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 450 A HISTORY OF PERSIA. to join in close attack on the two forts. So effective was now the fire from the ships, that in less than three quarters of an hour from its commencement, the Persian batteries were so far silenced as to be only able to reply from three or four guns. At a quarter before eight o'clock, the Feroze, which bore the pennant of Commo- dore Young, hoisted the rendezvous flag at the mast- head, as a signal for the troop-ships to advance ; which they did in good order, although when they passed the batteries their fire had not yet ceased. Between nine and ten o'clock heavy explosions occurred in different parts of the Persian fortifications, and after the batteries had ceased firing from artillery, a fire of musketry was maintained with great perseverance, until storming parties from the Semiramis, Clive, Victoria, and Falkland, landed on shore, and drove before them the last of the enemy, taking possession of their works and guns. The loss sustained by the British fleet at Mohamra was very small, owing to the precaution which had been taken of constructing on each vessel a breastwork of trusses of hay : only five men were killed, and eighteen wounded. Amongst the troops not a single casualty took place ; although they had to run the gauntlet of both the artillery and the musketry fire, by which some of the Indian servants on board were killed. By one o'clock the troops had landed above the Persian battery on the northern bank of the" Karoon, when they formed and advanced without delay through the date-groves, and across the plain that lay between them and the in- trenched camp of the Persians. The latter did not wait for the approach of the English, but fled precipitately, after having exploded their largest magazine. They left