under his command were wounded, by musketry from the shore[1].
The scurvy was now making a rapid progress among the crew of the Larne, in consequence of their having been for four months confined to a diet of salt and damaged provisions, added to a total privation of vegetables, and the usual effects of a long continued wet season. Captain Marryat, therefore, supposing that a period of at least six weeks must elapse before active operations could be re-commenced, determined upon proceeding to Penang, where those comforts essentially necessary for the recovery of his crew were then most conveniently to be had. In reply to Captain Marryat’s representation of the inefficient state of the Larne, Sir A. Campbell says,– “In taking, I hope, a very short leave of yourself, and the officers and men of the Larne, I shall not dwell, as I otherwise would, on the valuable and ready aid I have invariably received from you all, since the commencement of the present service, embracing duties of perhaps as severe and harassing a nature as ever were experienced by either sailors or soldiers, and under privations of the most trying nature. Any number of Malay sailors you may require, to assist in navigating the Larne to Penang, are at your service.”
At the request of Sir Archibald, Captain Marryat left his first lieutenant, William Burdett Dobson, and sixteen of the Larne’s crew, in charge of the Satellite, stationed at Pagoda Point[2]. He then dropped down the river, with only twenty-seven of his original officers and men on board, leaving the naval force at Rangoon under the command of Captain George F. Ryves, of the Sophie sloop, the only vessel of war belonging to his Majesty, then attached to the invading army[3].
On the 24th Dec, the Larne returned from Calcutta; and soon afterwards, the army and flotilla received large reinforcements from Bengal, Madras, Ceylon, and Chittagong.
