MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 267 



The enemy, unaware of these arrangements, continually shouted 

 at our troops, abusing and provoking them as much as they could. 



After the lapse of a quarter of an hour we heard the report of 

 the gun, and thus knew that our companions had reached the 

 intended point. The bentang was then attacked from three sides 

 at the same time. 



The enemy, remaining firmly in their bentang, fought as gal- 

 lantly as ever a native enemy did. We had expected that they 

 would have come to meet us, but they did not this time, and very 

 much disappointed our soldiers, who, exposed to their fire, had 

 to fight against the walls of their bentang. 



But when our troops had two or three European soldiers killed, they 

 could no longer be restrained ; the grenadiers with their hand- 

 grenades stormed the bentang, thus taking the lead of the other 

 troops which followed close on their heels. 



This created such disorder among the enemy that they decided 

 to break up their centre, and with their amok-runners in front they 

 tried to cut themselves a way through our troops at two corners 

 of the bentang. 



Our Commander, perceiving their intention, ordered a general 

 charge with the bayonet, in which close engagement the enemy 

 had 40 men killed, and certainly more than double that number 

 wounded, our troops having fought with the greatest irritation. 



After burning down their bentang, our various forces were 

 re-assembled, and returned to Malacca with drums beating and 

 colours flying, carrying as trophies the heads of those of the enemy 

 whom they had killed, on the points of their bayonets and lances. 



We had six men killed, four of whom were soldiers, one a volunteer 

 and one a Chinaman, and not more than 5 men wounded, among 

 the natives and volunteers, and none of them seriously. 



