158 ON THE IRRAWADDY

and the whole force moved forward to the assault. The Bur-
mans regarded the attack by so insignificant a force upon their
works with such contempt that they did not for some time fire
ashot, but continued chanting a war-song, swaying them-
selves. to its cadence, stamping and beating time with their
hands on their breasts. This delay proved fatal to them.
When they opened fire their assailants were already close to the
ditch, and leaping down into this were sheltered from the fire
of the defenders. Scaling-ladders were speedily placed, and
the troops running up them, leaped down into the entrench-
ment.

Astounded at this sudden entry into the works they had
deemed impregnable, the Burmese hesitated ; and the assail-
ants being joined by their comrades from behind, rushed im-
petuously upon the enemy. The column in the rear had
greater difficulty, for they had several strong stockades- to
carry before they reached the central work, and lost four offi-
cers, and eight men killed, and forty-nine officers and men
wounded, in the 13th Regiment alone. Fifteen minutes after
the first shot was fired the whole of the works were in our pos-
session, and the Burmese, who gathered in a confused mass,
had been decimated by our volleys. They were now in full
flight, many being cut down by the cavalry before they reached
the shelter of the woods. ‘The British troops marched back
to Rangoon, while the Burmese retreated to Donabew, leav-
ing strong posts on the two rivers leading in that direction.

Their retirement left it free to the country people to return
to Rangoon, and very large numbers came in, including very
many of the villagers who had been forced to fight against us.
All had alike suffered from famine and hardship, even the
women had been compelled to labour in the work of stockad-
ing, and the sufferings of all had been terrible. The work of
rebuilding the town began at once, and the wooden huts sprang