happened £cjàfeo*ih theic^pd^s.^^fie^é^g^was 'thus -jagesfractedtifop- some
months^ ^and tfig p|g^,ggj3$t fell .by ft j ^àchery v^;;Ti©JBî‘rman s, who under
Mi'apeou'had originally beep- instrumental ,to putting5 the fo rt^« r^ ^ i'es7
SK>n',fcff^|fie|rSiamifeseV became discontented, probaMy-throhgh' want v;4&’
clandestine correspondence commenced hefweeirïthem and ttke? leaders -of
the besieging, army : a proper understanding being e sta b lish ^ < atfà? qqM
certed hourr.qf the night, the enemy adyancedi to?:storm the outwo^ks^of;
the fort ; when thejSiamese rose J o repel the 'assauk',-JheBirmans iwithin,
-whose fidelity was, not suspected, fell upon the garrison, • which, .consisting
of 3 0 0 0 gallant soldiers,: were cut to pieces, either by,their pretended
allies, or, avowed foes, who soon gained admission »through the means of
their perfidious countrymen. Miapeou was not-found ; he had withdrawn
from the fort sometime befqre, and escaped into the country of the Sia-
mese. The Birmans thus again became masters of the important 'fortress
of Tavoy. .
In the mean while affairs at Mergui seemed likely to exhibit a different
scene from that,which was passing at Tavoy : here, the Birmans acted on the
defensive, and the Siamese were the assailants. A brother of the King of
Siam had invested the garrison with a strong forced and pressed the siege
so closely that the Birmans were reduced .to the utmost extremity, and
must have surrendered, but for the opportune arrival of six ships and
1 000 men> detached to their aid from Tavoy-; the Besiegers, disheartened
by the appearance of these succours, relinquished the enterprise, and
retired into the interior of the country.
Subsequent to these events, -no action of importance appears to have
itaken place between the contending powers ; the year J 793 opened with
overtures for peace on the part of the Siamese; a négociation commenced,
|:wliicli^pcedih*tWmuatvdnrft ha*i uftli’s mou*oku>ti,.
I 'td ^ C T B i rm a ^ i l^ a .t^ ^ J tH z s
m uis, tilt, w cs'clcEntm hrfim'üHip us* ispI r'soinh. £^\h w iy ^ ih u ^w d d i^ t^
J^t-heim entne pos ^s s i oi%(&a^of ad oin^liidilj hr t mi
s .pom ofiM-csgui-and [ tsorÏJaiquF-vint ns o f « f \ $ h WiVw*I coiftjrd?kd
either in a^jpt&litidaf (^Wffffifortliff'h'jhi' tfv'
«»IiKlisputablyipi.escmiiien^W^jtJ t i i c ^ i iY t i f f y ^ f t i h i f e v a s e [tcrtiili
»- ^fljasssthat ^ 'fe^Srafë-^lfie^qlFofféB ên^llföstó ~
anenrtoi) tqu.il-in euuiFfb thoil.irm ^empire? l'l&sJfrvmlf'
c<ifruWc*an<UUmi^U, th.rr l i ^ f rï“
| n i h ihus&happdy u K u m s t a t f t ^ c a j . A u l ^ t ó ^ ^ s ^ f i f y l lm j
’coemption« hom>'tho.rrmcm.s ’oft :w ar jdbul uidx ml mg fyi d ie t’du d tó cM l ’
^[ep* mjusfifiablyrp^sg&iat|d? neariyjdSnbioilcdrnliuiiL r n f t l ^ s h v 'f ^ ^ ^
' F ^ ^ y h a d n ^ t u fM t t s b y the adT^ ^ ^ ; | (^ U sirfJjt'LI1^ ’j
^ . n s n . d i c r i .u p a foe fai m(.ie‘f . , A n i « l a ^ t h a i 9 t h ^ ^ £ ^ ^ ^ f 4
Rsguers; Siamese, and« €assiyersï
‘^ ^ l a d p m f Arracau, whidr j^-chfcfl^ioïia-ï-^l«-ÏÏAk\sfi£h'
through anvinland uayigation whon^trioli
had^ufe red ^ e a t ê d d q tó r ü p t ip ^m .^ f c fÈ & ï* M d iri.'
thef.Br®ken*'Isl4nds#'ttrfiMg 'which thé ‘ oÉakÉJi'wind,’'that' a r ^ e lls è a i
* cqürse-ioh* boats?.:notróniy'fconimitted ^ ^ t i o n s ^ l ^ ^ ^ c M i i ^ ,
but hade ven the hardinesM© attack fleetsprbcÉn | itMtfó. ?f,Vkl < iftffiïis *
g g ^ r o b b e r s /w h e n the season o f.thA ^ a f ê É ï ï 6^ p i i # c f
d è rin g ^ jth e water, s^ h tM v é a tu r e éÈ fl^M ; d u d ,W $ 4 u k W 3Ï Ï t ^
conveyed their booty of .gdods 'and cattle-Ja£f6ss'tBl r M ^ ^ ^ f ^ É | t l i i
* CuSt0mS are usually received in kind, viz. one-tenth of the commodity.