ment, and forthwith ordered his whole army to assemble at Moorshedabad, the capital of his dominions, for the purpose of resisting the daring strangers.[1] On the 27th of December the fleet left Fulta, and the next day anchored at Moidapore, where the troops were disembarked and marched to attack Buj-Buj, a fort of some strength about ten miles distant. The march thither was one of dreadful fatigue, and occupied sixteen hours. The country was such as could not be traversed, under the most favourable circumstances, without extreme labour; and the troops on this occasion had not only to encounter the difficulties which it presented to their own passage, but also to drag along with them two field-pieces and a tumbril laden with ammunition.
After such a march in such a climate, it will be admitted by all who know anything of the country that, when the troops came to their ground, they stood very much in need of repose. They indulged themselves in this, however, to such an extent that their quarters were beaten up during the night by Monichund, the Governor of Calcutta, who rushed upon the sleeping British with a body of three thousand horse and foot. On the first alarm Clive promptly made the necessary dispositions for repelling the enemy, who were speedily driven from the posts they had occupied; Monichund himself turning his elephant and flying with his whole force, more rapidly even than he had advanced to the attack.
The following day was fixed for an assault on Buj-Buj; but, in the confusion of the night attack, a drunken sailor named Strahan, belonging to the British squadron, having struggled to the ditch, crossed it and scrambled over the ramparts. Finding no sentinels, he shouted to the advanced guard of the British force that he had taken the fort with his own hand; and on their proceeding to join him, it was found that the place was evacuated. Monichund having returned to Calcutta, left a garrison in
- ↑ Such was the ignorance of this barbarian prince that he actually believed, says Orme, "there were not ten thousand men in all Europe!"
