artaban,
we proceeded to Rangoon, which had not given in. The fleet, therefore,
took up a position before it, and began in earnest firing away shot and
shell into the batteries for the best part of the day. We soon knocked
the enemy's outer stockades to pieces, and set them on fire; but to do
the Burmese justice, they fought as obstinately as bull-dogs; so we sent
the naval brigade on shore to help the troops. For three days the
fighting continued; stockade after stockade was stormed and taken in
gallant style. Still the enemy retained possession of the city and the
great pagoda.

"On the third day a grand attack was made on it by all the troops and
the naval brigade, and, after some pretty sharp fighting, it fell into
our hands, though we lost several officers killed and wounded.

"We next attacked Basein, where the Burmese fought with a good deal of
bravery, defending themselves in the great pagoda of the city. Again
the naval brigade showed what they were made of. Having landed with a
party of troops, they stormed the great pagoda, into which a large body
of the enemy had thrown themselves; but the place was gallantly taken,
though not without some loss on our side. Meantime, we heard that
Martaban, which had been left with a very small garrison, had been
attacked by the Burmese. We were hurrying back to the assistance of our
friends, when we received intelligence that Major Hall, who had been
left there in command, had driven off the enemy. We had made pretty
sharp work of it already, but there were other and more important places
up the river to be taken. Orders were, therefore, received to send a
squadron of man-of-war's boats to accompany the _Phlegethon_, carrying
between two and three hundred soldiers and about a hundred bluejackets;
and I had the luck to go with them.

"Leaving Rangoon, the _Phlegethon_ steamed away with the boats in tow,
like a comet with its tail out. We came near Pegu, when we found
ourselves under a hot fire from the Burmese on the top of the high
banks. As we were unable to fire in return from the boats, a strong
party was landed under the command of Captain Tarleton. The Burmese
were driven from point to point, till they took shelter within the walls
of the city, when they began firing away pretty warmly with their
jingalls and muskets. As the enemy's shot were flying somewhat thickly
about us, it would never have done to halt. Captain Tarleton,
therefore, having found