1811	Capture of Java	31

weighed, and ran into a quarter less than three fathoms' water, but was then scarcely within gun-shot. Finding that the fire of the Procris made very little impression upon the gun-boats, and considering it an object of importance to attempt their destruction, Captain Maunsell proceeded to the attack in his boats ; embarking in them, in addition to their respective crews, Lieutenants Henry J. Heyland and Oliver Brush, and 40 privates of the 14th and 89th regiments, detachments from which happened to be on board his vessel.

Although opposed by a heavy fire of grape and musketry, the British boats succeeded in boarding and carrying five of the Dutch gun-boats ; the crews of which, after throwing their spears at the assailants, leaped overboard. The sixth gun-boat would have shared the same fate, but caught fire and blew up before the British could get alongside of her. This exploit was performed without any loss of life on the British side, and with no greater loss in wounded, than one master's mate (William Randall), seven seamen, one boy, and two soldiers. Captain Maunsell speaks in the highest terms, as well of the troops and their officers, as of his first lieutenant George Majoribanks, and the three master's mates George Cunningham, William Randall, and Charles Davies.

Having waited until the 2d of August without being joined by the expected ships, the expedition set sail, but had not proceeded far before the frigates hove in sight ; and Colonel Mackenzie, the officer who had been deputed to reconnoitre the Java coast, reported, as the most eligible spot for the disembarkation of the army, the village of Chillingching, about 12 miles to the eastward of Batavia. The commander-in-chief concurring, the fleet proceeded in that direction; on the 3d, in the evening, made Cape Carawang ; and on the 4th, early in the morning ran in for the mouth of Marandi river. Here the ships anchored during the interval between the land and sea breezes ; and, weighing on the return of the latter, again stood in, and, before 2 p.m., were at anchor abreast of Chillingching.

So complete had been the arrangements, and so well chosen was the spot, that before dark the whole of the effective portion of the British infantry, amounting to upwards of 8000 men, of whom, as already stated, about half were Europeans, landed, without loss or opposition, covered on the left by the 36-gun frigate Leda, Captain Sayer, who, being well acquainted with the coast, ran close in, and on the right by the frigates Caroline, Modeste, and Bucephalus, also the ship and brig sloops and honourable company's cruisers attached to the expedition. " The rapid approach of the fleet had prevented the enemy from ascertaining the intended place of landing in time to send a force thither to ward it : this being noticed by Captain Cole, he made the signal from the Caroline, for the advance of the army

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