CAPTURE OF CALCUTTA. 17 



ously served. The enemy, however, having kept up a brisk 

 fire from under the bushes, and also penetrated through 

 avenues which had not been secured, all the three batteries 

 m the course of the day were abandoned, and the whole 

 garrison sought refuge within the fragile walls of the fort. 

 From this time the most sanguine lost almost every hope 

 of a successful resistance ; and yet no measures were taken 

 for withdrawing the troops. At night, indeed, the women 

 and children were conveyed on board a vessel, and two 

 members of the council, who superintended the embarkation, 

 thought it most prudent not to return. At two in the 

 morning a council met to deliberate whether they should 

 immediately effect their escape, or delay it till next night. 

 After much discussion, they broke up without any decision ; 

 which amounted practically to the adoption of the latter 

 alternative. The attack was warmly renewed at daybreak, 

 and the enemy continually gained ground. While affairs 

 assumed every hour a more alarming aspect, the ship on 

 board of which were the women and children was seen to 

 weigh anchor and stand down the river, while the other 

 vessels most culpably followed the example. The situation 

 of the garrison became then truly critical. Drake, the 

 governor, who had all along been very inefficient as a com- 

 mander, was seized with a panic, threw himself into the 

 last remaining boat, and left his troops to their fate. Struck 

 with astonishment and indignation, they chose Mr. Holwell 

 to fill his place; but all their concern now was how to 

 effect their deliverance. One vessel being still within reach 

 was ordered to approach ; but it struck on a sandbank, and 

 was deserted by the crew. The most earnest and repeated 

 signals were then made to the ships that had gone down to 

 Govindpore ; but it is very mortifying to state, that not one 

 of them, to save so many brave men, chose to encounter the 

 danger, which was by no means formidable, of approaching 

 the walls of the fort. Mr. Holwell then saw no alternative 

 but to open a negotiation for surrender, and in the morning 

 a letter was thrown over the ramparts, which was answered 

 in the afternoon by a flag of truce. Meantime the troops, 

 taking advantage of the confusion, had obtained access to 

 the liquor, and were so intoxicated as to be incapable of ac- 

 tion. The enemy, discovering how matters stood, stepped 

 into the fort, and took possession of it without resistance. 



B2 



