muskets, still kept on their course un- On Tuesday, the 4th of December, injured. "Well done, my hearties!" the Curlew weighed, and stood nearer shouted some of the men, astonished the shore, opening her fire on the town. and delighted at their daring. The far- Smart skirmishing took place during the ther extremity of the camp was soon day. The rifle company of the 65th passed, and continuing the same rapid advanced within twenty yards of the pace for some little distance farther, largest groharrie, and reconnoitred. both suddenly checked their steeds, The gun-boats particularly distinguished bringing them nearly on their haunches, themselves by their activity. wheeled round, exhibited a sign of haughty exultation, stood gazing for a few minutes to breathe their blown horses, then finally walked quietly and composedly on their route. It was for the purpose of alarming and rousing some neighbouring tribes to their succour, that this sally through our encampment had been undertaken and effected.

The first line of trenches having been made by means of sand-bags, an advanced battery opened on the place, at the distance of 300 yards. A mortar battery to the right was served very effectively. There was a gun from one of the enemy's batteries which enfiladed the trenches, whilst we could get none of our artillery to bear on it. It did considerable execution among the men. Major Molesworth, of the 45th, mounted the parapet of the trench to reconnoitre more minutely, and to ascertain how that formidable gun could be silenced. "I see them loading it now," said he : "now, now, they are running it out; look to yourselves, my lads!" In an instant he fell back in the trench, his head blown to atoms. At length, however, we succeeded in silencing that annoyance, and disabled the piece.

The Liverpool and Eden having approached nearer the town, in conjunction with our batteries, opened a most vigo

Ras el Kyhma appeared of considerable extent; the buildings large and flat-roofed; the fortifications in good repair, with high walls built of mud and stone, and flanked by heavy ramparts. It stood upon a sandy peninsula, the isthmus of which was defended by a well-flanked battery, whilst the line towards the sea was fortified throughout the space of one mile and a quarter by batteries mounting only one gun each, ranged at regular intervals. A suburb of bamboo huts adjoined the town, immediately behind which lay a capacious basin, unapproachable to large vessels, in consequence of a bar of sand stretch-rous fire on the morning of the 5th. ing across its mouth, so that large ships | must discharge their cargoes previous to crossing the bar. The batteries of the town bore directly on the entrance of the port-the harbour was full of shipping-the main land on the opposite coast appeared picturesque and verdant, with innumerable date-trees-the mountains of Arabia reared their dim, hazy outline in the back-ground. The place of our encampment, and the soil of the tongue of land, was parched, sandy, and herbless.

Two thousand of the Imaum's troops joined us; they had forced the hills, deemed impregnable, and brought in some prisoners. Parties of seamen were landed to assist in the erection of the batteries. The siege was entered upon in the antiquated, slow and sure system of the last century. "We sat down before the place," and commenced operations like a parcel of military cadets, with their code of instructions beside them.

Shells were thrown with evident effect; and the gun-boats contributed, as before, their powerful assistance. Towards the close of that day's work, a Joasmee spy was brought in prisoner; he informed us that the enemy had suffered great loss, nearly ninety killed, besides wounded. The Sheikh's brother had lost his leg by a cannon-shot.

The duties of the seamen in the trenches were severe and unremitting. Whilst the soldiers were relieved every four hours, the sailors remained frequently twenty-four hours, without any rest or respite. Jack grumbled a good deal at this unfair distribution, though he did not work the less strenuously. It was not a little vexatious to be saluted with a "Good night" by several parties in succession, as they quitted the trenches, with the prospect of comparative comfort in the camp, whilst the poor devils left behind had to pass the time as they best could.

The firing from the ships and batteries still continued on the sixth; that of the Arabs was very faintly returned and ill-directed. They evidently did not possess the requisite and proper materials of ammunition; large stone shot came bailing in upon us, but often wide of the mark. As soon as a discharge was made from our guns, the Arabs were seen leaping out of the embrasures to pick up the round-shot, which they immediately returned. There was no mistake in this; for to satisfy ourselves, we examined the balls, and found they bore the king's mark. The wall and towers did not exhibit any very decided traces of the efficacy of this day's cannonade.

The firing had terminated for the day, the men had been relieved, silence reigned in the batteries, the night was very dark, and the pickets, as usual, on the alert. About one, a dark object, like a large black dog, was seen creeping along on all fours, several similar objects following. The advanced pickets were instantly cut down; all was hurry, shout, and bustle. The trenches were filling with a large party of Arabs, engaged in close contest with our men, who were speared and stabbed in a twinkling. Already the Arabs had succeeded in dragging away a howitzer in triumph. The alarm spread like wildfire through the trenches. A party of the 65th foot, under Major Warren, instantly advanced in double quick time, attacked the assailants, drove them out of the trenches, and recaptured the howitzer. A desperate conflict ensued; the Arabs fought like furies, but they were soon bayoneted; nearly ninety in number were found lying in the trenches. They had divested themselves of their upper garments to facilitate their onset, and, if we mistake not, their bodies seemed anointed with oil.

pool, and had to be dragged a long way through heavy deep sand. The battery was erected nearer the town, and a party of seamen and marines, under the command of Lieutenant Mills, was landed, to work the guns. Lieutenant Campbell, of the Liverpool, commanded the whole of the seamen on shore.

The twenty-four pounders opened on the 8th, with astonishing effect. The walls and towers appeared to shake and totter under the force of the shot. The enemy found, too, that the balls were rather bulky for their guns, and were therefore under the necessity of having recourse to their own stone and grape-shot.

Towards the afternoon of the 8th, and during the hottest of the cannonade, a bullock and a white cock were descried close under the walls of the town, exposed to the showers of shot from our batteries, and yet remained unharmed. The attention of several of the men was called to these objects. "What a fine mess they would make," shouted one of the sailors. "Bill, I say, you bear a hand with me in towing them things out." Over the trenches both of them vaulted, and scampered away at slapping pace towards the ramparts, heedless of the balls plunging around them. We slackened our fire as speedily as possible; the men in the trenches cheering and exulting in the boldness of the enterprise. The Arabs crowded the walls, firing their matchlocks with steady aim at the two fellows, as one of the sailors coolly drove the animal towards us, whilst the other, after a sharp chase, captured the cock. They returned to the trenches, loudly huzzaed by their comrades. "We've got the , my lads! and now for prime beefsteaks to you all." The neck of the cock was wrung, and the bullock's throat cut, and the body cut up into large pieces, which the men cooked in the trenches, and devoured with keen appetite, amidst many an applauding joke and praise of their brave conduct. The officer whose duty it was to reprimand the men for this breach of discipline, could hardly control his risible faculties, or assume a

It being found that our twelve and eighteen-pounders produced but a slight impression on the walls and towers, while the enemy availed themselves of our own shot to annoy us greatly, as they fitted exactly the calibre of their guns, it was resolved that several twenty-grave look and stern demeanour. four pounders should be erected as a breaching battery. Two twenty-four pounders were accordingly landed with considerable exertion from the Liver

Ere night-fall, repeated flags of truce were despatched from the town, but to these no attention was given, and darkness put an end to the firing.

The cannonade was recommenced at an early hour on the next morning; 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 contest 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 drollery. Colonel Elrington and the gallant 49th, 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 over 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 this 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, four rank and file, killed;

one lieutenant (navy), one captain, one subaltern, two serjeants, one drummer, forty-six rank and file, wounded. We learned afterwards that the enemy lost nearly 1000 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 el Khyma, surrendered himself prisoner, with nearly 1000 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 100 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 twenty-four pounders were dragged by the poor fellows for a space of two miles over rough and swampy ground. After batteries had been erected, a brisk cannonade was kept up against the fort, and shells were thrown without intermission. The firing was unremitting and tremendous. The fort was deemed quite impregnable by the natives, but they had soon speedy reason for entertaining a mortifying belief to the contrary; they accordingly manifested a wish to capitulate. The general offered an unconditional surrender, which, after an hour's deliberation, was acceded to. Shiekh Hassan Ben Ally, the chief, was sent prisoner on board one or the transports; he was the most active, the most cruel of the whole pirates, about thirtysix years of age, handsome in person, mild in demeanour, but with a look of sullen, tiger-like ferocity lurking in his restless eye.

On our return to Ras el Khyma, we found the place totally in ruins; the forts and towers having been blown up by the indefatigable soldiers and seamen employed in that duty. Some inconsiderable portion of plunder had been found secreted in various places, which of course fell to the share of the men. A strong work was in a state of forwardness for such of our troops as it might be deemed requisite and expedient to leave behind, for the entire prevention