country, which they would no doubt immediately commence, when the fall of Donoobew was known. The following day was, however, given to the chance of hearing from Brigadier-General Cotton, and accounts still poured in of the Bandoola’s hasty retreat.”
Early in the morning of the 11th March, Sir Archibald Campbell, then at U-au-deet, a town of considerable extent, upon the banks of the great river, about 26 miles above Sarrawah, received official intelligence, that the water column had failed in the attack upon the outworks of Donoobew, and that, without a large reinforcement, the place could not be carried, being both strong and well defended by a numerous garrison. “On receiving this unpleasant and unexpected news,” says the Major, “two questions naturally arose, – whether to push on to Prome with the land column, and reinforce Brigadier-General Cotton from the rear, by a strong detachment which was about to move forward from Rangoon, or at once to retrograde, and finish the business at Donoobew. The latter measure was decided on – the flotilla, upon which the land column depended for supplies, being stopped, and the navigation of the Irrawaddy so completely commanded, that not a canoe could pass the enemy’s position. Our commissariat too, at the time, had not ten day’s rations left: no reliance could be placed upon the country for furnishing even one day’s consumption. The people every where fled before us, and even when chance threw an individual in our way, he only answered all our questions and requests, by pointing towards Donoobew, and exclaiming ‘Bandoola! Bandoola!’ In a word, starvation stared us in the face at every step, had we proceeded; and the occupation of Prome, however desirable, was not to be attempted under circumstances so imminently hazardous.”
On the 13th, the land column again reached Sarrawah; “and here an obstacle of a most serious nature presented itself. To reach Donoobew, the Irrawaddy, one of the widest and most rapid rivers, of the East, must be crossed by an army, with cavalry, artillery, and commissariat equipment, and unprovided with any means for such an under-
