246 HONOURABLE COMPANY'S the Indian Ocean, anchored, towards the close of the year, in the magnificent harbour of Bombay, where -the slim canoe Of feather'd Indian, darts about as through Our cruise in the "Amherst" proved a source of much gratification to us, for there is always something about a man-of-war singularly spirit-stirring. spirit-stirring. Every thing was in the highest possible order, and the crew were daily exercised at the great guns and small arms. The cheerful obedience and extreme agility of the Lascars, and the consequent absence of all strong measures of coercion, were particularly striking. We really felt very sorry when our cruise ended, and shall ever entertain the liveliest sense of gratitude for the kindness and attention that we received from Captain Wyndham, Lieutenant Poole*, and the rest of the officers * Since I left Persia, both these officers have fallen victims to fever, while cruising off the Arabian shore on board the Honourable East India Company's sloop of war "Amherst." of the Persian Gulf. In life, they were deservedly beloved by all their brother officers, and in death are most sincerely lamented. 248 EXPEDITION TO ARABIA. CHAPTER X. Expedition to Arabia-The Camp Attacked-Pursuit-RescueFerocious Onset-Death of Captain Parr-His Funeral-Sir George Cox-Our dead Comrades-Barbarous Outrage-Arrival of the Imaum-Captain Thompson's Detachment-Attack on Beni-boo-Ali-Sortie of the Enemy-Their Determined Daring-Fall of Beni-boo-Ali-Killed and Wounded-Return to Zore. As Zore is a place well known for being the rendezvous of the vessels which conveyed the third expedition from Bombay to the coast of Arabia, and as I was present with that expedition, I may be excused for introducing in this part of my work a brief outline of our operations on that occasion. The force, to the number of two thousand seven hundred men, under the command of General Sir Lionel Smith, (an officer who by his gallantry and services, had already established a high professional character), were embarked on board sixteen transports, EXPEDITION TO ARABIA. 249 and eleven bughalahs, (these last containing the horses of the mounted branch of the force), and left Bombay harbour on the morning of the 11th of January, 1821, under convoy of the East India Company's brig of war "Vestal," commanded by Lieutenant Robinson, of the Indian navy. After a tedious passage of seventeen days across the Indian Ocean, the ships, swarming with red-coats, came to an anchor near Cape Rasal-Hud; and, on the morning of the 29th, after considerable difficulty and danger, the boats made way through the surf, and landed the troops with their knapsacks, haversacks, great coats, and well-filled pouches on their backs. The force took up a position near the hamlet of Zore, about four miles distant from the place of disembarkation. We continued to occupy this position for the space of thirteen days without hearing any thing of our enemies, when, towards midnight of the 11th of February, the camp was 250 THE CAMP ATTACKED. suddenly attacked by six hundred Arabs of the Beni-boo-Ali tribe. This daring band approached our position through an irregular and winding valley, thickly planted with date trees, and situated directly beneath the left flank picquet, which was surprised, and compelled to retire upon the camp, being closely pressed by the shouting and ferocious enemy, who were intoxicated with their success. The Bombay European regiment* to *The ceremony of presenting new colours to this old (the "primus in Indis ") and distinguished regiment, recently took place in presence of the whole of the Poonah brigade. The governor of Bombay, his excellency the commander-in-chief, and all the general and division staff, honoured the corps with their presence. The regiment, full seven hundred strong, and in the highest state of discipline and equipment, was formed into close columns of wings facing inwards, and the space between the two centre companies became the arena for the ceremony. The commanding officer, Lieutenant-colonel Wood, placed the colours on a large drum, and, with the two ensigns upon whom the honour of bearing the colours devolved, awaited the approach |