340 PERILOUS SITUATION. [1845. 



town, as under the point blank range of the guns of the 

 ' Samarang '. The boats also armed with four field-pieces, 

 and congreve-rockets, were at the beach, within sixty yards 

 of the walls, with thousands to fall under a few discharges; 

 and last, not least, the handful of picked men under my 

 immediate command ; I could not imagine, therefore, that 

 these people could be such idiots as to provoke hostilities. 

 The avenue in front which led to the main gate, was scarcely 

 more than ten feet wide, not affording room for more than 

 four men abreast, and two for active operations. Their 

 troops lined this road, with spears on our left, and forty- 

 eight matchlocks, with lighted matches, on our right. 

 The projecting bastions, which formed a very deep 

 recess to the gate, were frowning over our heads, at a 

 height of above thirty -five feet, thronged with people, and 

 requiring merely a handful of pebbles to exterminate us. 

 In the face of this we advanced to the gate. A parley 

 was held and a messenger arrived, refusing to admit so 

 large an armed force into the city, " it was against their 

 laws." They were then informed that these matters had 

 been already arranged, and that I declined further parley. 

 The period had now arrived when it became necessary to 

 exhibit to them the contempt which we entertained for 

 their Forces. Assuming the command by the order of 

 " Silence ", I reversed my little band, having half of the 

 marines in front, at the charge, the Officers in the centre, 

 and the remainder in rear ; and giving the order to "Ad- 

 vance ", we steadily cleared our way past the matchlocks 

 and " stone range " of the walls, and then forming square 

 on the nearest commanding ground, gently captured a 

 stray General, and gave him to understand that the safety 



