'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎416] (457/590)

416
HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY.
but altogether so badly directed that we had only one man
wounded, belonging to a row-boat at that time alongside the
' Thetis.' Having observed a great number of boats, many of
a large size, collected about two miles above us, and consider
ing it possible that at night, during the ebb, they might attack
any of the flotilla that remained in advance, when we, from
the rapidity of the current, could not render them any assist
ance, I thought fit to shift the ' Thetis,' at the last of the
flood, about a quarter of a mile above the point, directing the
flotilla to drop with the ebb below the stockade on the opposite
point, which they accordingly did. At noon on the 11th, ob
serving the signal agreed upon, when the General wanted com
munication with us to be made, I sent an officer to answer it,
who returned with intelligence of the troops having possession
of Kemmendine, and with a request from the General, that
two of the gun flotilla and two row-boats might be left at that
place; I accordingly directed the flotilla, with the above excep
tions, to proceed to Eangoon. At six p.m. the ' Thetis' weighed,
and, with the boats ahead to tow, began to drop down the
river."
In trying to avoid a large fire raft, composed of several
country boats fastened together, the ' Thetis' grounded on the
bank of the river, where she remained all night, during which
she received some shots from the stockades. At daylight on
the 12th, Lieutenant Fraser succeeded in floating her, when
she proceeded down the river and anchored at Rangoon. The
total loss sustained by the British in this affair, was sixteen
killed and one hundred and twenty-two wounded.
Soon after, Lieutenant Greer, First Lieutenant of the ' Mer
cury,' assumed command of the ' Thetis.'
About this time H.M.S. ' Sophie' was ordered to Calcutta to
procure supplies and seamen, as owing to sickness, such was the
shorthandedness of H.M.'s ships, that Commander Marryat re
ported on the 14th of June, that he had not a commissioned or
warrant officer capable of doing duty ; as regards the crew,
he added :—"I am afraid that we shall lose many men before
we leave this place. The heavy and incessant rains, the un-
wholesomeness of the water, and the impossibility of procuring
fresh provisions, forcibly point it out as the grave of a large
part of the Expedition." Previous to the ' Sophie's' departure
for Calcutta, six 32-pounder carronades were taken from her
and mounted, with four of the 'LarneV guns, on board the
Hon. Company's transport ' Satellite,' formerly a sloop-of-war,
which was manned with every effective officer and man from
the ' Larne,' and placed under the command of Lieutenant
Dobson, R.N., and rendered good service during the subse
quent operations.
The Burmese General having received orders from the