a battle took
place round the great pagoda, in which the Burmese were signally
defeated. Sykia Wongee was recalled in disgrace; but his successor,
Soombe Wongee, was not more successful. This latter general lost his
life, with eight hundred men, in the fortification; and the jungles
and villages around were filled with unhappy creatures who were left to
perish. Soon afterward the rains were at their height, and operations
ceased in this quarter; but an expedition was sent eastward, under
Colonel Miles, who reduced the whole coast of Tenasserim. During the
season of tranquility the princes of Tonghoo and Irmwaddy joined the
Burmese army, in order to inspire them with confidence, and to keep the
officers to their duty. They were accompanied by numerous astrologers,
as well as by a corps called "Invulnerables:" men curiously tattooed,
and accustomed to exhibit the war-dance of defiance, and to expose
themselves to the hottest fire of an enemy, that they might inspire the
rest with courage and confidence. The astrologers were some time before
they could mark out a propitious day for attacking the British position.
At length, however, they fixed on the night of the 30th of August. The
invulnerables promised to assault and carry the great pagoda, that the
princes and grandees might celebrate the grand annual festival in that
sacred place. On the night in question, therefore, this body advanced
with swords and muskets, uttering clamorous imprecations against the
invaders. They advanced toward the northern gateway; but they were
greeted with showers of grape-shot and successive volleys of musketry,
which made such havoc in their masses, that they were compelled to seek
shelter in an adjacent jungle. At length the Burmese monarch determined
to repair the loss of honour which his troops had sustained. He had sent
his most celebrated general, Maha Bandoola, to take the command of the
Arracan army, destined for the invasion of Bengal. Maha Bandoola had
routed a detachment of native infantry at Ramoo, and was busied in
erecting stockades as the basis of future operations, when an order
arrived for him to return to the defence of the golden empire. His
return to Ava not only restored confidence to the Burmese troops opposed
to the British, but acted as a spell to draw the reluctant people round
his banners. In the meantime, whilst a large fleet of war-boats, with a
train of artillery was preparing to fall down the river, and orders we