BOMBARDMENT OF SEVERNDROOG. 
189 
tained, a treaty was entered into with that power, 
their sovereign agreeing to unite his forces with those 
of the British government, so soon as a feasible plan 
should be resolved upon for the reduction of Angria’s 
forts. It was during this alliance that Commodore 
James proceeded against the Governor of Severndroog, 
as already stated. Disgusted at the base pusillanimity 
of his Mahratta allies, he determined to attack the 
pirate's principal fort with his own small squadron : 
consequently, on the day after the chase of his grabs 
and gallivats, he commenced a smart cannonading at 
break of day. The bombardment, though brisk, made 
little or no impression upon the walls, which were 
here nearly twenty feet thick and fifty-four feet high : 
the commodore therefore shifted his station, so as to 
bring Fort Goa within the range of his lower guns, 
while he directed those of the upper tier against Severn- 
droog. The defence on this side being weaker, after' 
some hours’ cannonading he succeeded in destroying 
one of the bastions, and part of the parapet with 
which it was connected. 
About noon, a shell happening to fall upon one of 
the houses within the fort, set it on fire, and the wind 
being strong, the flames soon communicated exten- 
sively to the neighbouring houses : these the garrison 
were prevented from saving by the severity of the 
cannonading, which was continued with undiminished 
energy. The fire spread with great rapidity, and after 
some time communicated with one of the magazines, 
which exploded, producing a tremendous confusion, 
and, very shortly after, a general conflagration. The 
consternation was beyond control, — men, women, and 
