1826	Appendix to the Burmese War	465

had the arduous charge of the steam-vessel during the whole of the time, will enable you to judge of our progress ; the Satellite was on shore three times, and the Diana once, but without the slightest injury. It now becomes a most pleasing duty for me to express the high satisfaction I feel at the conduct of the officers and seamen I had the pleasure to command ; their privations and harassing duties were extreme, under heavy rains, guards by night from fire-rafts with the enemy's war-boats constantly watching close to them, and incessant towing of the flotilla by day ; their high spirits were unabated ; and without the utmost zeal and fatigue in the officers commanding the divisions, it would have been impossible to have advanced, manned as they are, with natives only. Lieutenant Dobson rendered me every assistance, and was of great service ; he was severely burnt on the 22d. From the exemplary conduct of these officers and seamen, allow me, sir, to recommend them to your favourable attention. The casualties, I rejoice to say, have been very few - four seamen of the Arachne wounded.

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No. 12

See page 429.

ENCLOSURE.

Sir,-In obedience to orders I had the honour of receiving from you, to feel the strength and disposition of the enemy upon the Lyne river, and to attack him as often as opportunities might offer of displaying the valour of the troops under my command, I embarked on the morning of the 5th inst., with 300 men of his majesty's 38th regiment, 100 rank and file of the 18th Madras native infantry, and a detachment of Bengal artillery, under Captain Timbrell, on board a flotilla of gun-boats, &c. &c., under the immediate command of Captain Chads. The first day's tide carried us as high as Pagoda point, above Kemmendine, at the junction of the Lyne and Panlang rivers. Having been joined by the armed transport and flotilla, at 2 p.m. next day, the whole force proceeded up the Lyne river with a flowing tide. Bodies of the enemy were seen moving up on the right bank, while numerous war-boats hovered in our front, keeping up a continued but distant fire. After the flotilla anchored, the light boats in advance, under Lieutenant Kellett, of his majesty's ship Arachne, pursued the enemy's war-boats ; and having closed with one carrying a gun and full complement of men, boarded and took her in the handsomest style, the Burmese jumping overboard to save themselves. On the 7th, after proceeding about four miles, I observed two stockades, which were taken possession of without loss, and we reached, with this tide, within a short distance of the large works and fortified village of Than-ta-bain, having in the course of the day destroyed seven of the newly-constructed war-boats. On reconnoitring the village, I found it was defended by three long breastworks, with a very extensive stockade, constructed of large teak-beams; and fourteen war-boats each mounting a gun, were anchored so as to defend the approach to it.

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