about thirty-five miles above the entrance of the river. From this point, the stream being very narrow, and the wind blowing strong down every reach, the ascent became extremely arduous; the ships often getting on shore, towing and warping day and night, till the evening of the 3d March, when they anchored about three miles below the town of Bassein, then in smoking ruins and deserted by its garrison. Finding this to be the case. Major Sale immediately landed his troops, and took post in the area of the principal pagoda, a strongly fortified and commanding position. He subsequently made a reconnoissance as far as Lamina, with three hundred troops and seventy seamen, proceeding up the river in boats, under the command of Lieutenant Fraser, and bivouacking at night upon the banks. All the villages he passed were found deserted, the population having been driven into the interior by the retreating Burman warriors. Lamina, also, although a place of great extent, was found abandoned. On the 23d, he returned to Bassein, bringing with him a state barge and several war canoes. During this excursion, two men were wounded by musketry from the jungle, five died from fatigue and privation, and many others became incapable of service.
On the 26th Mar., the Larne weighed and dropped down to Naputtah, a considerable village, which had accepted British protection. On the 28th, he proceeded against the town of Thingang, situated up a branch of the river leading to Rangoon, taking with him fifty seamen and marines, twelve sepoys, and fifty villagers whom he had prevailed upon to fight against the Burmese, and armed with swords and spears. At 3 p.m., while forming for the attack of a force reported to consist of eight hundred men, a canoe came off with intelligence that the enemy would submit to his terms: these were, that all arms should be surrendered, that one hundred and fifty Naputtah men, then detained there to be forwarded to Donoobew, should be liberated and provided with canoes to return to their homes, and that the Wongee of the town should be placed at his disposal. This personage, who had commanded 1000 men at the attack of Rangoon, and been
