Rajah's terms were so humiliating that they were rejected, and it was
decided to await further reinforcements from Bombay; but two months
elapsed before their arrival. Meanwhile, a post of four hundred men was
established on shore to guard the water-supply required for daily use.
This gave rise to a skirmish, which put some heart into the invaders.
Early one morning the post was attacked by the enemy, who found, to their
surprise, that they had come under fire of the guns of some small vessels
Hamilton had anchored close inshore. After an hour's cannonade, they broke
and fled, pursued by the party on shore, who accounted for some two
hundred of them. Encouraged by this success, Stanton continued to harass
the Rajah by small night attacks, and by burning some of his villages,
while at sea they did him more damage by intercepting his ships laden with
salt and other necessaries, and especially three, bringing Arab horses
from Muscat; though the captors were much troubled in providing water and
provender for them. Meanwhile, the factory, which was five or six miles up
the river, on the north bank, continued to be invested, and in order to
prevent any communication with the squadron, a boom was laid across the
river, commanded by a battery on the south side. In spite of this,
communication was kept up through the Portuguese factory, and, more than
once, Lieutenant Forbes contrived to pass in and out in a rowing-boat, but
it was impossible to send in provisions.

About this time we find Hamilton reporting to Bombay--

"The recruits from Goa had a skirmish at break of day, on 28[th]
September, with the enemy, wherein they behaved themselves bravely,
but that on an attempt to burn some villages afterwards, they advised
the enemy of it, and deserted with some arms and granadoes."

At last the looked-for reinforcements arrived from Bombay, under Captain