a flotilla under his orders proceeded much further up the same creek, and deprived the enemy of near 1500 tons of grain, but unfortunately the vessels containing it, thirty-five in number, were all in a very crazy state. In bringing them down the river, many got aground, and falling over, at low water, filled with the next Hood. “The loss of them,” says Lieutenant Dobson, “is to be attributed to the great distance we had to bring them, the strong tides and sudden turns, causing eddies out of which it was difficult to get, and the difficulty of towing such unwieldy craft, added to which the greater part of them were without either anchor or rudder.”
On the 4th Aug. Lieutenant Dobson, with some gun-boats under his orders, accompanied a military detachment up the Syriam river, and assisted in driving the enemy from the remains of the old Portuguese fort, situated upon a commanding height, at the mouth of the Pegu river. He was afterwards employed in stripping the Syriam Pagoda of its guns and bells[1]. On the 12th, the Satellite was directed to relieve the Hon. Company’s cruiser Teignmouth, stationed at Pagoda Point. On the 17th, Lieutenant Dobson reported to Captain Marryat as follows:–