of the river. At length the treaty was
accepted and signed, by the Burmese, and fifteen days' truce
allowed for the ratification of the treaty by the king. As the end
of that period approached, the Burmese protested that they had not
yet received an answer, and asked for further time; which was
refused, unless on the condition that Melloon was evacuated, and
the Burmese army fell back until the ratification of the treaty
reached them. As had been for some time strongly suspected, the
negotiations were simply a device to arrest our advance; and the
treaty was afterwards found in the Burmese camp, it never having
been forwarded to Ava.

At midnight on the 18th, when the armistice came to a conclusion,
the troops began throwing up earthworks, the heavy guns were landed
from the flotilla and, at ten o'clock the next morning,
twenty-eight guns were in position ready to open fire. In spite of
remonstrances that had been made, the Burmese had, night after
night during the armistice, continued to work surreptitiously at
their entrenchments. It was hoped for a moment that, when they saw
the speed with which our batteries had been thrown up and armed,
they would offer no farther resistance. As, however, they were
evidently preparing for action, our guns opened fire at eleven
o'clock.

This was kept up for two hours. While it was going on, the troops
intended for the assault were embarked in boats, some distance up
the river, so as to ensure their not being carried by the force of
the stream across the fa