assed through
the building, causing an instant stampede. The chiefs at once left
the city; and the prisoners, heavily chained, were marched some
distance into the country. A party of British troops were, however,
pushed forward in advance of the town, as soon as it was occupied;
and the guard, in alarm for their own safety, placed the prisoners
in a house and made off; and a patrol found them there, on the
following morning, and brought them into the town.

The great pagoda, standing two miles and a half from the town, was
at once occupied as an advanced position by the British. It stood
upon a conical hill, rising seventy-five feet above the plain. The
area on the top was somewhat over two acres; and in the centre rose
the pagoda, three hundred and thirty-eight feet high.

Every boat on the river was found to have been removed. In spite of
proclamations promising good treatment, none of the inhabitants
returned to the town, being prevented from doing so by the Burmese
authorities and troops. No stores whatever had been found and, till
the end of the wet season, the army had to depend entirely upon the
fleet for provisions; and remained cooped up in the wretched and
unhealthy town, suffering severely from fever and malaria.

The boat in which Stanley and the other prisoners were conveyed was
changed at every village going up the river, as the officer was
carrying the despatches from Bandoola to the court. A flag was
hoisted as the boat came in sight of a village. This was the signal
that another was required and, within two or three minutes of their
arrival, the prisoners, their guard and officer were on their way
again.

Thus they proceeded, night and day and, in four days, arrived at
Ava. Leaving the prisoners in charge of the guard, the officer at
once proceeded to the palace. In an hour guns were fired, drums
beat, and the bells of the pagodas rung, to give notice to the
population that a great victory had been won over the English, and
their army annihilated, by Bandoola and his valiant troops. This
obliterated the impression produced by the news that had arrived, a
few days previously, of the landing at Rangoon; and there were
great rejoicings among the population.

An officer from the palace presently came down to the boat, and the
prisoners were marched through the streets to a jail, amid the
jeers of the mob. Stanley was surprised at the meanness of the
town; the great majority of the houses being built