Then the oars were shipped, and they lay down perfectly
quiet in the boat, and drifted past the fort without being observed.
When they once gained the open sea, the oars were placed in the
rowlocks, and half an hour's rowing brought them alongside the fleet.
Charlie was soon on board the flagship, and informed the admiral, and
Colonel Clive, what Hossein had heard.
It was at once resolved to attack upon the following day. The two
officers did not think it was likely that the pirates would, even in
obedience to their chief's orders, surrender the place until it had
been battered by the fleet.
The next morning, the fort was summoned to surrender. No answer was
received, and as soon as the sea breeze set in, in the afternoon, the
fleet weighed anchor and proceeded towards the mouth of the river. The
men-of-war were in line, on the side nearest to the fort, to protect
the mortar vessels and smaller ships from its fire.
Passing the point of the promontory, they stood into the river, and
anchored at a distance of fifty yards from the north face of the fort.
A gun from the admiral's ship gave the signal, and a hundred and fifty
pieces of cannon at once opened fire, while the mortar vessels threw
shell into the fort and town.
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