RAJA HAJI. 199 
appurtenances. Having got close to the enemy’s batteries they began 
to fire, but the ground being soft and muddy the 24-pounder, after a 
few shots had been fired, sank so deep that it had to be unmounted 
and afterwards taken back. A 12 1b. gun was sent instead, but for 
the same reason—the softness of the ground—little use could be 
made of itand it was again with the 6 and 3-pounders that they 
continued to fire on the enemy’s batteries. The enemy made a bold 
resistance, and the fight became general and severe, and several 
bombs were thrown into their fortifications, but though it wasseen 
that some burst inside, it was impossible to drive the enemy out. 
It was as impracticable to pierce the defences with our guns, from 
the thickness and strength of the walls, as to make use of the 
hindering quagmire to storm it, without recklessly sacrificing the 
greater number of the men, and as all were very exhausted by the 
cruel heat, it was considered advisable at 2 o’clock to march back. 
As the enemy did not come out of the defences their losses in this 
action could not be ascertained, but on our side two men were 
killed on the spot, and thirteen wounded, three mortally. 
In the meantime the cutters Patriot and Ondernemer with the 
pantjalang Rustenberg sailed to Telok Katapan to harass the enemy 
from that side. 
Aprit 16-19.—Every night we were disturbed by the enemy, 
once outside Tranquéra and the road to Gerestein, once in Boenga 
Raja and the battery at the foot of Boekit Tjina, and in the Band- 
ailhera, but they were always driven back without the loss of a 
single man. Also there were daily skirmishes between our men 
and the enemy. 
Aprit 21.—This morning a company of our men under command 
of a captain, an ensign, and three subordinate officers, with fifty 
Malay soldiers, marched from Boenga Raja to Pringegi where they 
came into conflict with a company of the enemy, put them to flight, 
and got possession of one of their killed, whose head they cut off 
and stuck on a pole at Panekalanrama. 
Aprit 22.—The bark Gertruida Susanna and the hooker 
_Handelaar sailed to Tandjong Kling to look for some Selangoer 
vessels which were reported to be at anchor on the north side of the 
pont. 
Aprit 24.—A patrol of forty Malays left the batteries in the 
Bandailhera, and went towards Oedjong Pasir, where they fought 
with a band of the enemy. On our side one man was killed and one 
wounded. 
