Star.
London, England, 1825-07-19 00:00:00

...ojects
present advance upon Rungpore? to which I replied
that my instructions were to clear. the country of Assam
of all opposiag forces, and to occupy it on the part of
the BritisS Government, for the. protection of the in-
habitants ; that I was, surprised at the question, since 1.
conceived the Phokuns must have been already apprized
of our intentions by Mr. Scott's (A.G.G.) communica-
tion in reply to their's.
The Gooroo expressing his total ignorance of the
receipt by the Phokuns of Mr. Scott's letter, I explained
the general tenour of the contents, which he promised
faithfully to deliver to the Phokuns, and to return in
the course of the day with their reply. I also took the
opportunity of bringing forward a messenger of the
Pliokuns returning with dispatches from Mr. Scott, who
Lad arrived in camp the same morning, and of deliver-
ing the letters to the Gooroo for transmission to the
Phokuns.
Thee (roved to he the delayed commuilleations above adverted to.
Within the period stipulated in the armistice, the
Gooroo returned, stating that he hod not met with any
opportunity of delivering the letters privately, which it
wa,s necessary to do, to avoid the jealous suspicions of
tie numerous conflicting factions into which the enemy
were divided ; that he had every reason to believe the
two great Chiefs Saum and Baglee Phokuns to be una-
nimous and disposed to enter into treaty wi h us; that
he trusted much to his own sacred influence over them
and all the others, to bring matters to an amicable
adjustment; and requested a continuance of the truce
till the morrow. He also asked tur some definite ex-
planation of our wishes.
To this I acceded, adding, that he was authorized
to say to the Ptirikuns, that 4 they decided on making
tams of alliance with us, 1 was ready to meet them ;
if on fighting, I war equally ready ; and if they wished
to retire out of Assam into their own country, .I was
willing to permit them CO do so, provided that they
took the directest mote, committed no ravages on the
road, and 'carried away none of the inhabitants now in
their posse:afros, by compulsion. To this latter alter.
native I was induced, by finding from the Gooroo the
impracticability of a plan proposed by me to separate
Abe two factions, by admitting the friendly-disposed por-
.tiou to the benefit of terms, provided they would come
over and abandon the others to their fate in a continuance

of on,

of hostilities with us. This he declared impossible,
since the latter considerably preponderated in strength
' over the former, though headed by the chiefs, and
that the slightest supici of such an inclination would
email bloodshed and destruction, not only on their
families here, but in their own country.' was compelled
reluctantly to :effect on the total want of means in my
power to prevent their escape, or to pursue them, in
which case all hope of rescuing the captive Assamese
inhabitants must have been abandoned. It was at the
same time clearly.pointed out to the Phokuns, and un-
derstood by them, that any act of plunder or aggres-
sion committed by the retiring party in progress
through Assam, or in the territories of our allies, would
he tantamount to an infringement of the engagement,
and again draw down en them our arms.
The following morning the Gooroo returned, accom-
panied by two inferior Phokuns (the brcther of Saum
Phokun and-Hathee Phokuh), with a friendly offering,
and a letter Irom the- chiefs, of which No. 3, is a
translation..
Alter much- desultory 'conversation. the Gooroo returned with
my reply;and an exchange of prearnu. .
• On the following morning, a message was brought
from the Gairoo by his brother Rutun Pal, stating that,
in compliance:with my terms, one portion was prepar-
ing to evacuate the fort for their own country, and that
the remainder were ready to surrender ; also that the
Chiefs were anxious to wait on me to adjust the vat ious
points of capitulation. .
/ accordingly invited, them to a conference, and directed the
Officers of myStaff to proceed to meet thens,lnd conduct them to me.
The principal Chiefs Saum Priokun, Sheick Phokun,
and Nabaroo Phekun, (Banglee Phokun, having joined
the other party and quitted the fort) having been intro-
duced, we proceeded to arrange the terms of treaty, of
which the principal are as follows:
On the part of Sarrax.Phokun. &c. that all his fol-
lowers should deliver up their arias aad warlike stores
of all descriptions ; and that possession of the fort be
given to us the moment the evacuating party should
Lave quitted it. -
On our part, that their lives and personal property
should he guaranteed ; their wives and children and all
who may be voluntarily attached to them secured to
them, in conformity with instructions from Mr. Scott,
A.G.G. that they should remain in every respect in
their present situation until the arrival of Mr. Scott, or
instructions from him respecting their ultimate desti-
nation ; and that having once entered into the bonds of
friendly alliance with us, they shall not eventually be
delivered over to the King of Ava in case of a peace,
should he make such a stipulation, of which they enter-
tained great Altead, and were most anxious to receive

posstive assurances. .
Thee points being settled, the chiefs expressed their
%(illingticas to surrender without delay, and I accord-
ingly directed'll tjor Waters to take a party and re-
ceive charge, when I had soon the satisfaction of seeing
his Majesty's colours flying on the top of the palace in
the inner fort, under a salute froM the battery in camp.
Tim examination of the fort fully justified the opinion
I had formed of the importance of the acquisition by the
mode adopted, and of the utter inadequacy of my means
of preventing the escape of thU greater part of thegar-
ri,,on, should we have proceeded to the assault. The
place is of very great strength,'and surrounded by deep
swamps and jungle, with a ditth ; the sorties to three
gates were strongly, defended ; and; on them and• the
walls were more than 200 pieces of ordnanctcready for

service. •
, .
The garrison was reported to consist of 10,000, of all classes, of
whom perhaps one-third were fighting men, of these 700 have sur•
tendered-with the Phokuns.
I have the honour to remit a return of the ordnance, arms, and'
military stores captured. • -1
Hy the acqutsi.ion of Rungpore, I may now conkisfere
trilself in entire possession of Assam, and it is a source
rr eat self-gratulation to me, that that important point
been accomplished with so little loss on our .side,
considering the means of annoyance possessed by the
enemy in defending a country peculiarly unfavourable
to regukr military operations.
My total dependence for supplies In the fleet, which
is to miles distant Ott the. mouth of the Dikho River,
now not navigable) would have rendered it impossible
for the to pri,cer d I urther, under any 'ciicumstinces,
until the arrival of land carriage from the provinces,
and I th'erefore consider the prospect of.peaceable eva-
cuation of the temaining portion of the country as an
Pbject gained of the most Vital. importance, while the
ossession of the capital.sccutes a key to all points from

After his introduction, he vid that hr was depute,
by the Phokuns to inquire is-bat were the objects of on
v. V