Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp4.djvu/241

 ; the progress of the breach became hourly more apparent and practicable; orders were therefore issued to prepare for the storm. The announcement was received with great satisfaction, and every usual preparation was made with alacrity. A sharp tussle was looked for, and plunder undoubtedly expected. About 100 seamen were assembled in the trenches; to draw them up in line was out of the question – all life and talk and drollery. Col. Elrington and the gallant 47th, with the grenadier and flank companies of the other regiments, composed the party appointed to storm. On a signal being given, the whole rushed from the trenches in sight of the enemy, and advanced rapidly towards the breach; the enemy disappeared from the walls on our approach. The breach was soon mounted, and the place was entered; not a man disputed the entrance, not an Arab was visible. They were seen scampering from the town in the opposite direction, bending their route towards the hills. The disappointment of the men was excessive. The result of their search ever the town ended in the finding of four decrepid hags, whom the ungallant Arabs did not deem it necessary to carry off, trusting to their age and ugliness as safeguards against the attentions and gallantry of our men. But they reckoned without their host in that instance. Plunder there was none. Towards the close of the siege, the garrison had been employed in secretly removing all their effects out of the place; bullocks and goats only were left, and these Jack was seen driving in herds of five, ten, and twenty, down to the beach, jealous of any interference with his flock, and conveying as many of the goats on board as he could stow away.

“The union flag was immediately hoisted in the room of the bloody flag of the pirates, and orders were issued to dismantle the whole fortifications, and raze the place. The walls of the several groharries and towers were five and a half feet thick, and so strong and well built as to render them impregnable to all, except European artillery. Our total loss in this tedious siege was, one major, and four rank and file, killed; one lieutenant (royal navy), one captain, one subaltern, two Serjeants, one drummer, and forty-six rank and file, wounded. We learned afterwards that the enemy lost nearly one thousand killed; the number of wounded was unknown.

“The town of Raumps, near the sea, surrendered on the 18th. It was taken possession of by the 65th, and some native corps; the Shiekh Hassan Ben Ramah, Chief of Ras-al-Khyma, surrendering himself prisoner, with nearly one thousand of his followers. He stated, that during the siege, whilst he was holding a divan, a shell from our batteries burst into the room, and instantly exploding, killed and wounded about one hundred of his fighting men, and created infinite consternation throughout the garrison.

“A strong fort on a neighbouring hill, called Zaire, still held out. The duty undertaken by the seamen was most arduous in this case; two 24-pounders were dragged by the poor fellows for a space of two miles over