While the Burmese, scattered over all the provinces, were carrying on a war against men and nature, the King and his superstitious ministers put all their trust in their magicians. The officers and soldiers followed their example and consulted them as to how they might render themselves invisible in order to attack the enemy unawares, and the hope of learning a secret so favourable to their cowardly nature, prevented them from going out to fight before it had been revealed to them. The delusion was so powerful that even experience was unable to convince them of the futility of such schemes. The leaders, on a par with the subordinates as regards valour, appeared to have taken up arms against their fellow citizens only. They robbed them of their money and food with the excuse that they were required for use of the military to whom they distributed the least valuable part of their spoil, but this bounty was merely to cloak their own extortions. Whilst the more wealthy citizens were being ruined, the vigilance of the missionaries foresaw the destitution of the Christians, but their liberality, extended without exception to all creeds, exhausted their supplies. The Burmese intercepted all their convoys and they themselves were in danger of famine owing to the excess of their ravages. The forces sent against them were invariably dispersed and frequently returned without striking a blow. A Siamese Prince who had been exiled to Ceylon, was deeply moved at the misfortunes of his country. He forget the fact that he was an offender. He was powerful enough to raise an army whose services he offered to those who had driven him forth. The Siamese court, too proud to accept assistance from an exile, rejected his offer with scorn, and instead of considering him as a defender of their country, they sent expeditions against him with varying success. This course was highly unwise as it caused dissension in the army just at the time when the Burmese ranks were being augmented by numerous Siamese deserters. In the month of March the Burmese army had advanced to within two leagues of the town. The progress of the army was arrested by the death of the commander from quinsy. It was considered expedient to conceal the fact of his death from the soldiery, but the news leaked out owing to dissensions among the chiefs who all were ambitious of command. But soon reunited by the prospect of loot, they advanced to plunder the richest and most celebrated temple near the city. They were in hopes of finding the base of the image which was of solid gold, but the King of Siam had taken the precaution of having this object of popular worship removed to the palace.