A few hours after leaving Bombay, the expedition was overtaken by despatches from Bourchier, with intelligence that the Mahrattas were treating with Toolajee.  On reaching Gheriah, they found the Mahratta army encamped against it, and Ramajee Punt himself came off to tell the commanders that, with a little patience, the fort would surrender without firing a shot, as Toolajee was already in their hands and ready to treat.  Alarmed at the great armament coming against him, and cowed by recent reverses, Toolajee had come as a suppliant into the Mahratta camp to try if, by finesse and chicanery, he might escape utter destruction, while, in Gheriah, he had left his brother-in-law with orders to defend it to the last.  The Peishwa’s officers, on their side, were anxious to get the place into their hands without admitting the English to any share of the booty; a design that was at once seen through by Hough and Watson.  Ramajee promised to bring Toolajee with him the following day, to show that he was not treating separately.  Instead of doing so, he sent some subordinate officers, together with some of Toolajee’s relations, with excuses, to keep Watson in play, while a large bribe was offered to Hough to induce him to persuade the Admiral to suspend operations.  Watson, who had already summoned the fort to surrender, let them know that he would not wait very long.  They were taken to view the ship with its tiers of heavy guns, and, as a grim hint of what might be expected, he presented Toolajee’s friends with a thirty-two pound shot as they left the ship.

At half-past one in the afternoon, the flag of truce having returned with the Governor’s refusal to surrender, signal was made to weigh, and the whole fleet stood into the harbour in three divisions, led by the Kingsfisher, sloop, and the Bridgewater.  The inner line, nearest to the fort was formed by the line-of-battle ships and the Protector:  the Company’s grabs and bombketches, with the Guardian, formed the second line, while the gallivats and small vessels formed a third, outer line.  As the Kingsfisher came opposite the fort, a shot was fired at her.  The signal was made to engage, and as each ship reached its station it came to an anchor, the inner line being within musket-shot of the fort.  Across the mouth of the river, Toolajee’s grabs were drawn up, among them being the Restoration, the capture of which, six years before, had caused so much heart-burning in Bombay.  As the heavy shot and shell came pouring in from over one hundred and fifty guns at close range, the Gheriah defenders manfully strove to repay the same with interest.  But so terrific was the fire brought to bear on them, that it was impossible for them to lay their guns properly.  In that February afternoon many a cruel outrage was expiated under that hail of iron.  After two hours’ firing, a shell set the Restoration on fire; it spread to the grabs, and before long the