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 the evacuation of Hooghly the English headquarters had been temporarily established at Sutanuti, a spot which to-day constitutes the northern quarter of Calcutta. This position was now abandoned for one lower down the river on the island of Hijili which was thought to offer a better prospect of making a successful stand. Here Charnock concentrated his forces, using the fort which he had seized from the Mogul garrison as his new headquarters. When all possible protective measures had been taken there was a good deal of room left for anxiety. The fort was a flimsy structure standing amidst a grove of trees and situated some five hundred yards from the nearest landing-place, the defence of which had to be entrusted to a specially constructed battery. Altogether only 420 soldiers were available for garrison purposes, though the Beaufort, one of the largest ships of the fleet, with its frigate were at hand to render valuable aid in preventing communication between the island and the mainland, and two other ships of the fleet were at Balasor with a considerable additional contingent.

It was at the latter place that the first serious move in the new campaign was made. A force of one hundred and seventy men landed from the ships attacked and captured the Mogul fort which commanded the river, and the next day marched to the town of Balasor, which they sacked and fired. The English rounded off their operations by seizing two Mogul ships which, inopportunely for their owners, came into port. The only incident to cloud a brilliant piece of work was the surprise and capture of a boat's crew of seventeen who had incautiously gone too far up the river. Of the entire crew only one escaped. The heads of several of the less fortunate subsequently