173 



On the 9th the advance Vas continued, and a 

 few hundred yards brought the detuch meat to 

 thefoQt of Bckil Seboosa, a hdl whose summit 

 was,cfest.ed with a defence of felled trees, liie 

 first intimation yet given of determined oppo- 

 sition. Two roads to Taboo here diverge— the 

 one leading right over the brow, and the other 

 winding round the foot, of the eminence : across 

 the first were lying several felled trees, whilst the 

 (Entrance of the other was arHnllv concealed by 

 green boughs. 



The officers at once saw ihat the enemy, whom 

 they bad contemned for neglecting ihe natural 

 advantages of his country, ^va^ fully aware of 

 them, and not a doubt could be entertained that 

 he would cut off the communication with Malac- 

 ca by the same means which he had adopted in 

 order to obs^truct the advance, so that the situa- 

 tion of the detachment became one ot extreme 

 difficuliy and danger. The only human cliance 

 of extrication was to put a bold face on the mat- 

 ter, and, by pushing forward, perhaps, strike 

 that terror into the Malays, which it was evident 

 had not yet been inspired. 



Captain Wyllie. therefore, ordered the coolies 

 to the front, to cut throuj^h the felled trees on 

 the direct road leading to the stockade ; for, as 

 yet, as previously intimated, the circuitous rout 

 was a via mcogniia. The surrounding woods 

 ' had barely reverberated to the first stroke of the 

 axe* as it fell heavily upon the prostrate trees, 

 when a volley from the stockade came whittling 

 down the road, by which the first casualties were 

 inflicted ; viZ. one sepoy and one cooly wounded. 



