No. 35. — 1887.] CAPTURE OF trincomalee. 



129 



attacking and harassing our workmen with the aforesaid man- 

 schouw. For this purpose two prince guns were sent ashore, 

 but before they could be brought into proper position 

 those from the Fort appeared in the manschouiv at the 

 place where our men were busy together raising some 

 batteries. They approached making a great noise and shout- 

 ing as they rowed to the shore, firing some shots with their 

 rifles and muskets into the scrub, thinking that our men were 

 there. A sentry (who had been ordered to screen himself 

 behind a tree) exposed himself through curiosity, and was 

 so wounded in the head by a bullet that he died soon after. 

 There was no further loss that day. 



In the afternoon the Commander went ashore again to 

 visit the works already contracted by us. There were three 

 casemates ready provided with a battery 8 ft. high and 

 7 ft. broad : the fourth was also begun. Some intrench- 

 ment walls along the shore, were almost finished for the 

 purpose of mounting there the two aforesaid prince guns, 

 to prevent those in the Fort from using any boats in the 

 west bay. 



April 25. — In the forenoon those from within the Fort 

 came out again with a praauiv containing five persons, who 

 landed on a certain rock lying in the west bay between the 

 Fort and our works. They fired some shots with their 

 muskets on our workmen and wounded one of our soldiers 

 in the thick of his leg. A rifle shot from us killed a black 

 who had exposed half his body on the rock ; so that only 

 four men returned to the Fort. In the evening our men 

 had ten loopholes ready, four of which were bound round 

 with palisades, but not quite filled with earth and twigs. 

 Those from the Fort did not this day fire more than two shots 

 with their heavy guns on our workmen and soldiers. 



April 26. — In the forenoon our men were still busy 

 filling the aforesaid four batteries, those from within again 

 firing on the men working at them. In the afternoon 

 were much disturbed with guns, musket, and cannon shots. 

 The balls picked up by some of our men were mostly of 



