, but a folly, for men to be wanton in this particular. I took
about ten men with me, and the acting adjutant followed, and we soon
came up with these poor frightened and bewildered creatures. They threw
themselves on the earth, but did not supplicate for mercy--a thing
unknown among themselves. They seemed rather to meet the pointed
bayonet, than to run or cringe from it; but, when they saw that we did
not lay on them the finger of harm, they kissed our feet and then the
earth, in token of gratitude. These poor creatures were not soldiers,
but poor, solitary, and oppressed villagers, that had been sent for
rice, of which they carry great loads, by a strap or belt over their
heads, in baskets made of the willow-twig. We were directed by our
general to let them go, that they might tell our enemies that we were
not bloodthirsty murderers. When this was communicated to them by one of
their countrymen, the eye of fear brightened up; we could see the tear
of joy in their eyes; they bowed, a hundred times in the most abject
prostrations to our feet; then stood towards their village, seemingly
dispossessed of any fear. I dare say these poor starving creatures would
willingly have sought protection under the shadow of our mercy, rather
than return to be the slaves of a tyrannic government.

We now came to a wider river with a rocky bed, and, a little higher up,
was the strong post before alluded to. We could see the ends of the
houses standing some thirty yards from the river, whose banks, at this
place, were high and abrupt. We therefore crossed a little lower down,
when the 87th light company was pushed on at a good round trot. Here was
a square building, something like what I have before described at
Summarabassah, but on a much larger and stronger scale. This we
surrounded and entered. About fifty men were in this place; but, on
seeing us enter, they ran out at an opposite door, but were met by the
European soldiers. Many of them escaped; the others, some of whom showed
fight, were killed. The house was empty, except that some unshelled
rice and saltpetre were strewn about it. On looking round, we discovered
another building of a similar nature, about three hundred yards further
in the wood, to which there was a narrow path. Into this we struck, and
expected every moment to be saluted with the contents of a cannister of
grape, or with a volley of musketry; for the building commanded this
road or pathway from two or three hun