MEMORIALS OF NEPAUL.

CHAPTER I.

TERMINATION OF THE FIRST CAMPAIGN.

We left Sir D. Ochterlony, in position, on the further side of the Maloun range, with Colonel Arnold, at Rutunghur, between the enemy and Belaspore; while Colonel Cooper was left to reduce the forts of the Ramgurh range; the first of these attacked was Ramgurh itself, which, after great exertions, in dragging up the heavy artillery, was breached at last in the middle of February.

The garrison capitulated for themselves, and were allowed to march out with the honours of

VOL. II.

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war; the two commanders, however, on joining Umur Sing, at Maloun, were rewarded, Nepaul fashion, with the loss of their ears and noses; each of the forts had a garrison of one hundred men, and one of them would have taken some days to reduce, even admitting that Ramgurh could have held out no longer; it was near the middle of March before Colonel Cooper was prepared to batter Taragurh, the next place he attacked the breach was practicable the following day, but the garrison evacuated the fort in the night. Chumba, on the same ridge, was next attacked, and by the middle of March, after a day's battering, the garrison hung out the white flag, and surrendered prisoners of The chiefs expressed considerable alarm lest their families should suffer from Umur Sing's severity; to deceive him, therefore, the Colonel ordered the guns to continue firing occasionally blank cartridge, while some of the prisoners were released that they might endeavour to bring away their families from Maloun.

war.

The whole of the strong forts in the rear being thus reduced and occupied, Colonel Cooper followed the main army to take part in the last operations against Maloun, and by the middle of April all was prepared for a combined movement, the plan of which the General had been for some time considering; our immediate object was to effect a lodgment within the series of heights that formed Umur Sing's present position.

His line stretched between the stone forts of Maloun and Soorujgurh, presenting to the view a series of connected peaks, more or less abrupt, and each crowned with a stockade, excepting two, which had the names of Ryla peak and Deothul. The former was

conveniently situated for

operations against Soorujgurh, which it would effectually cut off from Maloun; the latter was in the very heart of the Nepaulese position, and not one thousand yards from Maloun itself.

It was to be expected that the whole force of the Nepaulese would oppose the occupation

of Deothul, which was the main object of attack. Sir David Ochterlony reckoned, however, that even if he failed there, the possession of Ryla would still be a great advantage, and that the movement on both points at the same time would contribute to

distract the enemy. To assist the enterprise further, a diversion was planned by other detachments, which were directed to march right upon the enemy's cantonment under the walls of Maloun.

It will be proper to explain this movement more in detail. Five columns altogether were put in motion, besides detachments for the diversion, and the following was the part assigned to each.

I The first from Pulta, one of the posts opposed to Soorujgurh, on the enemy's extreme right, consisted of two light companies of the 19th N.I. under Lieutenant Fleming, who, attended by a strong body of irregulars, was to make a secret night movement on Ryla, and there show a light as a signal for the