THE SHUT-EL-ARAB. 447 extent of the range of the guns up and down the river and across to the opposite shore. Indeed, everything that science could suggest appeared to have been effected by the Persians in order to prevent any hostile vessel from passing up the river to a point above Mohamra.* In addition to these precautions, their position had natural advantages ; since the banks of the rivers for many miles were covered with groves of palm-trees, which afforded the best possible shelter for marksmen, and the opposite shore of the Shut- el- Arab, being Turkish terri- tory, was not available for the erection of counter- batteries. f General Outram resolved to attack the enemies' batteries with his armed steamers and sloops of war, and so soon as the Persian fire should have slack- ened, to pass rapidly up the Karoon in small steamers towing boats, and then to land the force two miles up the river on the northern bank ; from which point he could advance to attack the Persians in their intrenched position. The Persian army at Mohamra consisted of nearly thirteen thousand men, under the personal command of Prince Khanlar. It consisted for the most part of Arabs, Bakhtiaris, and Beloochis, and was furnished with a suitable proportion of artillery. The British force consisted of five thousand men, and was strengthened by
- See despatches by Sir JAMES OUTRAM.
f I am happy to be able to record an instance of courtesy on the part of a Persian officer at Mohamra. Mr. Murray, accompanied by Dr. Dick- son, physician to his mission, wished to proceed from Bussora to Bushire, after the capture of the latter town by the British, an^ it became necessary for him to run the gauntlet of the forts at the mouth of the Karoon river. The Persian artillerymen were at their posts, but when their commander saw that the Hugh Lindsay bore the flag of the British Minister, it was allowed to pass close under the batteries without a shot being fired.
