evoking themselves. This judicious mode of-attack proved f | f g | | j the
sRIp was^quickly*' disabled, and Mons. Bsumo fiudirig the post untenable,
wtote ridetter to Alorapra, apologizing for his former couduet.and making
| P o v e r tu r e ^ aecomiaoda&n^-Tbe c a rm & v im te W either disco»
yered, or suspected by -the Peguers, who-sudderdy removed Mons. Bburno
and his adherents mtcrthe fort o f Syrian, before the purposed negotiation
h ad .fimedo^Jeompieted-'
; Aiompra- immediately took possession. of the evacuated factory and
VbsSef; a fte r which he seemed desirous o f attaining his object ofS ynam,
rather by-blockade ami famine than by hostile approaches; without a ttempting
to assault the place, he continued in its « c in h y , U«til, the month
o f July, 175«. By suck apparent Snartfoif ton the partfof the Birmans,
the garrison was lulled into fetaTsecurity- Aiompra, seizing a fav^PPM?
opportunity, crossed the d r td rk r th e dead o f m g h f c ^ f o i ^ .pptiyork?
w itW t reristariee, ford ibon made himself master o f die fort, The oom-
mandant, and the greater part o f the garrison, favoured by. the darkness,
escaped to Pegue ; many, however, were slain, and all the Europeans were
made prisoners..
It has already appeared to have been the determined policy of the Frenbh
-to espouse th e cause o f the Feguers, and had succours from Pondicherry
arrived before the state o f things became too desperate, affairs would probably
have worn a different aspect, and the Peguers obtained such an
addition to their strength, as would have enabled them to conclude a peace
on advantageous terms. But assistance in war, to be effectual, must be
timely, and unless applied while the scales hang nearly even, often comes
too late, and is found, not only to be useless, b u t even productive of
d e e p e r disappointment. In the present case, the French brought those
WppïiesïWhichtrthe -Peguers tfoad-dung b,mb.y<d«themselyes with hopes tÇ
at, the unfortunate moment whéurïhe.^siimprïieàtLoii ;was cut off when no
relief-efeiM bd'Ocrriveyed to them/- amditalljtprfspectfoforetrieving their dis^ I
astrous fo’rtuneèihad completely foarfehed-A >,
Mons. Dupliexy Governor; .af 'Eohdicherriy,, a man whose comprehensive*
fiiind pérceived-with clearness* whatever, could henefit. his^nfofon^/at thfo
juncture deeplylsh^gWl«iMthe;,important contest that'w.astrpkiidaf-ely to
determine the sovereignty -of; theUS&fo*-being i aware of; fo&;gqnshquence of
maMtaihing*1 Pegue, h a d / natwithstandingj, th^'gJtr^enciesof
his d.wh situation," (trip p ed two ships, the/Gaiathiri arid Dijigentv.'ves-r
sels of force, well-manned,and armed, and sent them,, with p/sypply df
military ■ stores, to the assistance oMJhe/Reguers. .if^hestly afieri^ving-1
Pbndlcherry, they''separated ; -the Gfoatfiiéîhad - a*., speedy- passage, - but
^wfog to a fatal and fréquent error-of* mistaking th e mouth^pf the Sitang
river, dhich is a few miles to the eastward', lor that ofoRurrgoqn, shcJh d .‘|
nofearri.ve a t the bar until two- à ay^aftwSyikmhad^felJe^înto thehaçds
d f tiie Birmans. The boat, sont!hyJ*the- Frenchceommandefoto (bring dqwn
a pilot, was immediately captured: . Aiompra being appri'zed>'bfî'ihe^ &irj I
earns tance, ordered ai pilot, in a c o irn try -^ b p a t^ fg ^W ^ ta lth ^ ^M h i^ l
and compelled Bouino,,who .was then under,rigorous.- confinement, to writ e
to the Captain,< encouraging, him to proceed, and come up tojR^gppn,
assigning some ffivoloris^excuse forstheAdfoày,qf$h<g GflJajthie’fj b;pafn which
he was given to expect would meet him eh thef.waytojt.qwu-
•imprudently became "the „dupe of i-this$ artifice he»,jwpighed, ^anjjh stood I
Hi With a strong flood tide. 'rwhio|j|iril a,-feWAhnur.<to feamsiadt^ m to, Rangoon,
wJirte the sudden sbfoure of fois vesseb prevented jah, possibility .of
retreat; the stores were ; brought mrk share,.jand, the consignments and