Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/344

338 distance on the right, under the conduct of the guides, who undertook to lead them to the town, through a secret path, of which there are several in the wood, known only to the inhabitants, who call them the rogues' path-way. The first barrier was a winding passage between two thick-set hedges of thorn, leading into the straiter path of the wood; but choaked at both ends with brambles laid for the occasion. Nevertheless the enemy abandoned this post, although very defensible, without resistance.

The Coffres led, followed by the Europeans; they by one of the six-pounders, with limber-boxes only; and the Sepoys marched in the rear, excepting a few who remained to guard the other six-pounder, the spare ammunition, and the baggage, which were left at the skirt of the wood; the line proceeded more than a mile in the path without interruption, but at length was fired upon from a breast-work of brick on the right; from which the enemy were soon dislodged, and retired through the bushes to the next; but as they were intent in carrying off their wounded, the musketry galled them a good deal as they were going away. Moving onward, the line soon received a smart fire from a second breast-work like the first; but the Coffres soon obliged the enemy to quit this station likewise, when they retired to their main body; a few of the line were wounded in driving them from these defences. The Coffres continued to move on in front, and had out-marched the rest of the line, when by a sudden turning in the road, they came unexpectedly at once within pistol-shot of the enemy's principal post. This was a strong wall of brick, fourteen feet high, divided into a rampart and parapet, and in the parapet were several tiers of loop-holes; it stretched across the path, and some yards beyond it on each hand, and had a return of the same construction at each extremity, but falling back, instead of projecting to flank the main wall, and in the return on the left stood the gateway; this work was surrounded by a strong hedge of thorn, which continuing on the sides, joined the main wood to some distance in the rear. As soon as the Coffres appeared at the turning, the enemy testified their numbers, and their