th forty-one of his ship's company,
among whom were two passengers and twelve soldiers. After forty-eight days
of terrible sufferings almost naked, half starved, and reduced to a daily
pint of water each, they reached Bombay on the 26th October. It would have
been well for the Company if they had had more captains like Macrae. His
arrival brought much obloquy on Kirby, whose shameful desertion was now
made known.

The pirates only detained one of the _Cassandra's_ crew--Richard Lazenby,
the carpenter's mate, whom they forced unwillingly to go with them. There
is still extant a curious account by Lazenby of his cruise with the
pirates. He tells of the cruel tortures inflicted on all captured natives;
how on the Malabar coast they had friends, especially among the Dutch at
Cochin, who bought their plunder, supplied them with provisions, and gave
them information of armed ships to be avoided, and rich prizes to be
intercepted. Those who wished to retire from the trade were given passages
to Europe with their ill-gotten gains, in French ships; and finally, after
witnessing the capture of the Portuguese Viceroy, to be related presently,
he was put ashore at Bourbon, whence, in time, he made his way to England.

Since the renewal of war by Angria, at the beginning of the year, Boone
had resolved to strike another blow against Gheriah, and all through the
monsoon preparations had been made for action in September. Great things
were expected of the _Phram_, which was, however, not ready when the
expedition sailed. The direction of affairs was, on this occasion,
entrusted to Mr. Walter Brown, who was styled for the occasion "Admiral of
the Fleet, and Commander-in-Chief of all the forces." On the 13th
September anchor was weighed, and on the morning of the 19th they arrived
off Gheriah. At Dabul, where they had called in for news, they learned
that the _Phram_ and the _Chandos_ might soon be expected, but that there
was no prospect of Captain Johnson's machine being ready to take part in
the expedition. What Captain Johnson's machine was we do not learn, but
the intelligence 'mightily disconcerted the soldiery.' The squadron
consisted of the _London_, which acted as flagship, the _Victory_ frigate,
the _Revenge_ and _Defiance_ grabs, the _Hunter_ galley, two gallivats, a
bombketch, a fireship, and a number of fishing-boats for landing troops.
The troops for the expedition consisted of 350 soldiers and topasses and
80 chosen sepoy