way was carried on with great diligence. The commanding officer judging a sally expedient, with a view of spiking the enemy's guns, and destroying the factory-house, the principal part of the garrison intended for that service were paraded in the evening, and a small party of sepoys ordered to attack a picket on the left shoulder of their battery, near the river side; they were also to cover the sallying party. The commandant followed with the cavalry and a party of sepoys.

The enemy were completely surprised, and a few minutes put us in possession of their whole range of batteries; seven guns then mounted were spiked, and the factory house set on fire. The only annoyance our people met with in the battery, was from the desultory fire of a contiguous post. In the retreat two Europeans, a subahdar, havaldar, and two sepoys were wounded; the havaldar not being missed, was left on the ground. The enemy's batteries were found to be very strong, with thick breast-works, and several traverses behind each other.

On the 14th of June a sepoy, formerly of the eleventh battalion, deserted from the enemy; who kept up large fires behind their merlons throughout the day, from which we supposed they were endeavouring to soften the guns, in hopes of unspiking them. Lutoph Ally, much to his honour, having no skilful surgeon, sent in the wounded havaldar, who had been left on the ground, with both his thighs broken by a shot. The commanding officer rewarded the people who brought in the wounded man, and sent a genteel present to Lutoph Ally, in testimony of his humanity and politeness.

The same afternoon our picket of six men, posted in front. of

the half-moon battery, was attacked. The commandant hastening to the out-works, ordered a party of sepoys to advance to its support, and a larger force to follow, in hopes of beating back the enemy into their works; but our expectations were too sanguine, for on reaching the village, the sepoys halted, and neither the example, menaces, nor encouragement of their officers, could make them advance. The enemy, alarmed by the fire of the musketry, collected from all quarters; and, rushing down in a formidable body, completed the panick of our sepoys, who made a precipitate and confused retreat, leaving their officers in the rear. The commandant seeing this unfortunate affair, immediately advanced with a field-piece, and throwing himself between the fugitives and the enemy, rallied the sepoys, and beat back their pursuers. The enemy afterwards threw several rockets, and fired briskly from the batteries, by which we lost two sepoys killed, and several wounded, five of whom afterwards died. As the guns from the fortress kept up a constant fire, the enemy's loss must have been considerable.

A sepoy formerly on the Bengal establishment, who deserted from the enemy, having greatly distinguished himself on this occasion, was immediately promoted, and presented with a pair of silver bangles, or bracelets. The bangles worn by the natives, are often given by the oriental generals as a reward to men who distinguish themselves in action. The commanding officer had previously ordered a number of gold and silver bangles to be made for this purpose, inscribed with the words, MILITARY MERIT: these bracelets were kept for occasional distribution. This example is worthy of imitation, since whatever evil may arise from

the abuse of donatives, it seems as necessary to excite emulation by rewarding courage, as to check cowardice, by rigorous punishment. Captain Torriano also made a present of tobacco to each European and sepoy in garrison; as that luxury, or rather necessary article to the natives, could not then be purchased for money.

On the 15th the enemy were remarkably quiet, and the garrison taking advantage of the cessation, pushed on the works with all possible expedition. A grenadier company was now selected from the sepoy corps, to be ready on all occasions; and the command given to lieutenant Reynolds, an able gallant officer. The fort continued for several days little disturbed by the enemy's fire. On the 19th a general indignation was excited by a most cruel act committed in their camp on three men, inhabitants of the neighbouring country, who had been formerly useful in the fort; and having unhappily fallen into the enemy's power, were sent to the commanding officer with their hands cut off.

Many rockets had been thrown into the fort, with little effect, until one worked itself into the wall of a powder magazine. This being observed by an European of the artillery, he ran instantly and plucked it out, at the risk of his life, by which he savedthe magazine, and escaped with only a slight burn on his hand : his presence of mind and gallant enterprise were liberally rewarded.

Nothing particular happened from that time until the first of July, when the enemy recommenced a well-directed fire against the breach, and defences of the large tower. The former was enlarged, two embrazures in the latter laid open, and an eighteen

pounder in one of the embrazures disabled. When the enemy ceased firing, the repair of these damages employed the whole garrison. The exertions of officers and men, under concealment of the night, were such, that notwithstanding a hot cannonade, they had before morning not only rendered the ruined defences respectable, but added strength to the retrenchments.

The enemy recommenced their fire early the next morning, chiefly against the newly-repaired breach. It was more briskly returned, accompanied by several shells. We lost a serjeant of artillery, killed, and some sepoys wounded. They continued their fire again the whole afternoon, and damaged two of our twelvepounders. In the act of laying one of them captain Torriano was wounded.

A disease generally called "Mort-de-chien" at this time raged with great violence among the native inhabitants; and carried off such numbers, that the commanding officer humanely ordered all who were attacked with it to be placed under the care of the hospital surgeons. The weather continuing extremely boisterous, accompanied by almost incessant rain, he gave all the Europeans in garrison a portion of English broad-cloth sufficient for a suit of clothes. The same evening an old woman was detected in the character of a spy: on examination she confessed her mission; said she had been already two days in the fort, and was to have paid a longer visit, to fulfil certain instructions, and make inquiries, by order of Lutoph Ally; particularly whether the commanding officer had survived the wound it was reported he had received in the breach two days before. The old woman was introduced at head quarters, and was moreover desired to request

Lutoph Ally, that should he on any future occasion send female emissaries to the fort, they might possess more youth and beauty; that they should be well received, and returned to his camp with as much safety as the antiquated duenna who was then conducted out of the garrison.

Desertion among the native troops, especially in the Malawar corps, was now very common, sixteen of their recruits went off in a body; and a few nights afterwards one of them was detected in deserting from his post as sentinel. The commanding officer, determined to prevent an evil which might otherwise eventually endanger the loss of the fort, ordered all the troops who were off duty under arms; and with the dead march beating, the deserter was conducted in front to a spot near the attacked face of the works, and blown from the mouth of an eighteen-pounder.

The day following the fort sustained a heavy and skilful fire from the enemy's grand battery, which did great execution. Three of our guns were considerably damaged, and several of the garrison wounded. Since the commencement of the siege a few noncommissioned officers and Europeans have been killed and wounded, besides several of the Bombay sepoys and native troops entertained at Onore.

The enemy's fire was now kept up briskly for several days, destroying the defences of the large tower; many of the garrison were killed and wounded. The disease before mentioned was very destructive, and great desertions prevailed among the Onore recruits. On the 19th of July, an intelligent native, employed as a spy, returned from the enemy's camp, with information that our last fire had disabled three of their best guns, and killed and wounded