family, was appointed to ccmfluctfthe fleet. The. different vessels were commanded
by persons' of a like description, who had been bred up!under the
Birman government, and held petty offices in the .maritime ports; they,
however, were considered in a light, little superior to pilots, :beingmnder
the check and control of the commander of the land forces o n boards I this
fleet reached Mergui in the month of J anuary;' 1-7 &5. . .
. i J n support of the troops and squadroh ssnthyrsea, a fctachment of 8000
men marched in the month of November from Rangobn'; this/body- did
not reach Mergui until the 18 th of February: on the ?;th of March following,
the fleet weighed anchor, and the forces by-land made in^a |p r!
responded movement. The arar of the sea that divides Junkseylon from the
main, is in ; some places very nai-row: the Birmans immediately-'on-: their
arrival, attacked the fort, which is situated on the east side of the island,
and were successful, notwithstanding a spirited resistance .made.by Prawse-
long, the Siamese governor, who afterwards withdrew from the fort into
the interior'bT the island. The Binnans found here, a- valuable booty;
which they embarked on board a vessel captured in4he4tm;bour^tfelong-
ing to a Mussulman merchant of Masulipatam; but the ship never
reached her destined port: meeting with a gale of wind in the Bay of
Martaban, she foundered at sea, and' every soul perished. The triumph of
the Birmans was of short duration; the Siamese governor rallied his forces,
and having procured an addition to his strength, became in bis turn the
assailant, with so good effect, that the Birmans thought fit to retreat to
their shipping, which they did not accomplish without a heavy loss : apprehensive
of yet greater disasters, they returned to Mergui, whence the
fleet sailed for Rangoon, and the Troops marched to Martaban, with intent
to canton during the rainy season.
•E M # A W y -TO -ÀV-A. 115
- The Birman monarch, whose pride was deeply mortified at the fflfd rt
tufieoi^jffis^rms^at Junkseylor^ resolved^ to* rep'aâirrthe-.disgrace, and invade
SuiiM-iffi1 sHcTdâ foi odas'hcA ori<?d\ cd sïèuld btf irksivtiWc : and fiinhei$
•S reW alif^X ^ ^ ss^ ^ fl® ^ ë# fê ^ ten tiô n ftd fâ te ad ^ if^ ^d 'o 1 p ^ in pëfsm:.',
H e accordingly4 left î#mffarâ'|Î60ràï'at ftbd,bel||'df&QiOp0?men, with a trim*
éfitWeSÿ field piecesH^MftMting.rtHéfrtiutiSîir»ff'Peîigii()^rL.iclii.d' \f u i ib.in
fil ^^É^wfewê?f>ïthe y e a r'1 -^ P ^ ib tà c h iÉ .ta it was1 Iikàfàise 'sente èse in-
f adè^ffol "tliTS i ,ftn ^ find anotliu uidcrcd soufficm*
quaitei from \. flea was Tflhtyj Shipped •tWsNtin'gVii'shtiorl
sfiips, rffisth 1 Kft>h i t c l p w f I i a S I Mçf]|o(-f11
fti impressed %T ibira feHrs aliifam'Cra ‘lîWMïd up tdA. 'liaiboui lift
.funkse dori*. * .‘mIT^'ij^rdfistfqji%^T^^nMiilp'ireW the Bui mans' w<fthnsan-8
g’umd hopes : to'o him h'confidente, floss ever, often bCtriiysiihlo^fttwiVa^iffe
Emperor, Mreau^ ^ntfdipatmg vicfÔFy,> mk'Tolfeciffrbm Martaban, knd haÜ
-sealcel^arfraeu¥lie_S lamest1 furitmres',’wipin'he was’opposed Itv’PnJ.Kk-
jÇfflgPthe King of Siam, with a powerful army; a fu^rôiifs* êlfgagèmenÈf
embed, in which the Birmans were' compl'aay^nÏÏfttd^àhd 'their iTscfesff'
cannon* taken by the enemy. The Emperot himself, w ho na jrmvlyesr.fpeui
ifoCTigOnade prisoned returned“£6 his. Capital with’-precipitafidn. fhqnijpw
Spvlp found 'pro Tectiorÿ in Martaban ; and’the other-detachments 'h%arin|r;i'of
thd rmsf&riuïoe1' of the 'main' eddy,'1 lîâwiâef'fStreàtéd. o -Tleisg£i%in.,fèi'‘ fièlS
operatiOTÎsî'bémg far advanced; hostilities wefefoSsorSetim'e'stispeSded'on'
'flbth sides.
In'the,’ commencement of the en su in g ’}ear,*the Siamese, in c-onsideiabJe!
force, laid siège £b! TâVoy ; but after^%ffra^^ffiug^îèi%èïe#wp©Mè''df.;t^
* Many well informed men among the Birmans, ascribe their'defeatrio, the ufcjtmbrarice
o f their cannon, which were old ship guns mounted on low carriages. ' '
<■)