290 SURPRISE OP THE ENGLISH. [1845. 



able battery, whose guns all pointed seaward, having the 

 rear cleared to the forests. On the lower part was a 

 battery with guns, &c., en barbet, having a covered way, 

 which formed the street to the Governor's house, the 

 storehouse, and other quarters, the extremes of which 

 were closed with a gate and portcullis. 



" Tenteng and his people knew that it would be easy 

 to attack the battery from the forest in rear, where his 

 people could unite and hide themselves, and thus they 

 took advantage of this want of care of the English, who 

 had neglected to defend that side, not dreaming of attack 

 from a point from whence they did not expect an enemy. 

 In the meantime, those at Banguey exerted themselves, 

 transporting the people across the sea to the woods of 

 Balambangan, and without being discovered by the Eng- 

 lish ; the natives had only three small boats, each of 

 which would scarcely convey seven persons, but these 

 boats, after many trips, succeeded in transporting all the 

 people to Balambangan, disembarking them on the oppo- 

 site side of the island, where the English were established, 

 and in this manner they approached silently, concealing 

 themselves in the wood immediately behind the Fort. 



"The English little dreamed of what was about to 

 happen, and the officers slept profoundly, having enjoyed 

 themselves at a fete given the day and night preceding, 

 in celebration of the Governor's birth-day. 



" At dawn on the 5th of March, 1775, they formed in 

 three divisions, attacked and burned simultaneously the 

 Governor's house, fort, and barracks ; shouts and shrieks 

 on both sides were dreadful, those who died from wounds, 

 as well as those who conquered, seemed to unite in fearful 



