His family fled towards the Punjab; and advices were soon received that Zemaun Shah, with the Haram, was at Rawel Hindee, under the protection of a seik chieftain.

Soojah-ul-Mulk ventured again into Candahar in the hope of awakening an interest in his favour; nor was the hope disappointed; for whether it was that the spirit and firmness be displayed in defence of his rights revived a corresponding spirit in his subjects, and confirmed their attachment, or that those who took part with Mahmood, with the fickleness, for which Asiatics are remarkable, became tired of their leader and after balancing a little, from considerations of interest, reverted to their allegiance, Mahmood was soon after successively deserted by his principal adherents, and left at last without any train deserving of apprehension.

These events were so singular, and although but collateral to the object of the embassy, had for a considerable time such an influence on those objects, that the reader cannot but feel them worthy of being recounted. The situation of the embassy during the vicissitudes of the contest for the sovereignty must have been extremely painful. The sovereign to whom the mission was addressed, and at whose court it had been so favourably and so hospitably received, could not consistently with honour be abandoned in bis difficulties and distresses; and yet it did not appear wise or necessary to make the company's government a party in a competition in which, whatever rival should be successful, it would be equally essential that he should be friendly to the British interests. In this uncertainty it seemed the most prudent plan that the embassy should return, deferring the ulterior objects of its mission to a more favourable opportunity. Arrangements were accordingly made for their return through the country of the Seiks, where every preparation was made under the influence and direction of Runjeit Sing, to entertain and assist them in their passage. Runjeit himself resolved to meet them at Imrutsir, having previously dispatched a vakeil to compli

ment them and to acquaint them with his intentions. The embassy set out at the commencement of the month of August. It was not, till some time after, that the favourable change already noticed, which re-established Soojah-ul-Mulk on his throne, took place.

The examination of the progress made in the study of the native languages in the college of Fort William, established for that purpose, is another of the peaceful objects of Lord Minto's attention in the early part of this year. The familiar acquisition of those languages, although in future, and perhaps not very distant times, it may become less remarkable, is yet, in the infancy of the establishment, mattter of much interest; for it is only by protecting and cherishing the first steps, that the grand strides of future times can be drawn forth. The care bestowed by Lord Minto on this object, is peculiarly pleasing, nor less so is his eloquence in describing the attainments of the several students, entitled to the notice of the visitorial chair. His lordship subsequently adverts to the printing of several of the most important native works, by which European publicity will be given to the hitherto hidden, or at least partially known, treasures of oriental wisdom. There is the greater pleasure on this part of his lordship's administration, as we shall have soon to follow him, reluctantly, into that maze of dissension, wherein he afterwards involved himself at Madras.

Before closing the separate history of Bengal for this year, it may not be amiss to mention two events which were omitted in their proper places. One was the introduction of vaccination into the Seik countries, by means of the expedition against Runjeit Sing, and the opportunities subsequently afforded by pacific arrangements with that chieftain. The other was the appearance of Aetocke, Princess of New Zealand, at Calcutta, and her presentation to the governorgeneral by commodore Hayes; on which occasion the Princess shewed much intelligence, and indeed some

egree of dignity, as well as considerable progress in the acquisition of the English language. From such minute beginnings, frequently the most important consequences have been found to arise.

The reader will now direct his attention to Bombay, passing over, for the present, the transactions of the intermediate presidency of Madras, which, from their importance and interest, demand, and will receive, a separate consideration.

The pirates, in the Persian Gulph, had for some time attracted the attention of the government on that side of India, by their molestation and obstruction of the country trade; and their numbers and boldness had increased of late to such a degree, that it became necessary to fit out a force, to pursue them into their haunts, and to disable them from further mischief. The enterprise was in a manner forced upon the local government by the particular outrage practised on the crew of a British ship, the Minerva, captain Hopwood, recently captured. The male prisoners, with a barbarity rarely equalled, were all compelled to embrace the Mahommedan faith, and were obliged to submit themselves to the most minute initiatory ceremonies, attendant on the induction of members within the pale of the Mahommedan church. Three ladies were treated with a brutality that cannot be described with decency or temper.

The expedition destined to the Gulph was not long employed in inflicting due chastisement upon the authors of these outrages. The first place visited by the expedition was the fort of Mallia, in the province of Kuttywar, situated in the dependencies of the Guicowar, a prince in alliance with the British government, but unable to retain in order or subjection these desperate marauders, who had, for a long series of years, defended themselves in this haunt against the utmost efforts of the native power. The expedition, commanded by lieut.-col. Walker, arrived in front of the place in the first week in August, and immediately prepared to take it by storm. The storm

ing party consisted of about six-hundred men, taken from different regiments, followed by the remainder as a reserve, the whole led by a forlorn hope, consisting of twenty-five Europeans, under captain John M'Kenzie, of the Bombay European regiment, and lieutenant Newman of H. M. 56th regt. who gallantly volunteered their services.

On the morning of the 7th of August this force arrived, after a long and fatiguing march, in front of the fort, which was immediately summoned to surrender; but the garrison, relying on the strength of the place, rejected the summons in terms of vaunting defiance. The fortifications were, indeed, very strong, and the enemy, encouraged by former successes, and desperately bent on the most determined resistance, had secured the wall against the expected attack of the British troops by a strong embankment of earth and brushwood. All expectation of obtaining peaceable possession being precluded, the guns opened their fire on the place in the morning of the 8th, at day light, and by three o'clock the same day the breach was reported practicable. A little before four the storming party advanced to the assault, and rushed into the breach, which captain M Kenzie was the first to enter. They were gallantly seconded, and in less than three quarters of an hour after mounting the breach the whole of the town was in their possession. The most difficult part of the enterprize, however, remained to be still effected, for the enemy had retired into the inner fort, which was inaccessible to assault, and there they appeared determined to defend themselves to the last extremity. The guns were brought up, and the fire again opened; but the evening being too far advanced to make any impression, contented themselves with keeping possession of the works of the town during the night, and holding themselves in readiness to renew their bolder enterprizes on the return of day. It was then, however, found that the enemy had retired by a sally po..

the troops

under cover of the darkness, leaving a few men in the fort to keep up an occasional fire so as to prevent a premature discovery of the evacuation. On the morning of the 9th, at an early hour, the British troops marched in, and took possession of the place. This achievement, accomplished by the first impression of British bravery in the attack of the town, was justly regarded as of beneficial importance, not only in the dislodgment of the banditti, and the occupation of their land, but by the terror of the invincible prowess of the British arms, which the fugitives would spread far and wide amidst the yet violent and untamed tribes of Guzerat. The loss sustained by the captors was numerically small; but it is painful to include in it captain M'Kenzie, the brave leader of the storming party, and captain Wilkinson, who, having passed unhurt through all the dangers of the assault, dropped down overpowered by exertion and fatigue under the oppression of a sultry day.

In order to pursue these depredators into their most remote fortresses, and to destroy their fleet and stores, another expedition was dispatched at a later period of the year into the Gulph. The naval force employed on this occasion was commanded by captain Wainwright of the Chiffonné frigate, and consisted of that ship, and the Caroline, captain Gordon, Vestal, and Strombolo bomb, with some cruizers and transports. The land forces under lieutenant-colonel Smith, were his majesty's 65th regiment, and a detachment of the 84th attached to it, and a party of the company's artillery. A battalion of marines was added on the landing. On the 15th September the Strombolo foundered, and two officers and fourteen men unfortunately went down in her. The Caroline, which had been dispatched to collect the boats that were to be furnished by the Imaun of Maskat, as wel as other means of assistance, not having returned at the expected time to the appointed rendezvous, off the Bombareck rock, it became necessary for the Caroline to proceed with the whole

of the expedition to Maskat where the Caroline and transports anchored on the 23d of October, and were joined by the cruizers which had been sent off to complete their water at convenient stations. The Caroline joined two days after. But the Vestal had been sent to the Euphrates to give convoy to some valuable vessels thence to Maskat. This was a serious diminution of the strength of the expedition, inasmuch as the Vestal had on board her twenty-two artillery men, being the whole, with the exception of eight of the remaining force of that description, attached to the expedition.

On a conference with the Imaun of Maskat, he declined giving any assistance but boats and pilots, under an impression that the force sent on the expedition was inadequate to the object, and particularly to the landing for the destruction of the piratical navy, which could not, in his opinion, be effected by less than 10,000 men; the Bedouin Arabs, to the number of 20,000, being at hand to assist the pirates.

Neither this representation, nor the caution of the Imaun in withholding active aid, could alter the determination of the commanders to proceed to the execution of the objects given in charge to them. On the 11th November, the expedition arrived without any accident off Rus-ul-Kima, the port and arsenal of the pirates. The British ship Minerva, mentioned as having been taken by the pirates, was at an anchor in the harbour, manned and armed, to take an active part in the defence of the place. When the expedition had come to anchor, the Minerva was run on the beach, where she was converted into a fixed battery, flanked by a nine-pounder, and supported by the people from the town, armed with matchlocks. After receiving two or three broadsides, however, the unfortunate vessel was deserted by the Arabs, and set on fire before the boats sent to take possession of her got near. She was completely burnt in a few hours. Some little loss was sus→ tained during this service, by the vessel employed to go in and fire on the Mi

nerva (the Prince of Wales.) The next day, the 12th, was employed in making preparations for the landing. On the 13th, at day-break the attack was commenced, by the marine battalion, at one end of the town, to attract the fire of the enemy; while colonel Smith, with the Europeans, landed at the other end. The troops effected their landing under a smart fire from the trenches along the shore; but as soon as they got footing, the pirates retired into the, town, and took their stations in concealed places, and on the tops of houses, whence they kept up a galling fire, but without doing much execution. The assault was, however, conducted with such vigour, that by noon the enemy were driven quite out of the town, and the union flag flying over it. All their guns were spiked, their magazines blown up, and their flotilla, consisting of about seventy vessels, large and small, on fire. The place contained considerable stores of coffee and dates: but the object of the expedition being accomplished in the destruction of the fleet, fortifications, guns, and ammunition, colonel Smith considered ita duty to disregard all matters of prize and emolument, and to reembark the men before night, so as to secure them from any accident that might arise from straggling in search of plander, amidst an enraged population, and along a shore covered with burning ships The re-embarkation was effected without loss, and the only casualty sustained in the whole service was the single death of captain Dance, of the 65th regiment. The enemy had from 150 to 200 killed, in the occupation of burying whom they were seen the next morning, with every sign of distraction and desolation, amidst the burning vessels, and the annihilation of all the means of further plunder. Notwithstanding the haste of the reembarkation, and the precautions against straggling used by colonel Smith, several soldiers contrived to pick up some valuables; and one private of the 05th regiment was said to have found 1400 gold mohurs. Several charts, quadrants, and books, were found, having in them the name of the unfortu,

nate captain Hopwood of the Minerva.

Mrs. Taylor, one of the ladies taken in that ship, had sailed for Bushire the day before the expedition appeared in sight.

After this signal success the expedition proceeded to extirpate the pirates from their minor settlements, and with such success that they have not since been able to renew their depredations. Their chief very narrowly escaped from Rus-ul-Khima by flying on horseback when the place was first possessed.

The other expedition, which comes under the Bombay head of this register, was directed against a more respectable enemy, and was designed partly to capture some of the enemys ships, and destroy his naval stores and arsenals, and partly as an experiment, with a view to ascertain the practicability, and facilitate the objects of landing a sufficient force at a future period on the Isles of France and Bourbon, so as to reduce those settlements u der the British government, as has since been happily effected. The town batteries, forts, and shipping, of St. Paul's, in the Isle of Bourbon, were the immediate objects of the attack For this purpose the troops, consisting of 308 officers and men, were embarked on the 16th September, from Fort Duncan, in the little island of Rodriguez, some time previously occupied, on board his majesty's ship, Nereide and Otter, and company's cruizer Wasp. This force formed a junction on the 18th, off Port Louis, in the Isle of France, with his majesty's ships the Raisonable, commodore Rowley, and Sirius, captain Pym. On the morning of the 19th, the troops, with the seamen destined for the attack, amounting to 604, were sent on board the Nereide, and towards the evening the squadron stood for the Isle of Bourbon. On the morning of the 20th, the squadron being off the east-end of that island, the plan of attack, with accompanying instructions, was communicated to the officers entrusted with the charge of columns by the commander of the forces. At five o'clock, A. M. a landing was effected a little to the

southward, of Point Galotte, seven miles from St. Paul's, by a rapid march: a causeway that crosses the lake between the point and the town, and affords the best means of defence, was seized before the approach or landing was discovered. Having gained the strongest defence the assailants made themselves easy masters of the first and second batteries, Lamboucheu and La Centier, which were in our possession by seven o'clock. Captain Willoughby, of the royal navy, who took possession of them with a detachment of about 100 seamen, employed to aid the troops on shore, immediately turned the guns upon the enemy's shipping, from which the troops had been much annoyed in their advance, by a welldirected fire, principally of grape-shot. A third battery, called La-Neuf, was next to be attacked, and this service was undertaken by the second column under captain Imlack, consisting of 142 men of the second battalion, 2d regiment of Bombay Native infantry, and twelve Europeans. In his march from La Centier to this attack, captain ImJack fell in with the whole of the enemy's force, strongly posted behind stone walls, with eight six pounders upon their flanks. Captain Imlack did not hesitate a moment to charge the enemy in this strong position; the charge was executed in the most gallant manner, but still the enemy maintained their position. Captain Hanna, of the 55th regiment, was ordered with the third column to support captain Imlack. Captain Hanna again charged the enemy and took two of his guns. The action, however, became warm and general,but the event was never doubtful. The enemy, however, drew all the aid they could from their other posts and from their ships, withdrawing above 100 troops of the line from La Caroline. It was now judged proper to spike the guns of the two first batteries, Lamboucheu and La Centier, and to cause the third, La Neuf, to be occupied by the seamen. By this ma nœuvre a considerable additional force was rendered disposable in action; and, on its beingbrought up,the enemy after

a gallant resistance, were compelled to give way, leaving the rest of their guns in possession of captain Forbes and the reserve. The fourth and fifth batteries, La Pierre and La Caserre, were then carried and their fire turned on the ene my's shipping. By half-past eight o'clock, the town, with all the batteries, magazines, eight brass field pieces, one hundred and seventeen men, and heavy iron guns of different calibres, and all the public stores, were in our possession. As soon as the ships of the squadron observed that the firing had ceased, and that the British forces were triumphant, they stood in, ied by the Sirius, captain Pym, and opened their fire upon the enemy's ships, which they could not venture to attack before, lest their shot should annoy the British troops who were within range. The vigour of their attack now soon overpowered resistance, and the enemy's frigate La Caroline struck. The company's ships Europa and Streatham, previously captured by the enemy, were also taken on this occasion. The defences being destroyed, and the town being com. pletely commanded by the ships, it was judged right to re-embark the troops, which was accordingly carried into execution by eight o'clock in the evening. But on the following day, the enemy having appeared in force upon the hills, while a heavy column was observed advancing from St. Denys, under the command of Des Bruly, the governor, it was thought right immediately to land a sufficient force to destroy all public property. The marines and some seamen were accordingly sent on shore, and performed this service without delay. The next morning the troops were again put into the boats to land, and receive the enemy's attack, but it was found that they had retired in the night. Mr. St. Michel, the commander of the place, entered into an arrangement to deliver up all remaining public property, which was quietly embarked on board the Streatham and Europa, which ships were replaced under their former commanders, till then kept prisoners in the island. The interval from the 25th to the 28th