OOVERNiMF.NT OF ARAIUA. 103 



maritime force was considerable ; and if concen- 

 trated might have amounted to at least 100 vessels, 

 with perhaps 400 pieces of cannon, and about 8000 

 fighting-men, well armed with muskets, swords, and 

 spears. On the landing of the English, the inhabit- 

 ants assembled in crowds to repel the invaders ; but 

 the regular volleys and steady charge of the troops 

 overcame every obstacle, and multiplied the heaps 

 of slain. A general conflagration was ordered, with 

 unlimited permission to plunder. The town was 

 instantly set on fire in all parts, and about sixty sail 

 of boats and dows, including the captured Minerva, 

 were burned and destroyed. The complete con- 

 quest of the place was thus effected with very trifling 

 loss to the assailants. 



The expedition then proceeded to Linga, a small 

 port of the Joassamees, on the opposite side of the 

 Gulf, which was taken w^ithout resistance. Luft, 

 another of their harbours in the island of Kishma, 

 was attacked ; and, though severely galled with 

 musketry, the British succeeded in getting posses- 

 sion of the place. The town and fortress were de- 

 livered over to the Imam of Muscat, as this was a 

 settlement which had been taken from him by the 

 pirates. Their next exploit was the recovery of 

 Shenaz, a fort that had also belonged to the same 

 prince, nearly midway between Muscat and Cape 

 Mussendom. When about four thousand shot and 

 shells had been discharged, a breach was reported to 

 be practicable, and the castle was accordingly 

 stormed. The resistance made in the town was 

 still desperate — the Arabs fighting as long as they 

 could wield the sword ; and even thrusting their 

 spears up through the smoking fragments of towers 

 and houses, in whose ruins they remained irrecov- 

 erably buried. Their loss in killed and wounded 

 was computed at upwards of 1000 men. The ex- 

 pedition, having now sw^ept round the bottom of the 

 Gulf, and believing their object was accomplished, 



