an abattis of the same sharp-pointed bamboos, which
made it impossible to deploy the whole strength of our column; indeed,
our advance guard, consisting of seamen and marines, could only march
two abreast, while our two guns, hauled along by the natives, were in
the rear. Suddenly, as we were looking about us, and thinking what a
nasty sort of place it was, we found ourselves exposed to a tremendous
fire from a horde of banditti, who had hitherto been concealed behind a
breastwork on the opposite bank.

"A gallant officer of the _Fox_, Lieutenant Candy, who commanded the
advanced guard of the bluejackets, and Captain Price, of the Bengal
infantry, led on their men in the most dashing style, intending to force
their way across the nullah and to storm the breastworks. Before they
had gone many paces they were both shot dead, as were many of their
followers. Captain Loch now hurried to the front, and led another party
to the attack. It got some way across, when so murderous was the fire
that he was compelled to retreat, leaving a number of men behind who had
been killed close to him. Still undaunted, he again made the attempt,
and a second time was driven back.

"`We must take the place!' he shouted out; and a third time, rallying
the seamen and marines, he rushed forward, sword in hand, determined to
capture the fort. The Burmese must have had their marksmen, for one
after the other our officers were struck. This time everybody thought
he would succeed, when, as he was advancing, a fellow who had climbed up
a tree overlooking the nullah fired at him, and wounded him desperately,
driving his watch right into his body. Though he suspected that the
wound was mortal, he had strength sufficient to fall back to the rear,
when Commander Lambert, the son of the commodore, took his place.
Though our men were falling thickly around, two more attempts were made
to get across that horrible nullah. Commander Lambert, who had himself
received four shots through his clothes, though he had escaped unhurt,
seeing that success was impossible, as more than half our party had been
killed and wounded, at length ordered us to fall back. I had not
thought about myself, but I thought about my brother Jack a great deal,
and I was thankful to see him get off clear without a wound.

"The enemy kept firing at us as we retreated, but their shot did not
commit much damage, after we got to a little distance. One bad part of
the business wa