176 CIVIL HISTORY AND 



the first attempt of the British, who were command- 

 ed by Captain Thomson, entirely failed. By a sudden 

 and overwhelming attack of the natives the detach- 

 ment was totally destroyed. Out of three hundred 

 and eleven that went into action, seven officers and 

 249 men were murdered on the spot. Scarcely a 

 wounded man escaped,, as the khunjer, or dagger, 

 finished what the sword began. 



This disaster, however, was speedily repaired by 

 a third expedition fitted out at Bombay next year, 

 and which succeeded in getting possession of the town 

 of Bu Ali ; the works were blown up, and such of 

 the guns and heavy stores as could not be carried off 

 were destroyed. The inhabitants defended their for- 

 tress with a bravery approaching to phrensy, which 

 an eyewitness compared to that of the Scotch High- 

 landers at Prestonpans, both as to the mode of war- 

 fare and the deadly weapon, the broadsword, used 

 on these occasions with such desperate execution. 

 " All," says he, " who beheld this extraordinary 

 attack concur in declaring that more determined 

 courage and self-devoting resolution never was dis- 

 played by any men than by the Arabs. On that 

 day, not only were they totally unchecked in their 

 advance by the heavy and well-sustained fire, which 

 mowed them down in multitudes every instant ; but, 

 despising the lines of bayonets opposed to them, they 

 threw themselves upon the troops, seizing their 

 weapons with both hands to break their ranks, and 

 sacrificed themselves to cut down their enemies, 

 even with the bayonet sticking in. their bodies. All 

 the Indian and European troops that fell were cut 

 down with the broadsword, the matchlock being 

 scarcely used during the whole affair. Before 



