at manned his boat escaped to
tell the tale. When last seen by our advanced boats, Mr. Steward and
Patingi Ali were in the act (their own boats sinking) of boarding the
enemy. They were doubtless overpowered and killed, with twenty-nine
others, who lost their lives on this occasion. Our wounded in all
amounted to fifty-six.

A few miles higher up was the town and capital of Karangan, which
place it was their business to defend, and ours to destroy, and this
we succeeded in effecting without further opposition. We ascended a
short distance above this, but found the river impracticable for the
further progress of the boats; but our object having been achieved,
the expedition may be said to have closed, as no more resistance was
offered; so we dropped leisurely down the river, and that evening
reached our resting-place of the previous night: but having burnt
the house in the morning, we were obliged to sleep in our boats,
with a strong guard on shore.

Attempts were made to molest the native boats by hurling spears
into them from the jungle under cover of the night; but after a few
discharges of musketry the enemy retired, leaving us to enjoy another
stormy and rainy night as we best could.

On the 20th we reached the steamer, where we remained quiet all the
next day, attending to the wounded, and ascertaining the exact extent
of our loss. On the 22d we again reached Patusen. We found everything
in the same wretched state as when we left; and a pile of firewood,
previously cut for the use of the steamer, had not been removed. After
dark a storm of thunder, lightning, and heavy rain, came on as usual,
and with it a few mishaps. A boat belonging to the old Tumangong was
capsized by the bore, by which his plunder, including a large brass
gun, was lost, and the crew with difficulty saved their lives. At
eight we heard the report of a gun, which was again repeated much
nearer at nine; and before a signal-rocket could be fired, or a
light shown, we were astonished by being hailed by the boats of
a British man-of-war; and the next moment Captain Sir E. Belcher,
having been assisted by a rapid tide, came alongside the steamer with
the welcome news of having brought our May letters from England. On
the arrival of the Samarang off the Morotaba, Sir Edward heard of
the loss we had sustained; and, with his usual zeal and activity,
came at once to our assistance, having brought his boats no less
than 120 miles in about thirty hours