s^at NAVAL ANECDOTES: Illustrating the Character of >eamen, RECORDING THE MOST IMPRESSIVE EXAMPLES' OF THEIR Skill, Valour, Fortitude, and Magnanimity, WHICH HAVE OCCURRED AT VARIOUS PERIODS, IN EVERY QUARTER OF THE GLOBE. "The glory of ages emblazons your flag; around it the sacred shades of our noblest heroes hover. They call upon their sons to cheer the hour of danger by their invincible emulation, like them to become the guardian angels of their country, and to acquire the blessings of their cotemporaries and of posterity. Nor will their inspiring examples be contemplated in vain. The patriotic heroes of our days have equalled, and will equal, the proud triumphs of their forefathers." Turntr's Hist, of the 4*glo-Saxoru> ALBION PRESS PRINTED t PUBLISHED BY JAMES CUNDEE, Ivy. Lane, Paternoster-Row, London. 1806*. t PREFACE. distinguished as the British nation has long been, by the invincible courage and un- daunted heroism of her tars, it is somewhat remarkable, that no brief compendium, illus- trative of the nautical character, and com- bining cheapness with information and amuse- ment, should before have been given to the public. Such an offering, due to the gallant and meritorious sons of Neptune, would at all times have been acceptable ; but must be more particularly so at the present period, zchen the British name, always high, has obtained an unprecedented exaltation, by the unrivalled achievements of the departed Nelson. A nobler spirit of emulation, than that wliivh pervades every department of the na- val service, never existed. To cherish, and to stimulate that spirit, is the duty of every a 2 English-* IV PREFACE. * Englishman ; for, by its preservation and advancement, can we alone expect to maintain an envied rank in the scale of nations. Scattered, in multitudes of volumes, be- yond the reach of most individuals, are in- numerable anecdotes, displaying every virtue of the seaman's character, in the most inter- esting points of view. " From the best, to cull the choicest," has been the aim. of the Editor, in compiling the present volume. He Claims no praise but that which is due to having made a judicious selection, and to the endeavour to make ?nore generally known, those impressive facts with which the public ought to be universally acquainted. To enu- merate the varioiis works to which he has had recourse, would be tedious and futile ; yet it would be ungenerous not to acknowledge, that, to CiiARNocK'sBiographiaNavalis, to BEAT- SON'S Naval and Military Memoirs, and to SCHOMBERG'S Naval Chronology, he is greatly indebted. He trusts that he has fully succeeded in displaying that skill in the midst of difficul- ty, that courage and magnanimity in battle, and that perseverance, fortitude, and resignation in distress, for which the seamen of our fa- voured PREFACE. V voured island are so much and so justly cele- brated : should his exertions, however, reach no farther than that of contributing to the amusement of his countrymen, the Editor of *' NAVAL ANECDOTES" will feel himself amply gratified. a 3 CON- CONTENTS. INTRODUCTORY Remarks ..... 1 Anecdote of the intrepidity, and characteristic simplicity of Lord Nelson., when a child ------ - Fortitude and filial affection of Lord Nelson in his youth 5 Intrepidity of Mr. Nelson in boarding an enemy - - - 6 Amiable instance of liberality ------- ib. Victory ; or, Westminster Abbey ------ 7 Bombardment of Cadiz _.!---.-_ 14 Loss of the admiral's arm at Teneriffe - .... 15 The sword of remembrance ------_ 17 Gallant reply of Sir Horatio Nelson to his Majesty - - - ib. Interesting memorial of the admiral ----- 13 Piety of Admiral Nelson, exemplified In a letter to his lady - 19 Nelson's victory of the Nile ------- 20 Magnanimity of the admiral in the above action 23 Subsequent affecting interview between Admiral Nelson and Cap- tain Louis - - - - - - - - - -ib. Another instance of Admiral Nelson's piety ... -25 Captain Hallowell's extraordinary present to the admiral - - 26 Admiral Nelson's flattering reception at Naples 27 Lord Nelson's dukedom of Bronte ------ 29 Interesting account of the sword presented by his Sicilian majesty to Lord Nelson __.. -....30 Sympathy and benevolence of Lord Nelson exemplified - - SI Lord Nelson in retirement ------- 32 The battle of Trafalgar - - - - -u - . . 34, The last moments of Lord Nelson .... - - $7 a 4 Cours fiii CONTENTS. Pagt Course and site of the ball, as ascertained by Mr. Beatty, after his lordship^'s death -- ..-..--41 Description of Lord Nelson's coffin _--,-- 42 An Address to England, upon her Nelson's Death - - - 46 Phenomenon of water __..--- -48 Bravery of Captain Mortlock ...... 49 Escape of Carl Ehric, a Prussian sailor, from Shipwreck 52 Heroism of a British sailor ^- ..' - - - - - 55 Singular phenomenon in the river de la Plata - - - 56 Duke William of Cumberland -57 Vicissitudes of commerce ...... .59 British courage, policy, and loyalty ----- 61 Spanish Armada ..--.---.69 Anecdote of the Earl of Cloncartie ...... ib. Unprecedented valour of Captain Middleton .... 70 Juvenile intrepidity ........ 72 The Battle of the Nile 73 The late Lord Rodney - 74 Remarkable preservation of James Alms from shipwreck - - ib. Curious description of a Scotch ship, named the Great Michael - 79 Eccentricities of Mr. Bartlett, a carpenter of the Royal Navy - 81 Anecdote of General Mackenzie ...... 82 A phenomenon of ice ....-.--83 Destruction of the Queen Charlotte by fire, and loss of the greatest part of the ship's company - - - - 85 Generosity of English sailors displayed in the preservation of two infants ...... _ _ . gg Singular instance of humanity united with courage - - - 88 An account of the blowing up of the Queen, an East India ship - 91 Elegy to the memory of Captain Burgess, late of his majesty's 8>hip the Ardent ----.....95 Description of the Batteau Poisson, or new invented diving ma- chine -------. .94 Spirited conduct of Lord Duncan in suppressing the mutiny - 95 Anecdote of Sir John Lockart Ross, Vice-Admiral of the Blue - 100 Humorous anecdote of an English sailor ..... JQJ Remarks on Lord Nelson's signing his name " Nelson and Bronte," by two sailors ..... .... 105 Capture of La Chevrette r -.... jQ6 Disinterested ONTE.NTS. Disinterested friendship and personal bravery evinced by a common sailor, iu the destruction of an enormous shark - - - HO Account of a useful instrument for saving persons from drowning 112 Anecdote of Lord Howe - - - - * -114 Ad roiralKeppel's visit to the Dey of Algiers - - - - . 115 Justice and honour of an English captain - - - - 117 Argument of two sailors on the wisdom of Solomon - 118 Animated description of hoisting the sails .... ib. Sir Samuel Cornish and Colonel Draper, or th Contrast - - 119 Observations on Lord Anson's unsuspicious disposition - - ib. Whimsical anecdote of Admiral Benbow and the Spanish revenue officers - ...... -._ 120 Superiority of 1 the English laws iu the protection of foreigners - 122 True character of a British sailor ------ ib. The unexampled sufferings of Captain Boyce, as related by himself 123 Anecdote of Lord Mulgrave - - - - - - -129 Admiral Boscawen's Wig - - - - - - -131 Captain Edwards's (alias " Old Hammer and Nails") eccentricity ib. Queen Elizabeth's superiority ...... 132 Remark on the confinement of Sir Walter Raleigh ... 134 Anecdotes of Sailors -------- ib. A short hint to those making long voyages .... 135 French cruelty and cowardice - - - - - -136 Admiral Blake and the Popish priest - .... 138 Distresses experienced by some Englishmen who escaped slavery 139 Van Tromp and Admiral Blake - - - - - - 143 Extraordinary preservation of eight men, who were accidentally left in Greenland ........ - ib. Piety of a naval commander -.-.._. 14^ Liberality and honour of Captain Clarke .... 149 Singular preservation of three persons previously to the explosion of his Majesty's ship, the Boy ne, at Spithead - - - 150 Anecdote of Sir George Rooke - - - . . -151 Reply cf a Dey of Algiers to an English officer - 152 Admiral Cormvallis's method of treating a disease not much known, termed mutiny - - - - - . . . -153 A short question as shortly answered - - . . - 154 Cataracts of the river Nile described ..... ib. Interesting particulars of M. de la Peyrouse ' ; . ,>,. ;.' : ^. , v 157 Naval monument at Copenhagen --.... ifiO Bonaparte and Sir Sydncj Smith T "- . . 15^ Providential X CONTENTS. Pagi Providential escape of Robert Scotney, a native of Spalding t Lin- colnshire .--.^ ------ 151 Anecdote of his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence, when Prince William Henry - - - -'- - - - -164 Courage and humanity of Captain Samuel Hood - - - 165 Intrepidity of Admiral Boscaweu .--..- 1(56 Inscription at Godwood, in Sussex - 167 The late Lord Hawke ------- -ib. Shocking instance of barbarity by the Dutch at Ceylon - - 168 Account of the encroachment of the sea upon the land - - 170 Phenomenon of an earthquake ------ ib. A vessel navigated through Hell Gates by a black pilot - - 171 State of the French marine in the fourteenth century - - 172 Achievements of Commodore Wilson - - - - - 173 Remarkable preservation of eight persons from being starved to death, at sea - - - -- - - - - 175 Phenomenon at Malta - - - - - - - -17f Some account of Captain Goodall's sufferings and escape from Franc* 180 Patriotism and daring spirit of Harry Paulet - ... 184 Particulars of the preservation of the Exeter East Indiaman, by two Lascars -_.-_.._. 188 Anecdote of Captain William Chambers - .... 189 A remarkable British game cock ---..- Jb-. Rights of the British flag ------- 190 English courage displayed in a gallant enterprize, and Dutch cow- ardice exposed ..._.-.-- 191 Singular preservation of a youth who vrs found in a box at sea - 193 The Press-gang defeated ; or, the Biter bit - 194 Unexampled generosity of Captain Lord Coclirane, and his ship's company ------ - - > ib. Perilous situation and escape of John Dean, of the Sussex Indiaman 196 Laconic address of Admiral Haddock to his son ... 193 English gratitude evinced in the conduct of a young officer ib. Sovereignty of the seas ----__.. goo Cruelty of Spaniards towards the English - - - - ib. Anecdote of Admiral Benbow - - - - - - 202 Admiral Sir John Lawson .-..__. 203 Glorious death of Admiral Berkeley - 204 Method of continuing an engagement after the shot was all expend- ed, by Sir John Kempthorne 205 Tyrannical CONTENTS. ! Page Tyrannical conduct and cruelty of the Dutch to Captain Reeves, whom they took prisoner ....... 207 Invincible courage of Sir John Harman ..... 208 Humanity of an English commander - - - - 209 Impromptu, written after the defeat of M. de Conflans, upon the fleet not receiving the usual supplies ..... gio Gallantry, perseverance, and fortitude of Captain Grenville - 211 Barbarity of the Spaniards to some English sailors, whom they made prisoners #+'.'- - - - . . - . 214 Magnanimous conduct of Lord Aubrey Beauclerk ... 216 Anecdote of Prince Edward ----.-. 217 Cruelty of the French to Lieutenant Cotgrave, his officers, and ship's company - - - - - - - -218 Sir James Saumarez __._-... 219 Dreadful catastrophe on board the John and Elizabeth, of Jersey - 221 Distressed situation of the crew of the Spanish ship, Asia - - 223 Phenomenon, near Cairo __.---. 225 Dan. Bryan ; or, a French General buried by an old English sailor 226 Heroic conduct and dreadful catastrophe of Capt. Engledue, and his ship's crew ._-...._ 23Q Military cowardice and clerical courage .... 234 Interesting account of Sir Sidney Smith's escape from the Temple ib. Brave action of Captain Grignion, commander of an English pri- vateer .---.---_. 238 Characteristic bravery of an English seaman, at the attack of Fort Omoa --_.-_--.. 239 A dead Spaniard on a bed of honour ..... 241 Bravery of an English fisherman ...... jb^ Impromptu, on hearing of the marriage of Captain Foote, of the Royal Navy, with Miss Patten, of Foreham ... 242 Simplicity of an old woman, the mother of a Dutch admiral - ib- Narrative of the singular adventures of four Russian sailors, who were cast on the desert Island of East Spitzbergen _' - 243 Remarkable presentiment of Sir William Sidney Smith . ' f ' - 257 The Sailor's Dirge - "*V " 258 Interesting anecdote of Captain Elphinstone, of the Royal Navy - 259 Humanity and bravery of the late KingofSweden j ,* .'. - 261 Gallant behaviour and wonderful preservation of Captain Bouchier, of the Hector ..-.--..-ib. Heroic conduct of an English lady ..... 2fx5 Praiseworthy Xil CONTENTS. Praiseworthy conduct of Captain Jones - - 267 Heroic achievement of three Scilly pilots ... $>68 Animated description of the battle of Copenhagen - - 269 The Sailor's Farewel - - 275 Anecdote of Captain Vancouver .... 277 Macklin's Description of an English Man of War - - ib. Enterprising act of Admiral Hopson when a Boy - - 278 Extraordinary Instance of Re-Capture - - - - 280 Geneiosity of an Irish Sailor - - 282 Spirited Behaviour of a British Sailor, at the attack of the Helder 283 Noble Fortitude and Heroism of a Marine -, 284 Remarkable Combination of Courage and Seamanship - - ib. Superstition of former Ages - 286 Ingenious Device of Captain Martin, of the Marlborough Indiaman 287 Ludicrous Interview between the late Admiral Vernon and Mr. (afterwards Sir William) Barna/d - 291 Amiable and Honourable Conduct of Captain De Langle - '291 Another extraordinary Instance of Re-Capture - - 296 Cruelty and Infamous Conduct of the French Commodore, Mac Namara - * ,' . . - 296 Laughable eccentricities of the late Captain, the Honourable Wil- liam Montagae - Honourable and generous conduct of the same officer - Doctors sometimes differ .... 302 The morning-star of Gibraltar dock-yard ... so3 Remarkable instance of British heroism .... 304 Firmness and indecision contrasted ... 305 Ludicrous terror of a Spanish captain r 307 Tantararara rogues all - - * . . . ' J08 Extraordinary sea-fight - .... 309 The Inchcape Rock ..... gjj The converted pilot r T - - - -314 An ingenious night-signal 315 Generosity and gratitude of an Algerine pirate - - 316 Characteristic anecdote of a Dutch sailor T . - 317 The blockade of Cadiz -..-.. 319 Salt water, a French anecdote of Lord Hervey - 321 Spirited engagement between an Algerine man of war and two Eng- lish frigates - - - . . -322 King Charles's cap ; a singular token of royal favour - 323 Ludicrous CONTENTS. Page Ludicrous cannonade of an admiral's flag-ship by a small sloop - 324 Portrait and character of Lord Cornwallis - - 325 Character of a sailor - - - 327 Independent and heroic conduct of the late Sir John Berjy - 329 Bon-mot of King William III. - :> - - 33O Account of forty-two persons who perished by shipwreck - ib. O what a charming thing's a battle - *i ' - - 333 Ingenious plea for promotion - : ,. ' - - 334 Difference between the words concord and amity - - ib. A sailor's gold-laced velvet waistcoat ^& - ;ij - - 335 Magnanimity of King Charles II. towards a traitor - - 336 Ducking of a lieutenant - .... 337 The great storm of 1702 - - ib. Tom of Ten Thousand - - 339 Miniature punch-bowl .---.- 340 Account of the murder of Sir John Dinely - 341 The duty of a patriot - - 347 Brave action of the late Admiral Macbride when a lieutenant - 343 Watching and praying ------ 349 Miraculous escape of Lieutenant O'Brien ... 350 Religious opinions - .... 3.j3 Superiority of a boy to a man ... - ib. Proposal to make a knight of a lady - - 354 The discovery of Madeira - 35,5 The tomb of Macham's Anna - 356 The satisfaction of a gentleman - - 35? Maritime history of the Cyclops - - 359 Brilliant services of Admiral Graves - - 360 Remarkable coincidence of events in the life of Capt. Falkingham 362 The character of Admiral Blake - ,*. < - - 363 Mortification of the flesh V . . - 364 Naval architecture and regulations of the Greeks - 368 An excess of bravery ; illustrated in the conduct of the late Captain Watson -' ,. , ^...ri^. ...-.' - 371 A boatswain full-dressed .... 377 A sea life - - 579 Jack in the playhouse . ib. Narrative of Captain Kennedy's losing his vessel at sea - - 383 A sailor's nonchalance - .... 387 Xnrrative of the imprisonment and sufferings of Capt. D'Auvergne 388 Independent XIV CONTENTS. fage Independent conduct of an English officer ... 401 Philanthropy of Sir Sidney Smith - 402 Nautical Definition - ... 403 The loss of the Pandora frigate - - ib. Character of Sir Francis Drake ... 405 The Greek, or maritime fire ... _ 406 Maternal affection in a bear - - 408 Bravery of Captain Fullarton - ... 410 Sufferings of some deserters ..... 411 Destruction of his Majesty's ship Tilbury, by fire - 418 Chest of Chatham - - , - 419 Sufferings of Captain Englefield and his crew - - ib. The taylor that wanted to see the world - - 423 Jack on the quarter-deck - 425 Melancholy fate of Captain Youl, Mr. Flower, &c. - 426 "Daring attempt of Fall, a Scotch pirate - - 430 A sailor's mistake - .... 432 Sufferings and perseverance of Lieut. Bligh and his companions - ib. Anecdote of Queen Elizabeth - - . 444 The Lady's Rock - ib. Loss of the Lady Hobart packet - - - 446 Godwin Sands - - - - 4,53 Anecdotes of M. Baudin, commodore of a French expedition of dis- covery - ... 455 Remarkable escape of Messrs. Carter, Shaw/and Haskett - 456 The Orlop --..... 467 Escape from France ... 470 Ludicrous alarm of invasion - . . - 471 French mock-official account of the battle of Trafalgar - - 473 Daring action of the second lieutenant and part of the crew of the Wrangler gun-vessel ..... 475 Loss of the Abergavenny East-Indiaman - 477 Jack at an auction ..... 455 Horrible instance of French cruelty - - ib. Matilda and Maria .... . 437 Gallant conduct of Captain Purcell - - ' . - 490 Person and character of Columbus .... 493 Dreadful instance of cruelty and revenge in the Malay slaves - 4'*5 Some particulars of Captain Rotherham . 497 Brief account of the Honourable Captain Blackwood - . 499 2 Heroic CONTENTS. XT Page. Heroic conduct of Mr. Spratt, mate of the Defiance - 50f Genuine affection in a boatswain's mate 4F - - 594 Love of the seamen to Lord Nelson - 505 A sailor's wife new-rigged - ib. Extraordinary preservation from famine at sea - - _ 509 Wonderful exploit of Peter Murray - - 51O Remarkable escape from shipwreck 512 Letter from Lord Nelson to his confidential friend, Alex. Davison, Esq. . . 514 Lord Nelson's last private letter - - 515 Presents made to Admiral Nelson, after the battle of the Nile - 516 Abstract of the last will and testament, and codicil thereto annexed, of Lord Viscount Nelson - 518 Description of Lord Nelson's funeral car - - 503 Heroism of a midshipman - ... 535 The south-sea hermit - - 526 Another remarkable instance of solitary seclusion - - 530 Instability of human grandeur - - 534 Singular instance of disloyalty in the navy . 535 Account of the loss of the brig Flora, of Philadelphia 537 Lord Nelson's last prayer .... 54$ Poetical Reflections on the death of Lord Nelson - - 543 NAVAL . 'J pwtn* P.U.MAM QLI MERUIT FEftAT." INTRODUCTORY REMARKS- THROUGH every period of our history the naval prowess of Britain shines eminently conspicuous. From the immortal Alfred a name of glory to the English ear down to the illustrious hero of the Nile and of Trafalgar, her flag, floating tri- umphantly on the wave, has hurled defiance to the nations, and impressed dismay on the remot- est inhabitants of the globe. Yet, only to the enemies of justice and of peace, has the genius of our island appeared thus clothed in terrors. She has indeed inflicted vengeance on her foes, on those who dared to trespass on her rights ; but, equally as the avenger of insult, she has proved herself the protector of innocence; and, to those who hailed her with the voice of friendship, in- stead of warlike thunder, she has greeted them JB with 2 NAVAL ANECDOTES. with the rich blessings of commerce. To " either Ind," from pole to pole, the British name is known, beloved, and revered. At a distant period of time we had our Drakes, our Raleighs, our Cavendishes, and our Howards ; we had then our Montagues, our Ayscues, and our Blakes ; to those succeeded the memorable names of Rooke, of Vernon, of Anson, and of Hawke ; and, coming down to our own times, we have seen a Rodney, a Howe, a Duncan with others, too numerous to mention and a Nelson ! Alas, that we cannot say of the latter, he still lives! Of him, the regretted idol of our love, it might be said, that " On the whirlwind of the war, High he rode in vengeance dire j To his friends a leading star, To his foes consuming fire. " Now the veteran chief drew nigh Conquest towering on his crest j Valour beaming from his eye, Pity bleeding in his breast. " Britain saw him thus advance, In her guardian angel's form : But he lowered on hostile France, Like the demon of the storm !" The shores of Egypt, of the Baltic, and of the Mediterranean, can best relate the glories of the departed Nelson, " Life's NAVAL ANECDOTES. 3 i . " Life's tumultuous battle o'er, O how sweetly?isleep the brave !" At a period like the present, of exultation for the defeat of our enemies, but of mourning for the loss of the hero who achieved the victory of Trafalgar, we cannot commence a volume, dedi- o y cated to naval merit, more appropriately than by paying an humble tribute to the almost worship- ped name of Nelson. -Never did a prouder theme present itself to the pen of the poet, or of the biographer; never did the orators of Greece or Rome raise trophies of eloquence to more distin- tinguished worth, or wreathe the immortal laurel round the bust of more heroic excellence. Our task is affectionate, but unassuming. While the sculptor is employed in carving his exploits in marble ; while the historian is recording his ac- tions in works more durable than brass; we shall content ourselves with scattering a few flowers, of never-dying fragrance, on his untimely tomb. It is not by a scrupulous attention to the minu- tiae of a landscape, that the artist captivates the eye of the beholder ; but by bringing the most pro- minent features of nature forward on the canvas. So also, in pourtraying the character of a hero, the leading features only should be brought to view ; for, while attending to a tedious detail of circumstances, the character, the essence of the B 2 narrative 4 NAVAL ANECDOTES. narrative is frequently lost. Under this idea though, doubtless, whatever relates to Lord Nel- son would be acceptable instead of detaining the reader with a regular history of the life and ac- tions of his. lordship, we shall simply put him in possession of such a series of particulars as will enable him, at a glance, to form an accurate idea of his truly amiable and illustrious character. We cannot commence our sketch better, than by relating the following j o o ANECDOTE OF THE INTREPIDITY, AND CHA- RACTERISTIC SIMPLICITY OF LORD NEL- SON, WHEN A CHILD. WHEN very young, and on a visit to his grand- mother, at Hilborough, he was invited by another boy to go bird's nesting ; as he did not return at the usual dinner-hour, the old lady became alarm- . 9 ed, and dispatched messengers in different ways to search for him. The little ramblers at length were discovered under a hedge, counting over the spoils of the day, and the young Horatio was brought home. His relation be JXTRE- NAVAL ANECDOTES. INTREPIDITY OF MR. NELSON IN BOARDING AN ENEMY. IN the year 1777, while lieutenant of the Lovve- stoffe frigate, on the American station, the follow- ing incident occurred. In a strong gale of wind, and a heavy sea, the Lowestofte captured an Ame- rican letter of marque. The captain ordered the first lieutenant to board her; which he readily at- tempted, but was notable to effect, owing to the tremendous sea running. On his return to the ship, Captain Locker exclaimed, " Have I then no officer who can board the prize ?" On hearing this, the master immediately ran to the gang- way, in order to jump into the boat; when Lieutenant Nelson suddenly stopped him, saying, " It is my turn now; if I come back it will be yours." AMIABLE INSTANCE OF LIBERALITY. DURING the latter part of the American war, Captain Nelson had the command of a ship on that station, and took a schooner belonging to Plymouth (in America), about forty miles from Boston, the captain of which was put on shore, to go to his home. Some time after he observed Nelson sailing up the Bay of Boston, and his prize at a short distance. The captain of the schooner immediately NAVAL ANECDOTES. 7 immediately fitted out a boat, put one or two sheep in, and filled it with vegetables, with which he sailed for Nelson, and on coming along-side threw the articles on the deck, and jumped on board, and desired Captain Nelson to accept them, which he did, but observed to Captain Carver that he must have some motive for his kindness, and desired to know what it was? Car- ver, with doubt and hesitation, said he had. What is it ? was replied ; he answered, that he could scarcely expect it, but it was to return him his schooner again, it was his all. Nelson immedi- ately wrote the following certificate, and gave it him : " These are to certify, that I took the schooner Harmony, Nathaniel Carver, master, belonging to Plymouth; but on account of his good services, have given him up his vessel again.- Dated onboard his Majesty's ship Albemarle, l?th of August, 1782. " Boston Bay. HORATIO NELSON." The above certificate is framed and glazed, and now hangs in a gentleman's parlour at Boston. VICTORY; OR, WESTMINSTER ABBEY. ON the 18th of February, 1797, as Commo- dore Nelson was proceeding in the Minerve to the rendezvous of the grand fleet, under Sir John B 4 Jervis, 8 NAVAL ANECDOTES. Jervis, now Earl St. Vincent, he was chased by two line of battle ships, and fell in with the whole Spanish fleet off the Mouth of the Straits. For- tunately, however, he effected his escape, and joined the admiral off Cape St. Vincent, on the 13th of February. He had scarcely shifted his pendant to his own ship, the Captain, when the signal was thrown out for the whole British fleet to prepare for action : The Spanish admiral's flag was hoisted upon the Santissima Trinidad a, of 136 guns; a ship of four decks, reported to be the largest in the world.* Notwithstanding the inequality of force, the commodore instantly en- gaged this colossal opponent ; and for a consider- able time had to contend not only with her, but with her seconds ahead and astern, each of three decks. While he maintained this unequal combat, which was viewed with admiration, mixed with anxiety, his friends were flying to his support; the enemy's attention was soon directed to the Cullo- den, Captain Troubridge, and in a short time after to the Blenheim, of <)0 guns, Captain Fre- derick, who opportunely came to his assistance. The intrepid conduct of the commodore stag- gered the Spanish admiral, who already appeared to waver in pursuing his intention of joining the * The same with which Lord "Nelson so nobly contended in the glorious battle off Trafalgar. ships NAVAL ANECDOTES. 9 ships cut off by the British fleet; when the Cul- loden's timely arrival, and Captain Troubridge's spirited support of the commodore, together with the approach of the Blenheim, followed by Rear- Admiral Parker, with the Prince George, Orion, Irresistible, and Diadem, not far distant, deter- mined the Spanish admiral to change the design altogether, and to throw out the signal for the ships of his main body to haul their wind, and make sail on the larboard tack. Not a moment was lost in improving the ad- vantage now apparent in favour of the British squadron : as the ships of Rear Admiral Parker's division approached the enemy's ships in support of the Captain (Commodore Nelson's ship) and her gallant seconds, the Blenheim and Culloden, the cannonade became more animated and im- pressive. In this manner did Commodore Nel- son engage a Spanish three-decker, until he had nearly expended all the ammunition in his ship; which had suffered the loss of her fore-top mast, and received such considerable damage in her sails and rio;e arteries, which afterwards occasioned the ad- miral to suffer the most excruciating pains, and ultimately to come to England for advice.. THE NAVAL ANECDOTES. 17 THE SWORD OF REMEMBRANCE. THERE is a remarkable circumstance connect- ed with the loss of Sir Horatio's arm, at the above-mentioned expedition. In an earlier part of his life he had received a small sword, as a present from his maternal uncle, Captain Suck- ling. With the sword the youthful hero received the strong injunction, never to part with it but with his life. The brave Horatio was not likely to violate such a charge. He constantly wore his uncle's valued present: and, with this sword in hand, he led the attack against Santa Gruz. With his arm the sword necessarily fell : stunned by the shock, he was for some moments deprived of sen- sation, but, slightly recovering, he remembered the injunction, groped for, and fortunately reco- vered the sword with his left hand, and again re- lapsed into a state of insensibility. Li this man- ner was he discovered by Mr. Nisbit, firmly grasp- ing the sword. This incident alone, could no other be adduced, would be sufficient to prove Lord Nelson's mind of a superior cast. CALLANT REPLY OF SIR HORATIO NELSOX TO HIS MAJESTY. IT was not until the 13th of December, after his return to England, that the surgeons pro- c nounced IB NAVAL ANECDOTES.^ nounced him fit for service. On his appearance at court, his sovereign received him in the most gracious manner ; and expressed his regret that his state of health and mutilated person would doubtless deprive the nation of his future services. Sir Horatio replied, with a dignified emphasis " May it please your Majesty, I can never think THAT a loss, which the performance of my duty has occasioned ; and so long as I have a foot to stand on, I will combat for my king and country." INTERESTING MEMORIAL OF THE ADMIRAL. SOON after the above rencontre, our gallant admiral received a pension of one thousand pounds per annum, in consequence, as it was said, of the loss of his arm ; but, in fact, as a small recom- pense for having spent a considerable part of his life in danger, hardship, enterprise, and indefati- gable service. Previously to the issuing of this grant, a positive custom required that he should distinctly state his services to his Majesty. The following memorial was delivered upon this occa- sion : " To the KINO'S most excellent MAJESTY. " T/te Memorial of Sir Horatio Nelson, K, B. and a Rear- Admiral in your Majesty's Fleet. " That during the present war, your memoralist has been fa four actions with the fleets of the enemy, viz. on the 13th 5 and NAVAL ANECDOTES. 19 &nd 14th of March, 1795; on the 13th of July, 1795; and on the 14th of February, 1797 : in three actions with frigates; in six engagements against batteries ; in ten actions in boats employed in cutting out of harbours, in destroying vessels, and in taking three towns. Your memoralist has also served on shore with the army four months, and commanded the batteries at the siege of Bastia and Calvi. That during the war he has assisted at the capture of seven sail of the line, six frigates, four corvettes, and eleven privateers of different sizes ; and taken and destroyed near fifty sail of merchant vessels; and your memoralist has actually been engaged against the enemy upwards of one- hundred and twenty times. In which service your memoralist has lost his right eye and fcrm, and been severely wounded and bruised in his body. All of which services and wounds your memoralist most hum- bly submits to your Majesty's most gracious consideration, "October, 1797. HORATIO NELSON." PIETY OF ADMIRAL NELSO3C, EXEMPLIFIED IX A LETTER TO HIS LADY. The subjoined extract of a letter from Admiral Nelson to his lady, dated Vanguard, St. Peter's Island, off Sardinia, May 24, 1798, is oae of the many instances which have been adduced of the religious tendency of the writer's mind. It relates to the storm, in which Admiral Nelson's detached squadron was separated and much damaged, while in quest of the French fleet : " MY DEAREST FANNY, " I ought not to call what has happened to the Vanguard by the cold name of accident ; 1 firmly believe it was the Al- c 2 mighty 20 NAVAL ANECDOTES. mighty goodness to check my consummate vanity. I hope it has made me a better officer, as I feel it has made me a better man; 1 kiss with all humility the rod. Figure to yourself on Sunday evening, at sun-set, a vain man walking in his cabin, with a squadron around him, who looked up to their chief to Jead them to glory, and in whom their chief placed the firm- est reliance, that the proudest ships of equal numbers be- longing to France would have lowered their flags ; and with a very rich prize lying by him. Figure to yourself on Monday morning, when the sun rose, this proud conceited man, his ship dismasted, his fleet dispersed, and himself in such dis- tress, that the meanest frigate out of France would have been an unwelcome guest. But it has pleased Almighty God to bring us into a safe port, where, although we are refused the rights of humanity, yet the Vanguard will, in get to sea again as an English man of war." NELSONS VICTORY OF THE NILE. IT was on the 1st of August, 1798, that Capt. Hood, in the Zealous, discovered the French fleet in Aboukir Bay. They appeared to be moored in a compact line of battle, supported by a battery of guns and mortars on an island in their van, while their flanks were strengthened by gun-boats. Although the wind blew fresh, and the day was far spent, yet the admiral made the signal for battle, and signified at the same time that it was his intention to attack the enemy's van and centre as it lay at anchor, according to the plan already communicated by him to the respective captains. The NAVAL ANECDOTES. 21 The British fleet, every ship of which sounded its way as it proceeded, stood in ; and Sir Horatio being struck with the idea, that where there was room for one ship to swing, there was room for another to anchor; measures were taken for car- rying this idea into effect, notwithstanding the Culloden had grounded on Bequier Island. The Goliath and Zealous, together with the Orion, the Audacious, and the Theseus, led inside, and received a most tremendous fire from the van of the fleet, as well as from the batteries on shore, while the Vanguard anchored on the outside of O the enemy, within half a pistol shot of Le Sparti- ate. The Minotaur, Defence, Bellerophon, Ma- jestic, Swiftsure, and Alexander, came up in suc- cession ; and Captain Thompson, of the Leander, making up in seamanship for the deficiency of a fifty gun ship in point of metal, dropped her an- chor athwart the hawse of Le Franklin, an eighty- gun ship, in such a masterly manner, as to annoy both her and L'Orient. Notwithstanding the darkness that soon ensued, Le Guerrier was dismasted in the course of a few minutes, while the twilight yet remained ; Le Conquerant and Le Spartiate were also soon re-* duced to a similar state ; L'Aquilon, Le Souve- rain Peuple, and Le Spartiate surrendered; soon after which the admiral's ship, L'Orient was dis- covered to be on fire, and the flames burst forth c 3 with $2 NAVAL ANECDOTES. with such rapidity, that great apprehensions were entertained not only for her safety, but also that of such ships of the British fleet as were in her immediate vicinity. The only boat in a condition to swim was immediately dispatched from the English admiral's ship, and the commanders of others following the example, about seventy lives were saved; and many more would have been re- scued from death, had not L'Orient blown up suddenly, with a most tremendous explosion. With the interval of this awful moment only excepted, the firing continued ; and the victory having been now secured in the van, such ships as were not disabled bore down upon those of the enemy that had not been in the engagement. When the duwn developed the scene of this terrible conflict, only two sail of the line (Le Guilleaume Tell and Le Genereux) were disco- Tered with their colours flying, all the rest having struck their ensigns. These, conscious of their danger, together with two frigates, cut their ca- bles in the course of the morning, and stood out to sea. The whole of the 2d and Sd of August was employed in securing the French ships that had struck. NAVAL ANECDOTES. 23 MAGNANIMITY OF THE ADMIRAL IN THE ABOVE ACTION. . IN the heat of the action, Sir Horatio Nelson received a severe wound, which was supposed to have proceeded from langridge shot, or from a piece of iron: the skin of his forehead was cut with it at right angles, and hung down over his face. Captain Berry, happening to stand near, caught the admiral in his arms; and the general idea at first was, that he was shot through the head. On being can led into the cock-pit, where several of his -gallant crew were lying with their shattered limbs, the surgeon, with great anxiety, came to attend on the admiral. " No," replied the hero, " I will take my turn with my brave fellows ! The agony of his wound increasing, he became convinced that the presentiment, which he had long indulged, of dying in battle, was now about to be accomplished. SUBSEQUENT AFFECTING INTERVIEW BETWEEN ADMIRAL NELSON AND CAPTAIN LOUIS.* SIR HORATIO was so deeply impressed M'ith a sense of the service which had been rendered to him, * Now Rear- Admiral Sir Thomas Louis. Created a baro- net March 29, 1S06', as a reward for his services in Vice- Admiral 24 NAVAL ANECDOTES. him, by Captain Louis, in the commencement of the action, that he sent for that officer ; observing that he could not have a moment's peace, until he had thanked him for his conduct: adding, this O' is the hundred and twenty -fourth time I have been engaged, but I believe it is now nearly over *with me.* The subsequent meeting which took place between the admiral and Captain Louis, was affecting in the extreme. The latter hung over his bleeding friend in silent sorrow. " Fare- well, dear Louis," said the admiral, " I shall never forget the obligation I am under to you, for your brave and generous conduct; and now, whatever may become of me, my mind is at peace." The admiral then immediately sent for his chaplain, whom he requested to be the bearer of his remembrances to Lady Nelson; and, having Admiral Sir J. T. Duckworth's destruction of the French squadron, off St. Domingo, on the 6th of February preced- ing. * When the Vanguard, Sir Horatio's flag-ship, anchored along-side the Spartiate, she became exposed to the raking fire of L'Aquilon, the next ship in the enemy's line; by which the Vanguard had between fifty and sixty men disabled in the space of ten minutes. Owing, however, to the gallant and judicious manner in which Captain Louis took his station ahead of the Vanguard, his ship (the Minotaur) not only ef- fectually relieved her from this distressing situation, but overpowered her opponent. signed NAVAL ANECDOTES. 2.5 signed a commission, appointing his friend, the brave Hardy,* commander of the Mutine brig, to the rank of post-captain in the Vanguard, he resigned himself to death with truly Christian composure. But the hour of his departure was not yet come. When the surgeon came to examine the wound, he soon discovered that it was not mortal. This joyful intelligence quickly circulated through the ship. As soon as the painful operation of dress- ing was over, Admiral Nelson returned to the O ' quarter-deck, where he arrived just time enough to behold the conflagration of L'Orient. ANOTHER INSTANCE OF ADMIRAL NELSON'S PIETY. ON the morning after the victory of the Nile, Sir Horatio issued a memorandum to the respec- tive captains of the squadron, expressing his in- tention of publicly returning thanks to Almighty God for having blessed his Majesty's arms with victory. These pious intentions were carried into effect on board the Vanguard, at two o'clock the same afternoon ; the other ships following the example of the admiral, though perhaps not all at * Lord Nelson's captain in the Victory, at the action off Trafalgar. precisely 26, NAVAL ANECDOTES. precisely the same time. This solemn act of gra- titude to Heaven seemed to make a very deep im- pression upon several of the prisoners, both offi- cers and men ; some of the former remarking " that it was no wonder that we could preserve such order and discipline, when we could impress the minds of our men with such sentiments after a victory so great, and a moment of such seeming confusion." CAPTAIN HALLOWELLS EXTRAORDINARY PRESENT TO THE ADMIRAL. AFTER this glorious victory obtained over the French fleet, the captains of the British squadron seemed eager to outvie each other in seeding vari- ous presents to the admiral, that had been made from the wreck of L'Orient Captain Hallowell, of the Swiftsure, who had ever been on terms of the most intimate friendship with Sir Horatio Nelson, actually ordered his carpenter to make a coffin, solely from the wreck, both as to the wood and iron. His orders were punctually obeyed ; and one having been finished with considerable neatness, from the materials of L'Orient's main- mast, it was presented to the admiral, with J;he fallowing polite and affectionate letter : SIR, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 27 i -, " SIR* Swiftsure, August, 1798. *' I have taken the liberty of presenting you a coffin, made from the mainmast of L'Orient, that when you have finished your military career in this world, you may be buried in one of your trophies; but that that period may be far distant, is ., , , . , the earnest prayer of your sincere mend, " B. HALLOWELL. " Sir Horatio Nelson, Rear-Admiral of the Blue," &c. &c. '\y\iy ^ 3f1i ti r The admiral highly appreciated the present of his brave officer ; and for some months had it placed upright in his cabin. At length, by the tears and intreaties of an old servant, lie was pre- vailed on to allow its bein;,ol v*nu..vT t( A PHENOMENON OF ICE. Described by Mr. Samuel Standige. IN the year 1752, having freighted one of my ships at Hull with a cargo for Newport, Rhode Island, I went master of her myself; and sailing in April, we soon got round to the Orkney Islands. No material occurrences happened crossing the Atlantic Ocean, until we were about one hundred leagues distance from Newfoundland, in the lat- titude of 45 degrees north. On the 10th of May, at four o'clock in the morning, a man at the mast head called out " Land, land, ahead !" Steer- ing west, and by south, I went up immediately to the mast-head, and saw something resembling high land ; the ship at this time was going at the rate of five knots an hour, so that we soon ap- proached near enough to ascertain it to be an island of ice, and soon after saw three other islands at a distance from each other ; I went so close to the weathermost that we could fire a musket-bali on shore. I went up to our mast-head to survey G 2 it, 84 NAVAL ANECDOTES. it, but was then very little advanced from the surface. They were composed of very high hills, and in places very craggy, and deep vallies. The largest of these immense bodies of ice we sup- posed about four miles in circumference, and its height above the water must have been equal to that of the rock of Gibraltar. We saw them at the distance of twenty leagues, and, as custo- mary, sounded, yet could not find ground at one hundred and fifty fathoms. Passing these won- derful mountains of ice, floating in the ocean, we pursued our course to the westward, and after a run of 9,5 leagues fell in with a number of vessels fishing on the grand bank of Newfoundland ; hove our ship to, and in half an hour, with two hooks, caught fifty fine large cod; at the same time was highly gratified in observing the vessels that were near us; the people being so very expert at their lines, and the cod-fish being so abundant. What I would wish to remark to seamen in general who frequent these seas is, the necessity of a good look out, as it is frequently foggy weather ; on in dark nights, those large islands of ice may be easily run against, which is as certain destruction as the rocks of Nova Zembla ; and I am afraid many ships and lives have been lost by such acci- dents. It is well known that the tremendous high mountains in the country, known by the name of the Labradore Coast, which is eternally covered NAVAL ANECDOTES. $5 covered with snow and the wind blowing from the north three quarters of a year, cause such an intense degree of cold in the winter, as is not ex- perienced in any other part of the globe in the same latitude. DESTRUCTION OF THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE BY FIRE, AND LOSS OF THE GREATEST PART OB THE SHIP'S COMPANY. THE following account of the loss of his Ma- jesty's ship, Queen Charlotte, of 1 10 guns, Cap- tain Todd, bearing the flag of Vice- Admiral Lord Keith, which took fire off the harbour of Leghorn, on the 17th of March, 1800, and afterwards blew up, is distressing in the highest degree, and painful to relate. It appears, that she was dis- patched by Lord Keith to reconnoitre the island of Cabrona, about thirty miles from Leghorn, in possession of the French, and which it was his Lordship's intention to attack. On the morning of the 17th, the ship was discovered to be on fire, at the distance of four leagues from Leghorn. Every assistance was promptly forwarded from the shore ; but a number of boats was deterred from approaching the wreck in consequence of the firing of the guns, which were shotted, and which, when heated by the fire, discharged their G 3 contents 86 NAVAL ANECDOTES. contents in every direction. Lord Keith and some of the officers were on shore at Leghorn when the dreadful accident happened. Twenty commis- sioned officers, two servants, and one hundred and fifty- two seamen, are the whole of the crew that escaped destruction, out of near nine hundred souls on board, that for nearly four hours exerted every nerve to avoid that dreadful termination which too surely awaited them. The only conso- lation that presented itself under the pressure of so calamitous a disaster was, that it was not the effect either of treachery or wilful neglect. GENEROSITY OF ENGLISH SAILORS DISPLAYED IN THE PRESERVATION OF TWO INFANTS. THE honor and humanity of the English cha- racter will receive (if possible) an additional lustre by the relation of the following circumstance: Jn the year 1782, a vessel in the service of the East-India Company was returning from the East Indies ; and from stormi, &c. to which it had been much exposed, was in very imminent danger of sinking. Every body therefore began to pre- pare himself for his fate ; amongst the crew, how- ever, there were eight hardy fellows, who seized the boat and rowed off, leaving the remainder of the crew to perish. The sailors thus left be- hind NAVAL ANECDOTES. 87 hind cried out to them to return, not to carry off any more of the crew, but only to take with them two helpless infants, " who," they said, " can axld no weight to your boat ;" when, after some en- treaty, the fellows returned, after obtaining a pro- mise that not a man should set his foot in the boat. They received the infants and again rowed off. Not a man attempted to save his life, not a man attempted to leap into the boat ; they had too much respect for their promise, and the honor of themselves and their comrades, and therefore permitted the eight seamen to depart without any molestation. Thus did these generous seamen, in the hour of the deepest distress, forgetting themselves, think only of preserving the lives of two innocent children, and (when there was an opportunity of saving their own), scorn the very idea of life that was not connected with honor. Melancholy to relate 1 before the boat was out of sight, the vessel went down, and every soul on board perished. Another East-India ship, very shortly afterwards took up the fellows, who had carried off the boat, the captain of which in the most humane manner, took the two children, al- most dead with cold, and put them into his own bed, and caused them to be rubbed, also gave them some nourishment, and at length, by paying great attention, was able to recal the dying sparks of life, in their almost frozen bodies. The chil- G 4 dren 38 NAVAL ANECDOTES. dren are now alive, and fine young men, return- ing thanks to that providence whose hand was so conspicuous in the almost incredible circumstan- ces of their preservation. SINGULAR INSTANCE OF HUMANITY, UNlTEt) WITH COURAGE, THE following instance of feeling and huma- nity, in the exertions of an individual to save his fellow-creatures from perishing by shipwreck, deserves particularly to be recorded, as it shews that at all times, and in all places, there are both good and considerate people, as well as such as have nothing human but the shape.. A ship having been wrecked at the Cape of Good Hope, a guard was sent from Horse Island, consisting of thirty men and a lieutenant, to the place where the ship lay, in order to keep a strict look-out, and to prevent any of the cargo from being stolen. A gibbet was erected, and at the same time an edict issued, importing, that who- ever should come near that spot should be hanged immediately, without trial, or sentence of judg- ment passed on him. From this cause the com- passionate inhabitants, who had gone out on horseback to afford the wretched sufferers in the ship some assistance, were obliged to turn back without NAVAL ANECDOTES. 89 without being able to do them any service; but, on the contrary, were ocular witnesses of the bru- tality and want of feeling shewn by some persons on this occasion, who did not bestow a thought of affording their fellow-creatures, that sat on the wreck perishing with cold, hunger, and thirst, and were almost in the arms of death, the least as- sistance or relief. An old man of the name of Woltemad, by birth an European, had a son in the citadel, who was a corporal, and among the first who had been ordered out, to Horse-Island, where the guard was to be set for the preservation of the shipwrecked goods. This worthy veteran borrowed a horse, and rode out in the morning, with a bottle of wine and a loaf of bread for his son's breakfast. Thi^ happened so early that the gibbet had not been erected, nor the edict posted up, to point out to the traveller the nearest road to eternity. This hoary sire had no sooner delivered his son's breakfast, than he heard the lamentations of the distressed crew from the wreck, when he resolved to ride his horse, which was a good swim- mer, to the wreck, with a view of saving some of them. He repeated this dangerous trip six times more, bringing each time two men alive on shore, and thus saved in all fourteen persons. The horse was by this time so much fatigued, that he did not think it prudent to venture out again ; but the cries and entreaties of the poor wretches on the wreck 90 NAVAL ANECDOTES. wreck increasing, he ventured once more, which proved so unfortunate, that he lost his own life, as on this occasion too many rushed upon him at once, some of them catching hold of the horse's tail, and others of the bridle, by which means the horse, both weaned out and now too heavy laden, turned head over heels, and all were drowned together. When the storm and waves had sub- sided, the ship was found to lie at so small a dis- tance from the land, that a person might have almost leaped from it on shore. The East India Directors in Holland, on re- ceiving this intelligence, ordered one of their ships to be called after the name of Woltemad, and the story of his humanity to be painted on her stern; they further enjoined the regency at the Cape to provide for his descendants. Unfortunately in the southern hemisphere they had not the same sentiments of gratitude. The young corporal, Woltemad, who had been an un- availing witness of his father's having sacrificed himself in the service of the company and of mankind, wished in vain to be gratified with his fathers place, humble as it was, (keeper of the beasts in the menagerie). Stung with the disap- pointment, he had left that ungrateful country, and was gone to Batavia, where he died, before the news of so great and unexpected a recom- mendation could reach him. AN NAVAL ANECDOTES. Ql AN ACCOUNT OF THE BLOWING UP OF THE QUEEN, AN EAST INDIA SHIP, \ As related by an Officer on board the .Kent. ON the 9th of July, 1800, the Queen had put into St. Salvador, on the coast of Brazil, for water, when between two and three o'clock A. M. our officer who had the watch on deck, discovered a smoke issuing from the gun-room ports of the Queen, which was moored a little way from us. Immediately we called the captain and officers, for although no alarm was given from the Queen, yet as she was evidently on fire, every exertion was made to man our boats with the fire-engines, buckets, &c. for their assistance ; but within a few minutes of our discovering the smoke, she was completely in flames from stern to the bows, and in a few minutes more the three masts were overboard. Unfortunately the wind blew very fresh, and a current of at least three knots. This of course rendered it difficult for the boats to get alongside to save the people ; and so rapid were the flames, that about thirty soldiers perished be- low deck, being unable to get up the hatchways. All the officers of the ship are saved ; and, for- tunately for us, the current carried her clear of the bay, and she drove a considerable distance before she blew up, about seven A. M. The cause of the fire is not ascertained, as no person had 5 been 94 NAVAL ANECDOTES. been in the gun-room after eight o'clock ; and although several people slept over the gun-room scuttle, the smoke was not discovered until near three o'clock. The scene was dreadful, from the cries of between 2 and 300 men, and many perish- ing in the flames or sea. Those that were saved are almost naked, from being hurried out of their beds, the remaining troops, and all the passengers, (about 300), proceed in the Kent to India. Most of the passengers, Captain Craig, and some of the officers, were ashore at the time. Unfortu- nately six of the passengers and 70 of the crew perished. The only way in which this disaster can be accounted for is, that immediately upon the arrival of the Queen at St. Salvadore, a guard of Portugueze were sent on board, to prevent, as they said, smuggling, and a gun-boat at the same time was laid along-side of her, the crew of which kept a fire of wood constantly burn- ing ; some of it, it is supposed, they threw in at the scuttle-hole of the gun-room, for it was there the fire was first discovered, and no one of the ship's company had been near it with a can- dle. Amongst the unfortunate sufferers on board was Edward Mayne, Esq. jun. of Powis Lodge; when just about to step into the boat, which was to carry him from the awful scene, he recollected that there was an unfortunate passenger confined NAVAL ANECDOTES. 93 by sickness to his cabin : he flew to rescue him from impending destruction, and in a short time appeared with the helpless invalid on his shoul- ders. Alas ! it was too late ; the boat had put off, and in a few minutes the ship blew up. The fate of Mr. Smith also, a gentleman of the bar, was truly deplorable. In endeavouring to get from the ship, one of his arms was jammed between her, and a boat lashed alongside, whilst the fire was raging near him, so that apparently he was precluded from a possibility of escaping. In this dreadful dilemma, he entreated some of the people, who were getting over the ship's side into another boat, to cut off his arm, that he might join them ; which, not being complied with, he contrived to take a knife from his pocket, and put an immediate end to his existence by cutting his throat. ELEGY TO THE MEMORY OF CAPTAIN BURGESS, Late of lais Majesty's Ship the Ardent. " Multu* ille bonis flebilis oeddit ? * THEE, gallant Burgess ! thee Britannia rank'd Amongst her naval heroes : it was thine Calmly to brave the fiery storm of war, Thy country's rights defend, and add fresh lustre To thy sovereign's reign ; but heaven ordaiu'd, That NAVAL ANECDOTES. That thou shouldst fall in glory's bosom fall- On that illustrious day, when Albion's tars, By Duncan led on coast of Camperdown, Claim'd 'mid the thick'ning honours of the fight, Their Country's grateful love ! O ! hadst tbou known The issue of the combat, ere thy soul This nether sphere had left, more cheerfully Thy breath hadst thou resigned, like Wolfe exclaiming, " I expire content !" Farewel, Thou brave commander ! Ne'er couldst thou have died More honour'd, more lamented, more belov'd ; For thee the tear each seaman's cheek bedews, And patriot thousands o ? er thy tomb shall mourn ! DESCRIPTION 1 OF THE BATTE AU-POIS'SON, OR NEW INVENTED DIVING MACHINE. AN experiment was lately tried at Rouen, upon a new invented diving machine, called batteau- poisson, or fish-boat. This boat sunk of itself seven or eight times, and then rose of itself. The longest time it remained under water was seven or eight minutes. The descent into the inside of this machine is by an opening made in the form of a tunnel, which is about a demi-metre above the surface of the water. When those who con- ducted the experiment wished to descend altoge- ther into the river, and disappear, they let down this NAVAL ANECDOTES. Q5 this opening, sunk entirely under the water, and lost all communication with the external air. The ingenious inventors of this machine are Ameri- cans, the principal of whom is called Fulton. Three of them went into the boat, and remained during the experiment. The prefect and a vast concourse of spectators were present SPIRITED COXDUC.T OF LORD DUNCAN 11$ SUPPRESSING THE MUTINY. IN the year 1/97, when the mutiny raged in the Channel fleet at Portsmouth, for some time it spread its deleterious contagion through the ships employed under the orders of Lord Dun- can. As an officer bearing command, no person had ever more endeared himself to those whom he was appointed to conduct, than Admiral Dun- can ; for, while benevolence and good humour had acquired him the universal love of all who knew him, a regularity of discipline, unalloyed by severity, had rendered him revered as well, as adored. On the instant this baneful disease made its appearance, he visited every ship in the fleet; his presence had the temporary effect of Ithuriel's spear ; it compelled the daemon of discord to quit the once pleasing shape which it had taken, and resume 96 NAVAL ANECDOTES. resume its natural one, disgusting, loathsome., and terrific ; its idolatrous worshippers became, for a time, ashamed of their deity, and returned to their duty without apparent reluctance. The disease, however, was only checked, not cured ; for when the fleet put to sea, it renewed its ap- pearance, attended by all its former virulent symptoms; the Venerable and Adamant appear- ing the only ships that were not thoroughly tainted with the infection. On the evening before the admiral himself intended to put to sea, he made the signal for the Trent frigate to get under weigh : his commands were not complied with, and on enquiring into the cause, it was found that the crew peremptorily refused obeying their officers, whose particular duty it was to attend to it. The admiral, on this alarming occasion, ordered all hands to be called upon deck ; he publicly made known to them the delinquency of their companions ; he informed them of , his intention to go alongside the frigate early in the ensuing morning, and compel the rebellious crew to re- turn to their duty. " Who is there," said he, " that on this occasion will desert me ?" The question was immediately answered in the nega- tive ; his people, with one accord, declared their abhorrence of such conduct, and their assurance of support, to the utmost of their power, in the punishment of it. In the course of the evening, 6 however, NAVAL ANECDOTES. Q7 however, a letter, couched in the properest terms possible, was transmitted to him from his ship's company ; they offered, by way of satisfying the discontent which pervaded the crew of the Trent, and to shew them they fared no worse than all others did embarked in the same cause, to deliver to him the weights and measures used by the pur-* ser, (Mr. Hore, whose honor and character could not possibly receive any greater panegyric than they did, from the unforced and natural conduct of the Venerable's people on this occasion), in the allotment of their provisions, and depend en tirely on his justice and candour, as far as re> garded their own allowances. This offer con* vinced the mutineers of the impropriety of their conduct; the effusion of British blood, and by the hands of Britons, was happily prevented; for before the ensuing morning the frigate proceeded on the service, as ordered by her commander in chief. Towards the end of May Admiral Duncan quitted Yarmouth Roads, and was ordered to cruise off the back of those sands which at some distance environ that anchorage, till he should be reinforced. The Nassau and Montague refused to put to sea, -tinder pretence that they were in the course of payment, though at that time scarcely ten shillings were due to each man on board This sad example induced the rest of H the 98 NAVAL ANECDOTES. / the ships to pursue the same line of conduct; so that the Venerable and Adamant, whose crews, as before observed, never relaxed from their duty, were left to proceed by themselves off the Texel, whither the admiral, unattended as he was, immediately repaired. Stratagem supplied, on this occasion, the place of numbers ; for the admiral, by making a va- riety of signals, as to ships in the offing, ef- fectually duped Admiral de Winter, as he himself afterwards confessed, into the belief that the channel of the Ilelder was blocked up by a force superior to that which he himself commanded. At this very critical period, the first symptom of mutiny that ever was observed on board the Ve- nerable, made its appearance ; and a plot was actually on foot, and was happily discovered by some valuable men belonging to the gunner's crew. The admiral ordered all hands upon deck, and addressed them in the firmest, and at the same time in the coolest terms: in a few minutes six of the ringleaders were brought before him, It was at that time impossible to say what height the disease had reached ; the moment was more than critical ; it was awful ; and, while the delay of an instant might have rendered it fatal, a strong measure too hastily taken might have been equally injurious to the cause of tranquillity. " My lads/' said the admiral, " I am not in 4 the NAVAL ANECDOTES. 9Q the smallest degree apprehensive of any violent measure you may have in contemplation ; and though I assure you I would much rather acquire your love than incur your fear, I will, with my own hand, put to death the first man who shall presume to display the slightest symptom of re- bellion." Turning round immediately to one of the mutineers, " Do you, Sir," said he, " want to take the command of this ship out of my hands r* " Yes, Sir," replied the fellow, in the most auda- cious manner. The admiral immediately raised his arm, with an intent to plunge the sword into the mutineer's breast : but he was prevented by the chaplain and secretary, who seized his arm from executing this summary act of justice; an act rendered, at least, justifiable, if not neces* sary, by the situation in which not only himself, but those whom he commanded, were placed. The blow being prevented, the admiral at- tempted not to make a second, but immediately called to the ship's company with some agitation : " Let those who will stand by me and my officers pass over immediately to the starboard side of the ship, that we may see who are our friends and who are our opponents/' In an instant the whole crew, except the six ringleaders of the dis- turbance, ran over with one accord. The cul- prits were immediately seized, put in irons, and committed to the gun-room, from whence they H 2 were 100 NAVAL ANECLOTES. were afterwards liberated, one by one, after hav- ing shewn signs of real penitence, which induced the admiral, by well-timed acts of lenity, to en- dear himself, if possible, still more to a faithful crew, who, in the midst of tumult, had stood faithful to their trust, uncorrupted in the very focus of seditious seduction ; and, except in the instance already related, not the smallest symp- tom qf discontent ever appeared on board the Venerable. ANECDOTE OF SIR JOIIK LOCKHART ROSS, VICE-ADMIRAL OF THE BLUE. THERE beinir a total failure of all means of o subsistence, in consequence of a severe frost in the middle of the summer 1782, which was a very fatal and distressing year to the peasantry in North Britain, many of the Highlanders being reduced to the greatest want, and in a state or starvation, were obliged to emigrate, with their families, to the Low Country, and settle as day- Jabourers or domestic servants ; Sir John Lock- hart Ross, understanding their very melancholy situation, sent to be distributed among the un- fortunate sufferers on his own estates, a bountiful 'supply of large quantities of pease, barley, flour, and potatoes. Thus by an act of benevolence which XAVAL ANECDOTES. 101 Vvhich must ever reflect the highest credit on his name, he was the happy instrument in the hands of Divine Providence of saving the lives of some hundreds of his fellow-creatures, who would otherwise have perished for want of sustenance. HUMOROUS AXECDOTE OF AX ENGLISH SAI- LOR. tx the year 1756*, Admiral Watson having sailed with his squadron from Fort St. David to the assistance of Calcutta, stopped at Maya- pore, on the banks of the Ganges, where tire enemy had a place of considerable strength, called Bougee Fort, which it was necessary to secure before he proceeded on the expedition. The ac- tion began with a brisk cannonade from the squad- ron, which soon silenced the cannon of the fort ; but the garrison not offering to surrender, it was determined that Colonel Clive should endeavour to take it by assault. For this purpose, at five in the evening, the admiral landed an officer, and about 40 sailors from each ship, under the com- mand of. Captain King, to assist the colonel in storming the fort, which he intended doing just before day-light, under the cover of two twenty- four pounders, close to the ditch. In the mean time the colonel had given directions that the ii 3 whole 102 NAVAL ANECDOTES. whole army, (the necessary guards excepted,) and the detachments from the ships, should rest on the ground, in order to recover themselves as much as possible from the great fatigues they had undergone in the preceding day's service. All was now quiet in the camp : those on board the ships, that lay at their anchors at a small dis- tance from the shore, had entertained thoughts of making use of this interval to refresh themselves also with an hour or two of sleep ; when suddenly a loud and universal acclamation was heard from the shore, and soon after an account was brought to the admiral that the fort was taken by storm. This was a joyful piece of news, and the more so as it was quite unexpected ; but when the parti- cular circumstances of this success were related, their exultation was diminished, because the dis- cipline so indispensibly necessary in all naval ex- ploits, had been entirely disregarded in the pre- sent instance ; and therefore could not help look- ing upon the \ erson who had the principal hand in this victory, rather as an object of chastisement than applause. The case was this; During the tranquil state of the camp, one Strahan, a com- mon sailor, belonging to the Kent, having just received his allowance of grog, found his spirits too much elated to think of taking any rest; he therefore strayed by himself towards the fort, and imperceptibly got under the walls. Having ad- vanced NAVAL ANECDOTES. 103 vanced thus far without interruption, he took it into his head to scale at a breach that had been made by the cannon of the ships ; and having fortunately reached the bastion, he there dis- covered several Moors sitting upon the platform, at whom he flourished his cutlass, and then fired his pistol, and having given three loud huzzas, , cried out, " the place is mine/' The Moorish soldiers immediately attacked him, and he de- fended himself with incredible resolution, but in the rencounter had the misfortune to have the blade of his cutlass cut in two, about a foot from the hilt. This, however, did not happen until he was warmly supported by two or three other sailors who had accidentally straggled to the same part of the fort, on which the other had mounted ; they hearing Strahan's cries, immediately scaled the breach likewise ; and with their triumphant sound, roused the whole army, who, taking the alarm, presently fell on pell mell, without order and without discipline, following the example of the sailors. This attack, though made in such confusion, had no ill consequence but the death of Captain Campbell, who was unfortunately killed by a musket ball from one of our own pieces in the general confusion. Captain Coote commanded the fort for that night, and at day- break the fort saluted the admiral. We took in the fort eighteen cannon, and forty barrels of H 4 powder^ J(34 NAVAL ANECDOTE^ powder. Strahan, the hero of this adventurotfS action, was soon brought before the admiral, who, Notwithstanding the success that had attended it> thought it necessary to shew himself displeased with a measure in which the want of all naval dis- cipline so notoriously appeared, lie therefore an^- grily enquired into the desperate step which he had taken, by saying, " Strahan, what is this that you have been doing ?" The sailor, after having made his bow, scratched his head, and with one hand twirling his hat on the other, replied, ' Why, to be sure, Sir, it was I who took the fort; but I liope, your honor, as how there was no harm ill it.'' The admiral with difficulty restrained from smiling at the simplicity of Strahan's ansM-er ; and having expatiated largely on the fatal conse- quence^ that might have attended his irregular conduct, with, a severe rebuke dismissed him; but not before he had given Strahan some distant hints that at a proper opportunity he would be certainly punished for his' temerity. Strahan amazed to find himself blamed where he expected praise, had no sooner gone from the admiral's cabin, than he muttered to himself, " If I am flogged for this here action, I will never take ano- ther fort by myself as long as I live, by God. v > The novelty of the case, the success of the enter- prize, and the courageous spirit which he had Displayed, pleaded strongly with the admiral in behalf NAVAL ANECDOTES. 10,5 behalf of the offender ; and at the same time the discipline of the service required he should shew him outwardly some marks of his displeasure: this the admiral did for some little time, but after- wards, at the intercession of some officers, which intercession the admiral himself had prompted them to make, he most readily pardoned him : but unfortunately for this brave fellow, the whole tenor of his conduct was so very irregular, both before and after the storming of the fort, that it was impossible for the admiral to advance him from his old station to any higher rank, how strongly soever his inclinations led him to wish it. He afterwards served in Admiral Pocock'sengage-s- ment in the West Indies, and in consequence of a wound he received in. one of them, he is become a pensioner to the chest of Chatham. At pre- sent he acts as a sailor in one of the guard ships at Portsmouth, and says that his highest ambition is " to be made cook of one of his majesty's ca- pital ships."" REMARKS ON LORD NELSON'S SIGNING HIS NAME " NELSON AND BRONTE," BY TWO SAILORS. AN old veteran, upon reading the failure of the attack at Boulogne, signed " Nelson and Bronte," thus addressed his messmate : " I say, Ben, 106 NAVAL ANECDOTES. Ben, do you know who this Bronte is, that Nelson has got hold on ?" " No," replied the other, " I don't; all I can say is, that I think he is a d cl fool, begging his pardon, for taking a partner ; for depend upon it, nobody will ever do so well as Nelson himself ; you see this last business, though I dare say every thing was done that could be done without him ;~ had he gone in, the boats, the chains, and all would have come out along with him." Joined by a third, it was long de- bated who this Bronte could be ; at last it was determined that he must be a soldier officer, who was to assist in any descent upon the enemy's coast ; but nothing could exonerate the hero of the Nile, (in the opinion of these honest fellows), for taking a partner. CAPTURE OF LA CHEVREfTE. IT being admitted, that boarding of the Che- vrette, in Cameret Bay, bringing her out in spite of* the obstinate resistance of her crew, rein- forced, and prepared for the occasion, and pro- tected by the fire of numerous batteries within range of grape shot, was one of the most brilliant exploits performed during the last war, the fol- lowing anecdote, descriptive of individual exer- tion on that memorable occasion, may be ac- ceptable. Mr. NAVAL ANECDOTES. 107 Mr. Brown, boatswain of the Beaulieu, after forcing his way into the Chevrette's quarter-gal- lery, found the door planked up, so that all his efforts to force it were ineffectual ; through the crevices of the planks he discovered men sitting on the cabin deck, armed with pikes and pistols, who often annoyed him whilst attempting to burst hi. He next tried the quarter, and after an ob- stinate resistance gained the tafrail, (the officer who commanded the party was at this time fight- ing his way up a little further forward), for an instant, whilst looking round to see where he should make his push, he stood exposed to the enemy's fire, when, waving his cutlass, he cried, *' make a lane there," gallantly dashed among them, and fought his way forward, until he reached his old part, the forecastle, which the men, animated by his example, soon cleared of the enemy : here Mr. Brown remained during the rest of the contest, not only repulsing the French in their attempts to retake his post, but attending to the orders from the quarter-deck, and assisting in casting the ship and making sail with as much coolness as if he had been on board the Beau- lieu. The noble lord who then presided at the Ad- miralty, promoted this gallant officer to the Con- queror, a name truly apposite to his distinguished bravery. Henry 108 fcAVAL Henry Wallis, qudrter-master of the Beaulieif, Was appointed by the officer who commanded during the attack, to the Che vre tie's helm. This gallant seaman fought his way to the wheel, kil- ling one or two of the enemy in his progress j although severely wounded in the contest, and bleeding, he steadily remained at his station, steering the Chevrette out until she was in safety from the fire of the batteries; on his officer's say- ing he was afraid his wounds were severe, the brave fellow said, it was only a graze, and a prick with a cutlass, and would not prevent him from going on such another expedition again, and ivibhed it were the following night. He knew there was an arduous and important service about io be performed by the boats of the fleet, and being among the volunteers from the Beaulieu, con- cealed the state of his wounds that he might not be laid aside. This brave man had served seven years in the ship, and constantly distinguished himself on every service of danger that occurred ; and, if any extraordinary exertion was required, "Wallis was sure to be the foremost. If a man had fallen overboard, he was always fortunately in the way, and either in the boat or the water ; during the time he belonged to the ship nearly a dozen men were indebted to him for their lives, which he had saved by plunging overboard, some- times even in a gale of wind, at the utmost hazard oC NAVAL ANECDOTES. of his own. Another of these brave fellows, Ei chard bmith, quarter-master, was desperately wounded, while steering one of the boats before they reached the corvette ; after lying stunned for some time, he recovered himself, and was much distinguished during the combat on board the Chevrette. One of the top-men, who had been appointed to cut loose the sails, was wounded in the body and arm while boarding ; after they gained a footing, the commanding officer observed him going aloft with his arm bleeding fast, desired he would wait while a tourniquet was put on ; the brave fellow refused, saying, it would be time enough when he had performed his duty ; he per- Eevere-d, and did not descend until the sails werg set ; the enemy having stopped the horses up, he xvas obliged to crawl out on the yard, and th7 of their real magnificence, by the pencil, that I have endeavoured to do justice to them by my expressions for the surprise and admiration with which they impress the beholder. -1NTEHESTING PARTICULARS OF M. DE LA PEYROUSE. THE myslery which has enveloped the fate of this distinguished navigator, /has excited universal curiosity. Some hopes of the possibility of his preservation have at times been indulged ; but it seems now ascertained, that he has fallen a victim either to the hands of assassins, or to that still more dreadful misfortune, the want of food. A late American print contains the following account : " The certainty of the fate of the two ships under the direction of M. Peyrouse, will give re- lief to the public mind, though we must ever de- plore the melancholy event which deprived the world of the services of that truly eminent com- mander. By several gentlemen from the isle of France, it is reported, that a Danish ship, in her passage to China in the eastern route, took from an uninhabited island, an officer and four or five men belonging to the ships commanded by M. Peyrouse, who. were so emaciated and worn down for- 158 NAVAL ANECDOTES. for want of food, that they survived only a few days ; and that papers, containing the history of their shipwreck, and particulars of getting on shore among the natives, &c. were in possession of the government of the isle of France. The tale related by the unfortunate officer and men to the Danes on board the ship, before they died, is, as nearly as I can learn, as follows : The ships left Port Jackson, and after sailing some time, were unfortunately driven among the rocks, end shipwrecked ; the principal part of the officers and crews landed in safety, and preserved great part of the stores, &c. They found the natives numerous, and apparently hospitable ; after re- maining some time on the most peaceable terms with them, it was determined to build a small ves- sel from parts of the wreck, and the stately trees abounding in their neighbourhood, and to seek out some European settlement, whence they could procure a passage to their own country. In the prosecution of this hopeful scheme, they cut down several trees to commence the business; not think- ing it of any consequence to the natives, they did not formally ask leave of them to use their timber ; the savages however, most unluckily conceiving their rights invaded, became instantly alarmed, and all their former friendly intercourse ceased immedi- ately. It was not long before they became perfectly hostile, and, watching an opportunity when the 3 French NAVAL ANECDOTES. 159 French were off their guard, (which was some- times the case from want of discipline,) they fell upon them from all quarters in a very numerous body, when a most horrible massacre ensued. The voyage of M. Pey rouse had been brought up within a few days to this fatal period, and had been deposited in a safe place known to all the officers : the officer who had escaped thus far in the cruel business, flew to the spot, snatched the papers, fled to one of the boats, where he was joined by four or five men and instantly put to sea, leaving his unhappy countrymen in the mer- ciless hands of the savages, whom they suppose were very soon overpowered, and butchered by their treacherous friends. Happy to find them- selves out of the reach of one danger, they con- tinued braving others until they fell in with an island, where they landed, (and here probably they lost their boat.) On this island they re- mained some months, suffering extremely for the want of food and raiment, until providence brought the Danish ship to their relief, who took them off in a wretched situation, worn down by hunger and thirst to skeletons. Notwithstanding every attention was paid them which humanity could dictate or tenderness suggest, they survived only time enough to relate their woeful tale. XAVAL 160 IS AVAL ANECDOTES* NAVAL MONUMENT AT COPENHAGEN. A MONUMENT has been erected by the Danes* at Copenhagen, to the memory of the warriors who fell in the battle of the Sound, of April, 1801. The composition consists of an artificial mount, of an elliptical form, J 6 feet high, 60 long, and 40 broad, which is surrounded by wrought stones, on each of which is the name of an officer who fell in the combat that combat which re- flected so much honour on the enterprising and persevering spirit of Britain ; and of the ship on board of which he was killed. At the foot of this mount a number of poplars are planted, cor- responding with the number of the stones. A path leads to the summit, from which is seen the coast off which the engagement took place. On that side of the monument which fronts the east, is an obelisk of black marble, with the following inscription : They died for their Country, April 2, 1801. Underneath which is written, The Gratitude of their Fellow-Citizens raised to them this Monument. On a tablet of white marble, placed on a pedes- tal, is sculptured a crown of laurel, oak, and cy- press, intertwined with these words : The Crown which his Country gives never fades on the Toini) of the Warrior who has died for its Sake, EOXA- NAVAL ANECDOTES. 161 BOXAPARTE AND SIR SYDNEY SMITH. From Heber'i Poem of Palestine. WHEN He, from tow'ry Malta's yielding isle, And the green waters of reluctant Nile, Th' Apostate Chief from Misraim's subject shore To Acre's walls his trophied banners bore ; When the pale desert marked his proud array, And desolation hoped an ampler sway ; What Hero then triumphant Gaul dismay*d, What arm repelled the Victor Renegade ? Britannia's Champion ! bath'd in hostile blood, High on the beach the dauntless Seaman stood : Admiring Asia saw th' unequal fight ; E'en the pale Crescent blest the Christian's might. Oh, day of death ! O thirst beyond controul, Of crimson conquest in th' invaders' soul : The slain, yet warm, by social footsteps trod, O'er the red moat supply'd a panting road : O'er the red moat our conquering thunders flew, And loftier still the grisly rampire grew ; While proudly glow'd above the grisly tow'r, The wavy cross that mark'd Britannia's bow'r. PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE OF ROBERT SCOTNEY, A NATIVE OF SPALDING, LINCOLNSHIRE. THIS unfortunate sufferer was picked up at sea by the Europe, on the 29th of June, 1803 ; an officer of which relates the following particulars of the miseries endured by this unfortunate rnan. At half past eight A. M. we saw a small boat M on 162 NAVAL ANECDOTES. on our starboard bow, which, upon nearing, we discovered to have only one small sail set, and otherwise to be a perfect wreck. No one was observed on her deck, until upon hailing her, a wretched object presented himself, apparently in a most distressed situation, and in the posture of imploring our assistance ; a boat was immediately sent on board of her, with the 2d officer, who re- turned with him, having sent the wreck adrift. By the poor man's account, it appears that he sailed from London as second mate of the brig Thomas, of London, commanded by Captain Gardner, and belonging to Messrs. Eroderick and Co. on the 4th of March, 1 802, bound to the Southern Ocean on the whale fishery ; that after touching at several places on their outward- bound voyage, they arrived at Staten-land, where they remained six or seven months, and got about seven or eight hundred skins; in the course of that time they rose upon their long-boat, length- ened and decked her, and converted her into a shallop, of which they gave him the command, and put three other seamen on board under him, with orders to accompany the brig to Georgia, whither they were bound, and procure seals and sea elephants. They accordingly left Staten land in January, 1803, in company with the brig, and after eleven days passage, arrived at Georgia, ivhere ihev remained two months, and left it h\ the 2 NAVAL ANECDOTES. 163 the beginning of April, their own brig and ano- ther brig, the John of Boston, in company, and stood for the island of Tristan da Cunha. On the 1 4th of April they were parted from their consorts, in a heavy gale of wind, in which gale he lost his three hands, who were washed overboard by a tremendous sea, from which he himself narrowly escaped, having the moment before gone below for a knife, to cutaway some part of the rigging. At that time he had on board three pounds of meat, three pounds of flour, six pounds of bread, and two hogsheads of water, which were more or less damaged by the gale, some whale's oil remain- ing in the bottoms of some of the casks, and a small quantity of salt: on this scanty pittance, and without any means of dressing even that, he prolonged his existence for the surprising period, of seventy-five days. When we fell in with him, he was shaping a course to the Cape of Good Hope, having missed the island of Tristan da Cunha, to which it was his intention first to hav$ proceeded, for the purpose of rejoining his con- sorts, whom he expected to meet there. His debi- lity, however, was so great, that he had been for several days previous incapable of going into the. hold of his vessel for what little sustenance re- mained, or of shifting his helm, should a change of wind have happened. The appearance of this poor wretch, on his *i 2 being 164 NAVAL ANECDOTES. being brought on board, deeply affected every one : he had entirely lost the use of his extremi- ties, his countenance was pallid and emaciated, and it was the opinion of the surgeon that he could not have prolonged his existence two day? more. The poor fellow evinced his thankfulness to God for his preservation in the most affecting manner, and every possible assistance was ren- dered him that his situation required. ANECDOTE OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF CLARENCE, WHEN PRINCE WILLIAM HENRY. IN an early period of the siege of Gibraltar, when Prince William Henry was there, and had made his first naval essay in its relief, the Spanish Admiral, Don Juan de Langara, visiting Admiral Digby, was introduced to his royal highness. During the conference between the admirals r Prince William retired, and when it was intimated that Don Juan wished to return, his royal highness appeared in the character of a midshipman, and respectfully informed the admiral that the boat was ready. The Spaniard, astonished to see the son of a monarch acting as a warrant-officer, could not help exclaiming, " Well does Great Britain merit the empire of the sea, when the humblest NAVAL ANECDOTES. 165 humblest stations in her navy are filled by the princes of the blood." COURAGE AND HUMANITY OF CAPTAIN SAMUEL HOOD. IN the year 1791, in the height of a violent gale of wind, which increased to a perfect hur- ricane, a raft was discovered from the Juno's mast- head, off the port of St. Anne's, in the West In- dies, with three people on it, over which the waves washed every moment, so that it appeared next to impossible to save them. Captain Hood immediately ordered a boat to their assistance ; but though English seamen are not apt to shrink from danger, the boat's crew thinking it a vain at- tempt, shewed great reluctance in going ; where- upon the captain, declaring that he never ordered any man on a service on which he was afraid to venture himself, immediately leaped into the boat, pushed out of the harbour, and with infinite dif- ficulty saved the poor men from the wreck. The honourable assembly at Jamaica, on being in- formed of this gallant enterprise, was unanimous in resolving, that the sum of one hundred guineas be presented to Captain S. Hood, for the pur- chase of a sword, as a testimony of the high sense they entertained of his merit and humanity on this occasion. i *l3 INTRE- 166 NAVAL ANECDOTES. INTREPIDITY OF ADMIRAL BOSCAWEN. ADMIRAL Boscawen acquired the name of old Dreadnought by the following circumstance: When captain of the Glory frigate, cruising off Madeira, he singly met two Spanish and one French ship, the latter of more than equal force. Captain Boscawen was asleep, when his lieutenant went down to awake him, it being in the close of the evening, and asked him what he must do ?'' " Do ! O d n you, fight them to be sure." The Captain came immediately upon deck in his shirt, in which situation he fought near two glasses i when the enemy, finding they must be taken if they continued the contest, sheered off under co- ver of the night. Admiral Boscawen was after- wards lying off Gibraltar, to intercept a French fleet that was in the Mediterranean ; he wrote to Captain Barton, who at that time commanded the Litchfield, that the enemy was near, and at the same time enclosed a list of the French fleet, but took particular notice of a new 74-gun ship which they had, and added, " Barton, may I be eter- nally d n'd if I do not take that ship, and insure to you the command of her !" and she was the first he took in that engagement, and he procured the command of her for Captain Barton. Such was the intrepid spirit of that brave man, and the punctual exactness wherewith he kept his pro- mises. INSCRIP- NAVAL ANECDOTES. I 67 INSCRIPTION AT GOODWOOD, IN SUSSEX. UNDER the carved head of Admiral Alison's ship the Centurion, which is a lion, and is now to be seen at an inn, near the duke of Richmond's, at Goodwood, in Sussex, are inscribed the follow- ing lines : Stay, traveller, awhile, and view One who has travelled more than you ; Quite round the globe, thro' each degree, Anson and I have plow'd the sea. Torrid and frigid zones have pass'd, And safe ashore arriv'd at last : In ease and dignity appear, He in the House of Lords I here. LATE LORD HAWKE. THE Cicerone of the parish church of Stone- ham, in Hampshire, which contains a very excel- lent monument to the memory of this illustrious officer, relates the following anecdote. * O When I was a school- boy, my father told me this story of the gallant commander : Captain Hawke was in such estimation with his good old master, George the Second, that nothing seemed more pleasant to his majesty than to advance the interests of so faithful a servant. Once when there were to be promotions in the army or navy, the king demanded to look at the lists ; when, reading the names of the former as they stood, M 4 and 168 NAVAL ANECDOTES. and making a pause between, each had a friend to speak of his merits, except poor Major Wolfe. " What!" said his majesty, " is there no one to speak forWplfe ?" The earl of Chesterfield, who was no great friend to the major, observed, that Wolfe had all the rashness of a madman. The king who had well weighed his worth, answered hastily, in his plain, but honest way, " So much the better, my lord ; I will promote him for that, and I hope he will bite some of my generals." Upon reading over the navy-list, the conduct was similar, till the king came to Hawke ; all were silent. " What," said his majesty, " has Hawke done, that no one will speak for him ?" The si- lence continued. " Well," rejoined the king, " then I will speak for him : Hawke shall be my admiral." This coming from George the Second, was eulogium enough for any one ; for no king ever knew better how to find out merit, or de- lighted more to reward it. SHOCKING INSTANCE OF BARBARITY BY THE DUTCH AT CEYLON. THE infamous affair at Amboyna has, through the whole world, circulated the eternal disgrace of the Dutch name. There is another instance of their abominable policy, which is less known in Europe, but has excited general indignation in the NAVAL ANECDOTES. 169 the eastern world. In the year 1798, Captain Pakenham, of the Resistance, happening to be with his ship at Timar, one of the spice islands lately conquered by the English, he was invited along with his officers, by the Dutch governor, to an entertainment. Some circumstances prevented the captain from accepting the invitation; his officers, however, went, and found, with astonish- ment and horror, that the Dutch had made hospi- tality a pretext to obtain an opportunity of assas- sinating them. They were set upon without the least warning, and the first lieutenant, with one or two more, were infamously murdered, with some sepoys, who attempted to defend their officers. The surgeon, however, who was a very strong man, with the assistance of two sepoys, fought his way to the beach, and made good his retreat to his ship. Upon the surgeon's representing this barbarous conduct of the Dutch, Captain Pakei> ham instantly gave orders to fire upon the towq, and it was in consequence soon reduced to ashes. The Dutch inhabitants, and all those who were concerned in the massacre, fled precipitately into the interior of the island. Several of the perpe- trators of the crime were afterwards taken, and Buffered the just punishment due to their chery. ACCOUNT 170 NAVAL ANECDOTES. ACCOUNT OF THE ENCROACHMENT OF THE SEA UPON THE LAND. AN officer many years in the army in the East Indies, being struck with Mr. Churchman's idea of reducing to a system all the changes of the land gaining on the sea, and vice versa, has made known these curious facts. He was very parti- cularly acquainted with a lady who died at Ma- dras, in the year 1797, at the advanced age of ninety-six years, who declared, that the sea had encroached there about three English miles within her own remembrance ; that some years since a row of cocoa nut trees stood in the place where the ships now ride at anchor ; and, from the time he left India in 1797, until his return there in 1799, the sea had encroached so much as to cause the beach-house belonging to the customs, which stood at the south end of the fort, to be removed three miles to the north of it, and that the sea at that place continued to encroach gradually on the- land every year. PHENOMENON OF AN EARTHQUAKE. IN the year 1780, the 2d of October, the island of Jamaica was visited by a most furious hurri- cane, which extended its rage to almost all the other islands ; it was attended with frequent and violent NAVAL ANECDOTES. 17 1 violent shocks of earthquake; a sudden and very extraordinary elevation of the sea broke in upon, and overwhelmed the town of Savanna le Mer, and on its retreat swept every thing away, so as not to leave the smallest vestige of man, beast, or house behind. The wretched inhabitants, who had fled in time and escaped the ravages of this wonderful phenomenon, on their return beheld nothing but complete ruin and desolation. Every part of the island felt the effects of this convul- sion of nature, though in a less degree. Much, however, to the credit of the merchants and plan- ters, a very liberal subscription was raised for the unfortunate sufferers. The squadron, which had sailed from Port Royal, with the trade for Europe, under Rear-Admiral Rowley, shared in the dread- ful calamity ; several ships having foundered and every soul on board perished. Others were dis- masted, and experienced the severest distress from this dreadful conflict in the elements. A VESSEL NAVIGATED THROUGH HELL GATES^ BY A BLACK PILOT. THE following anecdote is related of a black o man, the pilot of the Experiment, of fifty guns, who, during the American war, took her through 7 O * O Hell Gates, to the great surprise of Lord Howe, who thought the ship had dropped from the clouds; 1?2 NAVAL ANECDOTES. clouds. At the instant of the greatest danger, Sir James Wallace, the captain, gave some orders on the quarter-deck, which Blackey thinking in- fringed upon his privilege, calmly tapped- bir James upon the shoulder, and said, " Massa, you no peak here." The captain felt the force of Mungo's observation, who (to the surprise of Lord Howe, and those acquainted with the difficulty of navigating a ship through Hell Gates), took her safe to Sandy Hook. The addition of the Expe- riment to his little fleet, at such a crisis, was a vast reinforcement. Lord Howe rewarded the JBlack man with a pension of fifty pounds for life* Had not the Experiment sailed through Hell Gates, she would have fallen into the hands of the enemy, and which afterwards she did in the course of the war. STATE OF THE FRENCH MARINE, IN THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY. IN a memoir on the state of the French ma- rine, at the beginning of the fourteenth century, M Legrand described the naval battle of 1304, between the French and the Flemings. A very particular account of which he found in a history, in verse, entitled, La Branche aux lloyaux Lignages, written in 1306, by William Givart This small work, consisting of fifteen verses, one of NAVAL ANECDOTES. 1?3 of the oldest now extant in the history of the French navy, gives a very accurate description of the naval tactics and manoeuvres of that pe- riod. M. Legrand has employed it to make known the different kinds of vessels of which squadrons were then composed, and the manner of fitting them out, either for attack or defence. From this memoir it results, that, until Francis the First, the kings of France had no regular navy ; and that in their naval wars they were ac- customed to purchase, or hire privateers ready equipped and manned, or merchant ships which they manned themselves, and furnished with war- like machines. ACHIEVEMENTS of COMMODORE WILSON, THE gallant action of Captain Dance, in beat- ing off a ship of the line with Indiamen only, stands unrivalled in the annals even of his own country, if we except the truly gallant exploit of Commodore Wilson, on the 9th of March, 17-57- He, like Captain Dance, not only offered the enemy battle, " if he chose to come down," but when he did come, attacked him with the same intrepidity; engaged him with the same singular good fortune ; nor quitted him until that enemy (in a line of battle ship, together with afrigate of 26* guns) flew from the commander of three or four 6 heavy 174 NAVAL ANECDOTES. heavy laden English East-Indiamen. Capt. Dance fought and put to flight the French admiral. Cap- tain Wilson fought and pursued the opponent of the English admiral. On the 3d of August, 1758, both commanders received the thanks of the Ho- nourable Court of East-India Directors, and si- milar acknowledgments for each brilliant service. A special commission being soon after conferred on the hero of the 9th of March, constituting him " commodore and commander of all ships and vessels of the East-India company," he was ap- pointed to the Pitt, an East-India ship of war, of 50 guns. On his arrival in the East-Indies, ha again manifested his gallant spirit : he volunteered his ship and his services to Admiral Pococke ; and in the bay of Bengal, he chased and brought to action a French ship of the line of 70 guns. At Uatavia, he vindicated the rights of his country against the Dutch ; and after having conferred British names on distant lands, he achieved that which no commander in the India service had ever dared to attempt before him, and availed British commerce of the advanges it has since de- rived from the eastern passage to China, through Pitt's straits. He returned, and resigned a eom- mission, the duties of which he had discharged with so much public advantage and private ho- nor. Commodore Wilson died at Ayton, in Cleveland, Yorshire, on the 17th of June, 1795, where. NAVAL ANECDOTES. 175 where he was beloved and respected by all who knew him. REMARKABLE PRESERVATION OF EIGHT PERSONS FROM BEING STARVED TO DEATH, AT SEA; Described in a letter from Capt. Bradshaw, Commander of the Andalusia, dated Halifax, April 30, 1759. ONT the 27th day of February, about two o'clock in the afternoon, we saw a vessel without masts, about three miles to leeward of us ; and immedi- ately bore down to see what she was : I found it to be the Dolphin sloop, Captain Baron, from the Canaries, bound to New York ; they had been from the Canaries ever since Sept. llth, 16'5 days; 115 of which they had nothing to eat I sent iny boat on board to see what condition they were in ; my people called to me and told me they were helpless and starving, and desired to Itnow whether I would ta,ke them on board. I ordered my people to put them in the boat, and bring them on board, which accord- ingly they did. When they came alongside our ship we were obliged to haul them in with ropes, they were so very weak : there were the captain and seven others ; but such poor mise- rable creatures sure never were seen : had it been a week longer they must all have died. When I came to examine the captain and the people, they told me, that they had not any provisions for upwards of three months before they saw me ; 176 NAVAL ANECDOTES. they had eaten their dog, their cats, and all their shoes, and in short, every thing that was eatable on board. On the 10th of January they all agreed to cast lots for their lives, which accordingly they did ; the shortest lot was to die ; the next shortest to be the executioner. The lot fell upon Anthony Gallitia, a Spanish Gentleman, a passenger ; they shot him through the head, which they cut off and threw overboard ; they then took out his bowels and ate them, and afterwards ate all the remain- ing part of the body, whicli lasted but a very short time. The captain told me, they were for casting lots a second time, but it happened very luckily that he bethought himself of a pair of breeches, which he had lined with leather ; he soon found them, took out the lining, and cut off for each man's share a piece of about an inch and a half square, for the day's allowance ; that, with the grass that grew upon deck, was all the sup- port they had for about twenty days before I met with them : the grass was in some places four or five inches high. The captain brought on board the remaining part of the leather lining, which I have got, and a piece of the same that was the allowance of one man for the day. No words in my power to express, are sufficient to de- scribe the truly deplorable and wretched con- dition these poor unfortunate sufferers were in when I met with them. PHENO- NAVAL ANECDOTES. 177 PHENOMENON AT MALTA. A COVETOUS man is never satisfied, says the old adage, and it cannot be more fully exemplified than in the following instance of avarice : Forty years since a Maltese clock-maker, who owned the mountain of Zebug, formed a plan of making salt-works, by digging a reservoir, and letting in the sea-water. He flattered himself that the heat of the sun would cause the water to eva- porate, leaving behind it a sufficient quantity of salt, not only to indemnify him for the expence he had been at, but to enrich him considerably. The difficulty was to facilitate the entrance of the water, it being 40 or 50 feet below the reservoir made in the rock. After a variety of attempts, he at last discovered a grotto under the rock, and O ' made an aperture like the mouth of a well. This plan succeeded extremely well ; and he was de- lighted to find that the water in the reservoir di- minished every day, which he attributed to the natural effect of the sun, and he continued let- ting in as much water as possible, in- hopes of cncreasing the quantity of salt ; but his surprise was beyond description, on perceiving the water was not evaporated, but absorbed by the spongy rock, from which, from filtration, it returned to the place from whence it originally came. It was some time before he made this discovery, which at last N was 178 NAVAL ANECDOTES. was owing to his wishing to collect the salt he imagined to be contained in the reservoir, at the bottom of which the rock was entirely dissolved by the acid of the salt, and nothing remained but a kind of mud. The grief he suffered from this disappointment threw him into a dangerous ill- ness. On the approach of winter the weather became windy and the sea rough. One day in particular a terrible storm arose, and the violence of the wind drove the raging waves into the grotto, where the body of water increasing considerably, and being confined in this circular spot, acted with a rotatory motion, and formed a water spout: there being no passage but the well newly opened, it forced its way through with violence, and ap- peared like a beautiful wheat-sheaf of water of so large a circumference as to fill up the whole mouth of the well ; and rising perfectly entire to the height of sixty feet, formed a magnificent aigrette : its projectile force was so great, that the wind could not act upon it till it had reached the before-mentioned height, when it suddenly sepa- rated, and the aqueous particles composing this immense body of water were diffused over the country on all sides, to the extent of more than a mile. This violent rain of salt water destroyed all vegetation; and the cultivated fields, which before had been amply productive,, appeared as if they had suffered from fire. The inhabitants of the neighbour- NAVAL ANECDOTES. neighbourhood brought an action against the clock-maker, and claimed damages to a great amount, but he died before the affair was decided. To prevent another misfortune of the same na- ture, they stopped up the mouth of the well with large stones. This operation occasioned another phenomenon, as extraordinary as the former. A great quantity of air was confined by the- waves in the bottom of the grotto, which being rarified, repulsed the water with such violence, as to cause the most terrible explosions, which not only shook the rock, but the whole neigh- bourhood. The tremendous noise of the explo- sions resounded through all the grottos, and re- sembled a discharge of artillery of all sizes, qui- etly succeeding each other. These sounds being constantly echoed, had the effect of the most vio- lent peals of thunder, particularly when different storms met together ; the terror was general, and constant apprehensions were entertained that the rocks would be thrown down, under which this subterraneous thunder never ceased to roar when the wind was high. This horrible noise still con- tinues whenever the well is filled up ; but when the impetuous waves confined in the cavern have it\ some degree removed the stones at the bottom of the well, the water acts with the greatest violence upon them, breaking them, and reducing them to powder, and driving them back into the sea : the N 2 first 180 NAVAL ANECDOTES. frrst stones being carried away, the others fall of course, and the well once cleared, the wheat- sheaf of water forms again, and spreads desola- tion through the adjacent parts. In the space of 20 years, the well has been tilled up three times, and the inhabitants are hv constant dread of a fresh explosion, SOME ACCOUNT OF CAPTAIN GOODALl's SUF- FERINGS AND ESCAPE FROM FRANCE. AT the commencememt of the war, Captain- Goodall commanded a privateer belonging to London) called the Catherine and Mary, in which he took some valuable prizes. On the 25th of July, 1803, he fell in with la Caroline French privateer, of nearly double his force. She had in her possession at that time two English prizes, which tempted him to attack her ; when after air action of twenty-five minutes, he quitted the French privateer (being able to outsail her) and made for the two prizes, both of which he cap- tured in sight of la Caroline, who made all the sail she could to retake them ; to prevent which ' Captain Goodall placed his vessel between the two prizes, and the Caroline determined to hazard another action, rather than tamely let them be taken possession of. The second engagement? was a most dreadful one ; it lasted one hour and fifty- NAVAL ANECDOTES. 181 fifty-five minutes, and Captain Goodall at length was obliged to strike his colours, but not till lie had expended every shot in his vessel; the two prizes were therefore soon retaken by the same, iprivateer. Captain Goodall and his crew were put on board the French ship ; the seamen were confined below; but himself and Mr. Palmer, an- officer, were allowed the use of the cabin. Oil the first of August they were taken into L'Orient. The commissary there treated them in the most inhuman manner : he ordered them a seven days* march to Rennes, without any other subsistence than bread and water, and the former only scan- tily supplied, At Rennes they were put in gaol along with the criminals, were they remained three days on bread and water, although the felons were allowed bee'C. A remonstrance from Captain Goodall to General Laborde procured them seven sous per day for each man, which was paid them until their arrival in the environs of Paris, where they were again imprisoned, and the allowance for each man reduced to three sous per day. On this small pittance they existed in prison, and likewise n their march to Epinal, which took place a few days afterwards. They reached the place intended for their final abode the 1 3th of September, where they found about 250 of their countrymen. On Captain Gpodall's en- quiring into the state of the prison allowance, he isr 3 found 182 NAVAL ANECDOTES. found the French government allowed each man six sous per day ; but the captain of the depot re- ceived the whole himself, and in lieu thereof gave each man only four ounces of beef, and one pound and a half of black bread, which the prisoners could not exist upon, and must have been starved to death, but for the humanity of Captain Bren- ton and officers, who allowed, out of their private purses, a weekly stipend to the crew, to supply the wants of nature. They were only required to attend prayers regularly. Captain Goodall did the same by the crew of the privateer. Throughout all the country which Captain Good- all and his crew marched to the prison, they never met with any reproach from the tradesmen or peasantry, and from no other sort of people except those connected with the government, and they were brutal in the extreme. Captain Good- all remained at Epinal from the 13th of Septem- ber until the end of the month, without being able to obtain a sous of the subsistence-money ; and not having signed the parole, as nearly all the rest of the officers had done, he conceived it no breach of faith to quit a place where he must in- evitably have starved, had he not had any other resource. For that purpose Captain Goodall proposed a plan of escape to Mr. Palmer, who consented to be the partner of his toils. It was a fortunate circumstance that Captain G, had just NAVAL ANECDOTES. 183 just received a supply of money from Paris, from one who has often proved an Englishman's friend. Being thus prepared, they set off the next day, being the 9th of October, having first taken care to provide themselves with a French guide. The guide took them through bye-ways dur- ing the day-time, and at night pursued the main road till sun-rise, when they found them- selves 35 miles distant from Epinal. Here they took up their abode for the day. Not having dared to purchase any provisions on the road, the only refreshment they had during the day was a draught of water. They had passed through se- veral towns and villages without any interruption ; and on the morning of the 3d, arrived on the bor- ders of the Rhine, within a short distance from Basle. Here the guide executed his last kind office for them, which was to shew them the most convenient place to swim across, which after some difficulty they accomplished; but on gaining the land, they found themselves on an island, and that they must cross another channel, whose cur- rent was much stronger than the one they had already passed : they however, after much fatigue, surmounted this obstacle, and now once more found themselves surrounded with difficulties ; another strong current was still before them, AU most worn down with fatigue and fear, they saw p. boat coming to the little island on which they N 4 were. 184 NAVAL ANECDOTES. were. In the boat fortunately were two milk- maids, who were coming to perform their morn- ing office. For a trifle Captain G. and his friend obtained a passage on shore, which placed them safe on the German territory. They now for the first time since their departure ate a hearty meal. Their fears were at an end ; and they now pur- sued a circuitous route, by Swalen, Durlich, &c. to Berlin, where Captain G. obtained a passport of Mr. Jackson, who received him with marked attention. They soon after embarked on board the Lark packet for England, and arrived safe; at Harwich. PATRIOTISM AND DARING SPIRIT QF HARRT PAULET. IN the year 17^8, Mr. Paulet was master of an English vessel in North America, and traded up the river St. Laurence; but being taken by the enemy, he remained a prisoner, under Mont- calm, at Quebec, who refused to exchange the Captain, on account of his knowledge of the coast, &c. : they therefore sent him to France, to be kept a prisoner during the war; and for this purpose he was embarked on board a vessel ready to sail with dispatches to the French go- vernment. Being the only Englishman on board, Harry was admitted into the cabin, where he took notice NAVAL ANECDOTES. 185 notice, that the packet hung in an exposed situ- ation in a canvas bag, for the purpose of being thrown overboard on any imminent danger of being taken. This he marked as the object of a daring enterprize ; and shortly after the vessel being obliged to put into Vigo for provisions, he car- ried his design into execution. There were two men of war lying at anchor in the river, and Mr. Paulet thought this a good opportunity tq make his premeditated attempt. He therefore, one night, when the watch were asleep, took the packet out of the bag, and, having fixed it to his mouth, silently let himself down to the water, and to prevent discovery, floated on his "back to the bows of one of the English ships, where he secured himself by one of the cables, and, calling for assistance, was immediately taken on board, with the packet. The captain highly pleased with, his bold attempt, treated him with great kindness, and, in token of his respect, gave Harry a scarlet suit of cloaths, trimmed with gold and velvet, which he retained to the day of his death. The dispatches being transcribed, proved to be of the utmost consequence to our affairs in North Ame- rica, and Mr. P. was sent with a copy of them post over land to Lisbon, from whence he was brought to Falmouth in a sloop of war, and im- mediately set out for London : upon his arrival in town, he was examined by proper persons in the the Administration, and rewarded agreeably to the nature of his services; but what is still more remarkable, an expedition was soon after forf service. ANECDOTE NAVAL ANECDOTES. 18Q ANECDOTE OF CAPT. WILLIAM CHAMBERS. SIR Frederic Haldimand, who was Governor of Canada, during the American war, was re- markable for having every apartment in his house- kept with peculiar neatness. At that mansion which is appropriated to the governor, he had formed one large room, in which he held his levees ; and to avoid the dust and soil, brought in by the officers, &c, he would not have it carpeted, but had it carefully scoured every morning. In Canada it is customary, during the winter season, in order to prevent slipping on the ice, to wear on the feet a kind of patten, called caulks. Cap- tain Chambers, who then acted as commodore en the lakes in Canada, entered the general's room without any precaution, and with his caulks made several indentions on the floor. The governor, much irritated, cried out " My God ! my God T commodore ! your caulks will ruin my floor!'' The commodore immediately replied " D n your deck, 'tis no deck for me, if it will not bear caulking !" O A REMARKABLE BRITISH GAME COCK. A COCK that had been purchased by the present Admiral Berkely, when captain of- the Marlbo- rough, of 74 guns, for the purpose of being kept a? 190 NAVAL ANECDOTE^. as his live stock, greatly distinguished the un- daunted spirit attached to the English breed, dur- ing the time the Marlborough was engaged in close action with the French Fleet on the glorious first of June, 1794. By being ordered on the boldest service against the enemy, she became totally dismasted, and was reduced to a mere wreck. At the time her main-mast went, the cock alluded to flew upon the stump, and began to flutter his wins;s and crow with exulting bold- o o ness. So singular a circumstance attracted the attention of the brave tars, who became reani- mated by the example, and fought with additional bravery, until victory crowned them with her laurel. This undaunted cock was preserved until the ship reached Plymouth ; when in remem- brance of his valour and the glorious occasion, he was presented to Lord Lenox, who placed him in a walk, where he to this day struts with a silver collar round his neck, descriptive of his worth, proudly supporting his honor and the gal- lant behaviour of the British flag. RIGHTS OF THE BRITISH FLAG.. THE following anecdote records an instance of O the very spirited conduct of Sir Thomas Rich, commander of the Enterprize frigate : On the 2jth of July, 1776, being in the Bay of NAVAL ANECDOTES. 19.1 of Biscay, he fell in with a French squadron, con- sisting of two ships of the line and several frigates, under the command of the Duke de Chartres. The Enterprize stood on her course, and passed within hail of the French Admiral, who hailed, and desired the commodore of the British frigate to bring to, and come on board. Sir Thomas Rich replied, that if the admiral had any thing to communicate, he might send on board the Enter- prize. The French admiral enraged at this re- fusal, declared, that unless his orders were obeyed he would fire into the frigate. This threat had no effect on Sir Thomas Rich, who continued firm in his resolution, and told him, that he obeyed no orders but those which came from his own admiral. The spirited manner of the British commander so pleased the Duke de Chartres, that he changed his demand into a request ; upon which all animosity ceased, and the first lieute- nant of the Enterprize was sent on board, where he was received by the French admiral, and ail his officers, with every respect. ENGLISH COURAGE DISPLAYED IN THE FOL- LOWING GALLANT ENTERPRIZE, AND DUTCH COWARDICE EXPOSED. On the 3d of April, arrived at Whitehaven, the Shannon of Workington. which had been captured 192 NAVAL ANECDOTES. captured on the 24th of the preceding month, by a privateer off Gnee, fitted out at Flushing, carry- ing 14 guns, and 150 men. From the examination of the mate of the said ship, before the magis- trates, belonging to Workington, it appears that the Shannon, Thomas Osborne, master, took in a freight at Liverpool, from which port she sailed on the 15th of February, for Baltimore, in Ma- ryland: that on the 23d of the same month she was, by distress of weather, put into Lochindol, in Ireland. When soon afterwards pursuing her voyage, she fell in with, and was captured by, a Dutch lugger privateer, from Flushing, called the Admiral Bruix, Captain Sieves. Capt. Osborne and three of his crew were put on board the pri- vateer ; and the remainder of the crew, seven in number, were left on board the Shannon, under the prize-master and nine seamen, who had orders to navigate her to a port in Holland. Of these, eight were Dutch and two Frenchmen. The next day the Shannon's people, which consisted of the mate, five men, one of whom had a wooden leg, and a boy about eleven years of age, rose upon the ten foreigners, whom they confined in the cabin, and took possession of the deck of the vessel, which they kept till the 29th ; when being almost exhausted through want of provisions, they made a proposal to the Frenchmen, that if they would quit the vessel, they should be accornmo- 2 dated NAVAL ANECDOTES. 193 dated with the yaul, to carry them on shore in Donnegal Bay, near which they then were. After some parlying, the eight Dutchmen consented to this offer, and accordingly, as stipulated, passed singly through the cabin window into the boat, and steered towards the shore. The two Frenchmen remained on board the Shannon, which after en- countering many storms and dangers, arrived in Whitehaven harbour, on the 3d of April, as men- tioned above. SINGULAR PRESERVATION OF A -YOUTH, WHO WAS FOUND IN A BOX AT SEA. Extract of a Letter from Dover, April t, 1804. THE Princess Royal smack, laden with pota- toes, arrived here this morning. On Sunday last, about three P. M. they discovered something floating on the water, and on their nearer ap- proach found it to be a kind of flat box, some- thing like a washing shawl, with a young lad, about 15 years of age, in it ; they hoisted out their boat and took him in, off the Spaniard Buoy. He and another lad had got into the box at Sheer- ness, and the tide had drifted them out of the harbour; the other lad jumped overboard, and endeavoured to swim on shore ; the one which came in here continued drifting until picked up by the above vessel : he had been two days and two nights without any thing to eat or drink ; e and 194 NAVAL ANECDOTES. and the box he was in was only six feet long, tw feet, nine inches wide, and twelve inches deep. Great praise is due to the master of the smack, \vho took every care by administering food, &e. to him in small quantities at first, to recover him. The fate of his companion is unknown. THE PRESS-GANG DEFEATED; OR, THE BITER BIT* A WHIMSICAL circumstance occurred lately off Gravesend : a West-Indiaman arrived at that place, and was soon boarded by a press-gang. The crew of the West-Indiaman were brought upon deck, and while the lieutenant was examin- ing them, a health-boat arrived. As no bill of health was found on board the West-Indiaman r or at least none that was deemed satisfactory, the- crew of the West-Indiaman, the lieutenant of the man of war, and all his gang, were ordered to Stangate Creek, to perform quarantine for forty days, which they no doubt passed in perfect har- mony and good fellowship with each other. UNEXAMPLED GENEROSITY OF CAPT. LOREl COCHRANE, AND HIS SHIP'S COMPANY. THE following is a striking instanceof the gene- rosity of our naval officers and seamen, exem- plified in the conduct of Capt. Lord Cochrane, -his officers, and ship's company, of the Pallas, to the NAVAL ANECDOTES. 1Q5 the Spanish captain and supercargo of La For- tuna, one of the rich prizes captured, among others, by the Pallas, in one of her cruizes, at the commencement of the present war with Spain. It deserves to be recorded to the honour and credit of the royal navy of Old England.- The Pallas, Capt Lord Cochrane, on his cruize off the coast of Spain and Portugal, fell in with and took La Fortuna, a Spanish ship, from Rio de la Plata, to Corunna, richly laden with specie (gold and silver) to the amount of 150,0001. and about the same sum in valuable goods and mer- chandise, in all near 300,0001. value. When the Spanish captain came on board with the super- cargo, who was a merchant and passenger from New Spain, they appeared much dejected, as their private property on board was lost, which amounted to 30,000 dollars each person in specie and goods. The papers and manifest of the cargo of La Fortuna being examined, the Spaniards told Lord Cochrane that they had families in old Spain, and had now lost all their property, the hard earnings by commerce in the burning clime of South America, the savings of nearly twenty years, and were returning to their native country, to enjoy the fruits of their commercial specula- tions. The captain in particular stated, that he had lost in the war 17.99 a similar fortune, by i)eing taken by a British cruizer, and was forced o 2 to 196 NAVAL ANECDOTES. to begin the world again. Both the Spaniards seemed to feel their forlorn situation so much, tnat Lord Cochrane felt for them ; and, with that generosity ever attendant on true bravery, con- sulted his officers as to the propriety of returning each of these two gentlemen to the value of five thousand dollars of their property in specie, which was immediately agreed to be done, according to their respective proportions. On this his lord- ship ordered the boatswain to pipe all hands on deck, and addressed the seamen and royal marines with much feeling, and in a plain seaman-like way stated the above facts. On this the gallant fellows, with one voice, sung out, " Aye, aye, my lord, with all our hearts !" and gave three cheers. The Spaniards were overcome with this noble in- stance of the generosity of British seamen, and actually shed tears of joy, at the prospect of being once more placed in a state of independence ; they of course returned their thanks to the captain, his officers, and ship's company, for their unprece- dented munificence on this occasion. PERILOUS SITUATION AND ESCAPE OF JOHN DEAN, OF THE SUSSEX INDIAMAN. IN the year 1738, the Sussex Indiaman sprung a leak off the east of the Cape of Good Hope. The captain, and officers, and part of the crew, plundered, and deserted her, and went on board the NAVAL ANECDOTES. 197 the Winchester, her consort, leaving John Dean and fifteen brave men in the Sussex, who resolved to stay with the ship, and bring her into port, conceiving she ought not to have been abandoned and deserted. They repaired her leak, and car- ried her into Madagascar ; but, on going from thence to Mosambique, she afterwards unfortu- nately struck on a rock on the Bassas de India, lost her rudder, and was finally lost In this state John Dean, with eight men, re- solved to try their fate in the pinnace, while the remainder determined to continue on board and share the fate of the ship. The pinnace got stove, and three of the men out of eight were drowned; the remainder drifted into shoal water, as did a part of the pinnace, which the survivors converted into a raft. The next day the ship also parted, and drifted nearer shore. John Dean and four men then committed themselves to sea on their little raft, and were seventeen days getting on shore to Madagascar. Their stock consisted of a . piece of pork, part of a butt of water, and three small crabs found afloat at sea. The men duly returned thanks to God for their miraculous es- cape. They lived for several months in different parts of Madagascar, when three of them died. John Dean found his way in an English ship bound to Bengal, and came from thence to Eng- land ; when he sent his narrative to the East- o 3 India 198 NAVAL ANECDOTES. India Company, who granted him a pension, and had his picture taken, which is now hanging up in one of the committee-rooms at the India-house* He died on the 17th of December, J747. LACONIC ADDRESS OF ADMIRAL HADDOCK TO HIS SON. WHEN the renowned Admiral Haddock was dying, he begged to see his son, to whom he thus addressed himself: " Notwithstanding my rank in life, and public services so many years, I shall leave you only a small fortune ; but, my dear boy, it is honestly got, and will wear well ; there arc no seamen's wages or provisions in it ; nor is there one single penny of dirty money." ENGLISH GRATITUDE EVINCED IN THE CON- DUCT OF A YOUNG OFFICER. A YOUNG midshipman was taken prisoner, during the last Spanish war, and carried to Peru, in South America, where he remained on parole for some years. During this period an acci- dent brought him acquainted with a lady, a near relation of a very high female personage of New Spain, whose influence at length pro- cured his liberty : some time after which he re- turned to England. In the pursuit of his pro- fession NAVAL ANECDOTES. 199 iession he had the fortune to have a birth on board the ship, perhaps the most successful in capturing the Spanish prizes, which fell into our hands on the commencement of the present contest with Spain. It happened, that this young man was detached with a party of seamen to take possession of a valuable prize just taken ; when, upon load- ing the ship, he found, to his utter astonishment, the very lady to whose kind attentions he had been under so many obligations. It was now his sin- gular fortune to have his case exactly reversed, and to enjoy the felicity of being able to repay his obligations with a large interest. The circum- stance was no sooner made known to his ship- mates, than with the generosity so characteristic of British seamen, the officers and crew immedi- ately agreed to restore her property to their illus- trious captive. All her large and beautiful ves- sels of pure gold, an immense quantity of the most valuable jewels, all her costly furniture, and pro- perty of every description to an exceeding large amount, with which she was returning to her na- tive country, were restored to her : thus nobly proving, that humane and generous treatment of a British seaman in misfortune, will never fail to be gratefully remembered by his gallant compa- nions, when occasion shall present itself. The fortunate midshipman took his illustrious friend o 4 under 200 NAVAL ANECDOTES. under his protection during her stay in this country. SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEAS. . IN the reign of Queen Mary, Lord William , Howard, first Baron of Effingham, and Lord High Admiral of England, put to sea with twenty-eight sail, to meet King Philip, the destined husband of his mistress. That prince was escorted by one hundred and sixty sail, and carried at his top- mast head the Spanish flag. The English admi- ral could not bear to see it flying in the British channel, and without once considering that the Spaniards were almost six to one, without despair- ing of success, in case of an action, saluted the prince with a shot, and made him take down his colours before he would pay any compliments to him. CRUELTY OF SPANIARDS TOWARDS THE ENGLISH. THE following facts are related by one of the seamen who was unfortunate enough to fall into the hands of those barbarians, and which will ever reflect eternal disgrace on the Spanish name : On the 6th of July we sailed in the brig Suc- cess, Captain Brum, of New York, from Kings- town. NAVAL ANECDOTES. 20 i town, Jamaica, for New York ; and on the 1 3th she was captured two leagues from Cape St. An- thony, by a Spanish galley, belonging to the Ha- vannah, and without a deck, with two masts,and two square sails, and called La Bonne Union. The galley was commanded by Captain Caesar, and manned with forty Spaniards and Frenchmen. Three days after we were taken, Capt Brum, the passengers, eight in number, and the hands, were all ordered below, and the hatches shut upon them, and so kept all night. In the morning the pirates prepared their knives, cutlasses, and clubs, opened the forecastle, and called for the captain ; but one of the seamen (Peter Dachemin), with the view of preserving the captain's life, stepped forward and ascended to the deck. The ruffians, with their instruments, arranged in two ranks, compelled every seaman to run the gauntlet, while each gave him a blow, a gash, or a stab, as he passed; Captain Brum and his passengers and crew were all in succession taken from the hold, and treated with the same horrid cruelty, except- ing five French passengers. An English gentle- man, named Smith, who was one of the passen- gers, was beaten with such severity, that he sprung into the long-boat to escape, and broke his ancle in two places. The mate of the brig, two English passengers, and two seamen, were put in irons on board the galley, and three days afterwards 202 NAVAL ANECDOTES. afterwards were sent ashore at Conyalouts, 180 miles from the Havannah ; and the brig with the captain, and remainder of the crew, were sent to C'iiinpeachy, ANECDOTE OF ADMIRAL BEX BOW. THE following account of manly courage stands unrivalled in the annals of naval history: In the reign of Queen Anne, Admiral Ben- bow being stationed in the West-Indies to dis- tress the enemy's trade, with a small squa- dron, and having received information, that Du Casse, the French admiral, was in those seas with a force equal to his own, he resolved to attack him ; and soon after discovered the enemy's squadron near St. Martha, steeringalongthe shore. He quickly gave orders to his captains, formed the line of battle, and the engagement began.* He found, however, that the rest of the fleet had taken some disgust at his conduct ; and that they permitted him, almost alone, to sustain the whole fire of the enemy. Nevertheless the engagement continued till night, and he determined to renew it the next morning ; but had the mortification to perceive that all the rest of the ships had fallen back, except one, who joined with him in urging the pursuit of the enemy. For four days did this intrepid seaman, assisted only by one ship/ pursue and NAVAL ANECDOTES. 203 and engage the enemy, while his cowardly officers, at a distance behind, remained spectators of his activity. His last day's battle was more furious than all the former : alone, and un- sustained by the rest, he engaged the whole French squadron, when his leg was shattered by a cannon ball. He then ordered that they should place him in a cradle upon the quarter-deck, and there he continued to give orders as before, till afc last his ship became quite disabled, and was unfit to continue the chase any longer. When one of his lieutenants expressed his sorrow for the loss of the admiral's leg, " I am sorry for it too,' cried Benbow, " but I had rather lost both my legs than seethe dishonour of this day. But do you hear, if another shot should take me off, be- have like brave men, and fight it out." He soon after died of his wounds ; and his cowardly asso- ciates, Kirly and Wade, were tried by a court- martial, and sentenced to be shot. ADMIRAL SIR JOHN LAWSON. THIS gallant officer, whose name deserves to be enrolled in the list of those brave heroes, who have nobly shed their blood in the defence of their country, lost his life by a musket shot, while va- liantly fighting against the Dutch near their own coast, 204 NAVAL ANECDOTES. " coast, in the year 1665. The very superior skill and judgment shewn upon all occasions by this able and experienced officer, induced the most able seamen readily to receive his advice in every affair of danger and difficulty. There is a curious and interesting anecdote related ojf him by Lord Clarendon. Just before he went to sea for the last time, he paid a visit to the chancellor and treasurer, and, after having stated to them the condition of his finances, which, it seems, were by no means in so flourishing a situation as the world in general thought them, he requested of them, that, if he should fail of success in this expedition, the King would give his wife two hundred' pounds a year during her life; if he lived he desired nothing : he hoped he should then make some provision for his family by his own industry. The request was so modest, that they willingly informed his Majesty of it, who as graciously granted it; this affair being adjusted to the complete satisfaction of Mr. Lawson, he immediately proceeded to attack the enemy, and unfortunately for his country perished, in defend- ing its rights. GLOHIOUS DEATH OF ADMIRAL BERKELEY. THE subject of the following anecdote was Adorned with eve^y quality necessary to constitute a hero. NAVAL ANECDOTES. 205 a hero. As he lived so he died, the admiration of all who knew him, and one of the greatest or- naments to the British navy. Nothing can be more honourable to the memory of this gallant officer, than the testimony of his valour, as re. lated by the enemy, whom he had been contend- ing with, (the Dutch,) in the following words : " Highly to be admired was the resolution of Vice- Admiral Berkeley, -who, though cut off from the line, surrounded by his enemies, great numbers of his own men killed, his ship disabled, and boarded on all sides, yet continued fighting almost alone, killed several with his own hand, and would accept of no quarter, till at length being shot in the throat, with a musket ball, he retired into the captain's cabin, where he was found dead, ex- tended at his full length on a table, and almost covered with his own blood." METHOD OF CONTINUING AN ENGAGEMENT, WHEN THE SHOT WAS ALL EXPENDED, Jly SIR JOHN KEMPTHQRNE. THE presence of mind evinced in Sir John Kernpthorne, by having recourse to such an un- usual mode of defence as hereafter described, may be relied on for its authenticity, as it is related by an historian, whose veracity cannot be doubted. At 206 NAVAL ANECDOTES. At the commencement of the war with Spain, in the year 1620, Sir John was ordered to the Mediterranean, and, when on his passage, was attached by a large Spanish man of war, com- manded by a knight of Malta. Notwithstanding the superiority of his antagonist's force, Captain Keinpthorne defended himself for a considerable time with the greatest spirit; but at length his shot failing, he was obliged to have recourse to a very costly method of prolonging the fight. Recollecting there were several bags of dollars on board, he substituted in the place of the ordinary charge, rightly judging it was, at all events, bet- ter to annoy than to enrich his enemy : and his newly invented shot did so much mischief to the Spaniard's rigging, that he was very near getting clear, when an unlucky shot from the enemy ren- dered him incapable of any farther resistance. He was now boarded, taken, and carried into Malaga. The noble knight, to whom he was a captive, admiring the gallantry of a noble foe, treated him with the utmost respect ; and after a short time sent him back to England. A few years afterwards it happened, that this same Spa- niard was captured by Commodore Ven, and, unlike the treatment which our countryman met with, was sent prisoner to the Tower. Captain Kempthorne now determined not to be inferior to the knight in generosity, and therefore rested not NAVAL ANECDOTES. 207 not a moment, until he had procured his release from confinement, though it was extremely ex- pensive, and also very inconvenient to himself. This generous and much-admired conduct so ele- vated him in the opinion of his countrymen, that they readily embraced every opportunity to shew their esteem, and contribute towards establishing his fame and fortune, which he at length acquired, and few men ever more deserved. TYRANNICAL CONDUCT AND CRUELTY OF THE DUTCH TO CAPTAIN REEVES, WHOM THEY TOOK PRISONER. FOR the honor of civilized nations, it is hoped few such instances of barbarity will ever disgrace the page of history, as is recorded in the following account, given by himself. As soon as he was made a prisoner, they led him to the deck, and seeing him severely wounded, immediately strip- ped him to the skin ; he was then conveyed into a Dutch boat, and brought on board a man of war, whose captain refused to give him the assist- ance of his surgeons, and in which ship he was forced to lie several hours, covered only with a rug: the next day he was sent to Flushing, with- out any care taken of him, or any allowance made to him, during the passage. la consequence of such ill-treatment he threw himself overboard 2. but 208 NAVAL ANECDOTES. but was again reccnered by the men's boat-hooks, and, notwithstanding his miserable condition, put in irons. For the -pace of three days he received no sustenance, till at last being nearly perishing, he was removed to a provost's-house, where, by the kindness of a surgeon, he, contrary to all ex- pectation, recovered ; but still was kept almost naked and in chains ! ! ! He was, however, at length happily relieved from the clutches of such monsters, into whose hands he had unfortunately fallen. INVINCIBLE COURAGE OF SIR JOHN HARMAN. THE determined spirit of this valuable and courageous officer, who so gloriously maintained the honour of the English flag, cannot be too much admired by every true friend to his country. Jn an action oflf Dunkirk, between the English and Dutch fleets, Sir John Harman, who was commander of the Henry, being surrounded and furiously assailed from all quarters by the Zealand squadron, Admiral Evenzen, who commanded it, hailed, and offered him quarter ; to which this brave fellow replied, " No, Sir, it is not come to that yet" The next broadside killed the Dutch admiral, by which means their squadron was thrown into confusion, and obliged to quit the Henry. Three fire-ships were now sent to burn her; NAVAL ANECDOTES. 209 faer ; one of them grappled her starboard quarter, but the smoke was too thick to discern where the grappling-irons had hooked, until the blaze burst out, when the boatswain resolutely jumped on board, disentangled the irons, and instantly re- covered his own ship. Scarcely was this effected before another fire-ship boarded her on the lar- board side ; the sails and rigging taking fire, de- struction appeared inevitable, and several of the crew threw themselves into the sea; upon which. Sir John Harman drew his sword, and threatened to kill the first man who should attempt to quit the ship ; and at length, by the exertions of the remainder of the crew, the flames were extin- guished. Sir John Harman, although his leg was broken, continued on deck giving directions, and sunk another fire-ship which was bearing down upon him ; when after having fought his ship as long as it was possible to keep her above water, in a most crippled state, he after much difficulty, got into Harwich, where he repaired the damages his ship had sustained, and in a short time was ready to proceed to sea again, to share in future glorious actions. HUMANITY OF AN ENGLISH COMMANDER. A VANQUISHED enemy is considered by every Englishman to merit the protection of the con- P queror 210 NAVAL ANECDOTES. queror; and never fails receiving every kindness that may tend to alleviate the distress occasioned by the chance of war ; an instance of which is presented fo us in the following anecdote : Captain Tyrell having demolished a battery, and some privateers which had taken shelter un- der it, in Grand Anse bay, in the island of Mar- tinico, his crew being flushed with success, earn- estly solicited their commander for leave to land and plunder it. The answer which Capt Tyrell made to their request, .reflects on him the highest honour. " My lads" said he, " it is beneath us to render a number of poor people miserable, by destroying their habitations and little conve- niences of life. Brave Englishmen scorn to dis- tress even their enemies, when not in arms against them." This humane answer had the desired effect : the brave tars relinquished their project, and gave three cheers to their gallant commander. IMPROMPTU, WRITTEN AFTER THE DEFEAT OF M. DE CONFLANS, Upon the Fleet not receiving the iisual Supplies, THE English fleet, under the command of Sir Edward llawke, during its long cruizes, was constantly supplied from the Flemish coast, with fresh provisions, vegetables, and porter. After the victory obtained over M. de Conflans, the weather NAVAL ANECDOTES. 211 weather became so extremely tempestuous, that the usual supplies for the fleet could not be sent out ; it was therefore necessary that the men, should be put on short allowance; in consequence of which the following witty impromptu was writ- ten by an officer : Ere Hawke did bang Monsieur Conflans, You sent us beef and beer ; Now Monsieur's beat, We've nought to eat, Since you have nought to fear. GALLANTRY, PERSEVERANCE, AND FORTITUDE OF CAPTAIN GRENVILLE. DURING the reign of Queen Elizabeth, a squadron of ships we/e sent to the Azores, in or- der to intercept the Spanish plate fleet, when un- expectedly meeting with 53 sail of men of war, the English fleet, although very inferior to such a formidable force, were determined to give them battle. In consequence of this the following glorious action was fought, which, as an instance of the most determined bravery, stands unri- valled in the annals of either this, or any other country. Captain Grenville, who was in the Revenge, being entirely cut off from the rest of the English P 2 ship NAVAL ANECDOTES ships, and pent up between the island of and the fleet of the enemy, gallantly attempted to- break through their line, (this, however, he was- unable to accomplish ;) and though he had ninety of his men sick on board, he maintained a most obstinate contest of fifteen hours, with the best of the Spanish ships ; and during this engagement he was laid aboard, at one and the same time, by the St. Philip, a ship of 78 guns, and by four more of the largest vessels in the fleet, some of tvhich carried two hundred, others five hun- dred, and some eight hundred soldiers, besides seamen, who, though they several times boarded him, were as often repulsed, and either shot or driven overboard. He never had less than two 4 large galleons by his side engaging him the whole timo, and these were continually relieved by fresh ships, men, and ammunition ; so that be- tween the hours of three in the afternoon and day-light the next morning, this single ship main- tained a close fight with fifteen of the most pow- erful vessels in the Spanish navy; sunk some of them, particulai ly one of the great galleons, and the admiral of the" hulks, and obliged the re- mainder to sheer off. Her noble commander,. though wounded severely in the beginning of the engagement, kept the upper deck, until an hour before midnight, when, unfortunately receiving a wound in his body, from a musket-ball, he un- willingly NAVAL ANECDOTES. \ willingly quitted the deck to have his wound dressed, and while he was below under the hands of the surgeon, he received another shot in his head, and the surgeon was killed by his side. At length, having lost the greatest part of } his brave men, his ship very much disabled, the masts all split into pieces, the decks covered with dead and wounded, and the powder spent to the very last barrel, he endeavoured to persuade the officers to sink the ship with all on board of her. Though he could not succeed in inducing them to o o adopt this.expedient, yet they unanimously resolved to die in their own defence, rather than submit to any dishonourable conditions; and notwithstand" ing the wretchedness of their situation, they did not surrender till they had obliged the Spaniards .to promise both their lives and liberty. At the time they struck their colours, the ship was a perfect wreck, and had six feet water in the hold, three shot under water badly stopped, all her masts carried by the board, her tackle quite ruined, and her upper works, and the whole ves- sel, laid almost even with the w^ater. She had been engaged, not only with the 15 ships that had boarded her, but in reality, by turns, with the whole fleet of 53 vessels ; and had received, upon a moderate computation, eight hundred ean- jion shot, and withstoQd the fire of nearly ten thousand soldiers, and seamen ; and this with p 3 only 214 NAVAL ANECDOTES. only one hundred men, being the total number fit for duty at the commencement of the action. The Spaniards, by their own confession, lost above a thousand men, and several officers of distinction. Of the crew of the Revenge, about sixty survived this glorious affair ; and among these there was not a man but carried off wounds, which would be as the most honourable memorials of their undaunted courage and intrepidity. The gallant captain was removed on board the ship in which was the Spanish admiral, where, two days after, he died of his wounds. Thus finished the career of a truly valuable subject, whose life had ever been devoted to the service of his country, to the protection of his queen, his religion and honour ; in defence of which he gloriously withstood the enemies of his country, in a manner that will ever reflect the highest honour on his name, and future generations will esteem the name of Cap- tain Grenville, as a hero worthy to be imitated by all men. BARBARITY OF THE SP/.NIARDS TO SOME ENGLISH SAILORS, WHOM THEY MADE PRISONERS. AMONG the variety of instances recorded, de- scriptive of the treatment met with by the English, when so unfortunate as to be vanquished by the p 3 subjects NAVAL ANECDOTES. subjects of any other nation, the cruelty com- mitted by order of a captain in the Spanish navy, over a few defenceless men, (which will stamp eternal disgrace on the Spanish name,) particu- larly deserves to be publicly noticed, as related in the following anecdote : The Rebecca, a small brig, belonging to Glas- gow, commanded by Captain Jenkins, being in the Mediterranean, was boarded by a Spanish guarda-costa, and the crew made prisoners, and put on board the Spanish vessel, where after hav- ing been treated with the greatest inhumanity, they proceeded so far as to cut off one of Jenkins's ears, which the captain of the guarda-costa gave to Capt Jenkins, telling him, when he should again visit England, to carry that present to the King, his master, whom he would serve in the ^ame manner if he had him in his power. The above fact was stated at the bar of the House of Commons, in the year 1/38, by Jen- kins himself: and being asked by a member what he thought, when he found himself in the power of such barbarians, he replied with great com- posure : " I recommended my soul to God, and my cause to my country." p 4 JIAGNA- 216 NAVAL ANECDOTES. MAGNANIMOUS CONDUCT OF LORD AUBREV BEAUCLERK. THE uncommon intrepidity of this gallant young officer is such, that will naturally inspire in the breasts of every one a wish, that such an example of fortitude and heroism may be Imitated by those who may in future b& candidates for naval glory. In the memorable expedition to Carthagena, in the year 1740, Lord Aubrey Beauclerk was cap- tain of his Majesty's ship the Prince Frederic, under the command of Admiral Vernon, who was ordered, with some other vessels, to cannonade the castle of Bocca Chica ; one of the ships being obliged to quit her station, the Prince Frederic \vas exposed not only to the fire from the castle, but to that of Fort St. Joseph, and to two ships that guarded the mouth of the harbour, which he sustained for many hours that day, and part of the next, in the most heroic manner. As he was giving the necessary orders upon deck, both his legs were shot off; but such was his magnanimity, that he would nOt suffer his wounds to be dressed till lie had communicated his orders to his first lieutenant, which were to fight his ship to the last extremity. Soon after this he gave some direc- tions about his private affairs, and then resigned his soul with the dignity of a hero and a Christian, He NAVAL ANECDOTES. He was a commander of superior fortitude and clemency, amiable in his person, steady in his affections, and equalled by very few in the so- cial and domestic virtues of life : he possessed modesty, candour, and benevolence; his loss was not only felt by his relatives and friends, but by the nation at larcje. o ANECDOTE OF PRINCE EDWARD. ON an expedition to the coast" of France, his Royal Highness Prince Edward, brother to his present Majesty, embarked as a midshipman on board the commodore's ship, the Essex, of 64 guns. On this occasion the following anecdote is related; ' When his Royal Highness first went on board, the captains of the squadron attended to pay their respects. A sailor, standing with some others in the forecastle, and attentively observing what passed, whispered to a messmate : " Why the young gentleman an't over civil I thinks; d'ye see how he keeps his hat on before our captains." * " You lubberly fool," replied the other, " how- should he know manners, seeing as how he never was at sea before ?" CRUELTY 218 NAVAL ANECDOTES. CRUELTY OF THE FRENCH TO LIEUTENANT COTGRAVE, HIS OFFICERS, AND SHIP'S COM- PANY. THE barbarous treatment sustained by Lieut. Cotgrave and his men must deeply impress the mind of every Briton with a disgust for the French name, which nothing can eradicate, and serve to make him fully sensible of the contrast between English generosity over a conquered enemy (which is well known), and French cruelty, as illustrated by the following particulars : The Ranger cutter having been boarded by the enemy, the Frenchmen drove Lieut. Cotgrave, his officers, and ship's -company, out of the cutter into the boats of La Rulieusc, with drawn swords. Lieutenant Coterave was one of the first on O board the frigate. As soon as his head appeared .above the gangway, two of the French seamen took him by the collar, hauled him with great violence up the side, and when on the gangway, threw him on the main deck, took off his hat, pulled out his cockade, and trampled on it. After suffering this indignity, they dragged him into the captain's cabin. The second captain of La Ralieuse, and a seaman by his orders, then pulled off his coat, waistcoat, shirt, boots, stockings, &c. The same operation was performed on every individual officer, seaman, and boy of the Ranger; 4 they NAVAL ANECDOTES. 219 they were then forced, without distinction, into the hold of the frigate. The next morning Lieut. Cotgrave and his crew were ordered from the hold to the gangway, in this very indecent situation, though it was raining excessively hard. The sol- diers of the ship then surrounded these unfortu- nates, with marks of derision and contempt, and ac- tually kept them in this miserable situation from nine in the morning until six in the evening, when they were again forced into the hold ; the French cap- tain at the same time telling them, " that was the wav he would treat all English slaves.'' In this I deplorable, naked condition, they all remained till the frigate arrived at Brest, when upon hearing of the defeat of their fleet by the British under Earl Howe, a part of their clothes were returned them ; and on being landed they were treated xvith rather less severity. SIR JAMES SAUMAREZ. THE mildness and paternal attention of this excellent commander are clearly manifested in the successful method he adopted of suppressing the mutinous conduct of seamen, and more par- ticularly so in the following instance : When Sir James Saumarez was commander of the Orion, a circumstance occurred which does the highest credit to his heart and understanding. o o During NAVAL ANECDOTES. During the mutiny which unfortunately spread from the Nore to the fleet under Lord St. Vin- cent, the Orion continued perfectly free from the smallest discontent. Sir James, from the most worthy motives, even ventured to receive on board his ship, in the hope of reform, one of the most violent of the mutineers, but a most excellent and intrepid seaman and ship's car pen ter^ who was to be tried upon a capital charge. The season- able admonitions of Sir James, wrought so com- plete a change, that, from the most obdurate of rebels, he became one of the most loyal of his sailors. A few days after he got on board, the signal was made for the boats of each ship to be manned and armed, to witness the execution of four mutineers. On this occasion Sir James sent for the carpenter into his cabin, and, after ex- postulating with him on the heinousness of his crime, he assured ,him, he would save him the anguish of beholding his companions in guilt suffer for an offence, in which he himself had been a sharer, and possibly the cause. This exhortation bad the desired effect. The man fell upon his knees, bathed in tears, uttered the strongest pror testatkms of loyalty to his king and attachment to his commanders; and his subsequent conduct did not disgrace his promises. He particularly dis- tinguished himself at the battle of the Nile ; and, after the action, he was very instrumental in pre*- serving NAVAL ANECDOTES. 22 f serving Le Pen pie Souverain from foundering. His courage and skill as a carpenter fitted him for the most arduous undertakings: indeed few men were' to be found who could render greater assistance, in repairing leaks, stopping shot-holes, and every circumstance that was attended with danger, equal to him. DREADFU L CATASTROPHE ON BOARD THE .TOHN AND ELIZABETH, OF JERSEY. . THE following dreadful account of a number of persons, who lost their lives by means of suffo- cation in the hold of a ship, a few years ago, will be rc-dd with much interest, and. we trust, will al- so operate as a warning and preventive against adopting the destructive means which led to it in future. On a Thursday, in the month of December, one hundred and twenty persons, who were discharged from two fencible regiments, the Somerset and Suf- folk, were put on board the John and Elizabeth, of only 35 tons, by an officer of the army, who saw and approved of the vessel, and paid the master five shillings a head to land these soldiers in Eng- land On the Saturday following, the vessel left Jersey, and about four in the afternoon put into Guernsey, to give the people an opportunity of supplying themselves with provisions, and to lay 222 NAVAL ANECDOTES. in a stock of water. They sailed from Guernsey on the Friday, about ten o'clock in the morning, this wind W. S. W. ; at -six in the afternoon it began to blow, and continued to increase : upon which they took three reefs in the mainsail, and set the storm-jib. At three o'clock on the following Tuesday morn ing, it blew so very hard and so thick, that the mas- ter was unable to make the land distinctly, and about four lay her to. At eight, bore away to make the land : which was at length made about ten ; but the weather being very hazy, he could not distin- guish what land it was. The vessel now shipped immense quantities of water, from the sea running so very high, and more than the pumps could dis- charge. At eight o'clock the master called to the people then below, and told them it was impossi- ble to keep the hatches open any longer, as the vessel would thereby inevitably founder, and as many as chose might run the hazard of coming on deck, but that the hatches must be battened down, in order to save the vessel and their lives. About seven of the people came on deck, one of whom perished by the severity of the weather. The hatches were laid on, and the tarpaulins laid over. At about twelve, it blowing still with greater vio- lence, the master was alarmed with the cry of fire ; upon which he ran to the fore-hatchway, and tore off the hatch, and also the tarpaulins and hatches NAVAL ANECDOTES. 223 hatches of the main-hatchway, on which an offen- sive smell issued from the hold ; the pumps, in the mean time, were kept continually at work, but could scarcely free the vessel. On Wednes- day morning the wind shifted to N. W. by N- about two o'clock. At day-light, on examining the hold, shocking to relate ! forty-seven men and three women were found dead, all of whom vvere thrown overboard. One man died after the arrival of he vessel in Cowes road. DISTRESSED SITUATION OF THE CREW OF THE SPANISH SHIP, ASIA, Commanded by Don JOSEPH PJZARRO. THE dreadful calamity occasioned by a total failure of provisions to a number of men, at a considerable distance from any inhabited island, may be better conceived than described. Among the various perils and disasters incident to a nau- tical life, none appears so truly distressing as the prospect of starvation, which the following anec- dote will exemplify ; During Lord Anson's voyage round the world, the Spaniards fitted out a squadron of ships (to traverse the views and enterprizes of the English vessels), one of which, the Admiral's ship, named the Asia, of 66 guns, when off Cape Horn, was reduced 224 NAVAL ANECDOTES. reduced to such infinite distress, that after every kind of sustenance failed, the sailors gave four' dollars a piece for every rat that could be caught ; and some little time previous to this, a sailor, who died on board, had his death concealed by his brother, who, during that time, lay in the same hammock with the corpse, only to receive the dead man's allowance of provisions. In this shocking situation, they were alarmed (if their horrors were capable of augmentation) by the discovery of a conspiracy among the marines, which was to massacre the officers and the crew of the ship, that they might satisfy their hunger by eating their bodies. But their designs were discovered, when just upon the point of execu- tion, by means of one of the conspirators, and three of the ringleaders were put to death. At length, though the conspiracy was suppressed, yet, by the complicated misfortunes of sickness, fa- tigue, and hunger, which could not be alleviated until too late, the greatest part of the ship's com- pany died a lingering and painful death-; so that, when the ship arrived at the River de la Plata, out of nearly seven hundred men, only about fifty were remaining alive, and scarcely able to crawl for want of nourishment. PHEtftf- NAVAL ANECDOTES. PHENOMENON, NEAR CAIRO. THE following description of the effects of a thunderbolt, at Cairo, is, perhaps, one of the most singular occurrences of the kind, that has ever been known to happen on board of a ship, belonging either to this or any other country. In the year 1749, about the middle of Octo- ber, a large Turkish man of war, commanded by Rahip Mahomet, having, from very stormy wea- ther, taken shelter in a small port, near Cairo, was very nearly destroyed by a thunderbolt, which fell on the main-mast, and made a large hole through the center of it, from which it descended into the well of the pump. It then came up to the deck, through the middle hatch, nearly killed four of the Bashaw's men, who were lying carelessly on the under-deck, and then passing by the long-boat, near to which was a large sheep of the Caramania breed, which was instantly struck dead, immediately passed to the place where the Bashaw's horses were kept; and, without doing them any injury, it afterwards went through a port-hole, at the head of the ship, and disap- peared. The mast of the ship was very soon in flames, which, added to the extreme darkness of the ight, caused great confusion among the crew of ship, not being able to extinguish it. At u.t that they fell on him for the sake of plunder. The brave- defence, and the disappointment of the villains, will strike a terror, and render them cautious how they attempt the like. I wish my private misfor- tune may prove an advantage to the public. En- glcdue deserves to be immortalized : others tamely offered their throats. At present I am more fit for a bed, than for writing; for the glorious exits of Engtedue and my boys, are still uppermost in -my thoughts. The vessel this goes by is under weigh, and I must conclude ; indeed it is with ^difficulty I can write at all : you are the only one 9. 4 by 232 NAVAL ANECDOTES. by this conveyance : my mind will be more at ease in a few days ; till then my friends must ex- cuse me. MILITARY COWARDICE AND CLERICAL COURAGE. IN the year 1745, his Majesty's ship the Lion, of 58 guns, Captain Butt, fell in with two French ships, which, after a desperate engagement, she compelled to sheer off. After the conflict, Cap- tain Butt confined his captain of marines for cow- ardice. He had called upon him several times during the action, but he could not be found. At last some of the midshipmen pulled him out from under a large bag of hay, with one of his corporals by him. The Rev. Mr. Leach, chap- lain of the ship, when the captain of marines de- serted his charge, and meanly hid himself behind the hay, bravely put himself at the head of the corps, rallied them thrice on the poop of the ship, and encouraged them to behave like Englishmen, till at length he was shot dead on the spot. INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF SIR SIDNEY SMITH'S ESCAPE FROM THE TEMPLE. AFTER several months had rolled away, since the gates of his prison had first closed upon the 2 British NAVAL ANECDOTES. 233 British hero, he observed that a lady, who lived in an upper apartment on the opposite side of the street, seemed frequently to look towards that part of the prison where he was confined. As often as he observed her he played some tender air upon his flute, by which, and by imitating every motion that she made, he at length succeed- ed in fixing her attention upon him, and had the happiness of remarking, that she occasionally ob^ served him with a glass. One morning when he saw that she was looking attentively upon him in this manner, he tore a blank leaf from an old mass-book, which was lying in his cell, and with the soot of the chimney contrived, by his finger, to describe upon it, in a large character, the let- ter A, which he held to the window, to be viewed by his fair sympathizing observer. After gazing upon it some little time, she nodded, to shew- that she understood what it meant. Sir Sidney then touched the top of the first bar of the grating of his window, which he wished her to consider as the representative of the letter A, the second B, and so on until he had formed from the top of the bars a corresponding number of letters ; and by touching the middle and bottom parts of them, upon a line with each other, he easily, after having inculcated the first impression of his wishes, completed a telegraphic alphabet. Tiie process of communication was, from its nature, very 234 NAVAL ANECDOTES. \--ery slow ; but Sir Sidney had the happiness of observing, upon forming the first word, that this excellent being, who beamed before him like a guardian angel, seemed completely to cornpre- nend it, which she expressed by an assenting movement -of the head. Frequently obliged to desist from this tacit and tedious intercourse, from the dread of .exciting the curiosity of the gaolers, or his fellow-prisoners, who were permitted to walk before his window, Sir Sidney occupied se- veral days in communicating to his unknown friend his name and quality, and imploring her to procure some unknown royalist of consequence and address, sufficient for the undertaking, to ef- fect his escape ; in the achievement of which he assured her, upon his word of honour, that what- ever cost might be incurred, would be amply re- imbursed, and that the bounty and gratitude of his country would nobly remunerate those who had the talent and bravery to accomplish it. By the same means he enabled her to draw confiden- tial and accredited bills for considerable sums of money, for the promotion of the scheme, which she applied with the most perfect integrity. Colonel Phelipeaux was at this time at Paris, a military man of rank, and a secret royalist, most devotly attached to the fortunes of the exiled family of France, and to those who supported ir .cause. He had long been endeavouring tp bring o KAVAL ANECDOTES. bring to maturity a plan for facilitating their res- toration, but which the loyal adherent, from a series of untoward and uncOntrolable circum- stances, began to despair of accomplishing. The lovely deliverer of Sir, Sidney applied to this dis- tinguished character, to whom she was known, and stated the singular correspondence which had taken place between herself and the heroic captive in the Temple. Phelipeaux, who was acquainted with the fame of Sir Sidney, and chagrined at the failure of his former favourite scheme, embraced the present project with a sort, of prophetic en- thusiasm, by which he hoped to restore to the British nation, one of her greatest heroes, who, by his skill and valour, might once more impress the common enemy with dismay, augment the glory of his country, and cover himself with the laurels of future victory. Intelligent, active, cool, daring, and insinuating, Colonel Pheli- peaux immediately applied himself to bring to maturity a plan, at once suitable to his genius, and interesting to his wishes. To those whom it was necessary to employ upon the occasion, he contrived to unite one of the clerks of the minis- ter of the police, who forged his signature, with exact imitation, to an order for removing the body of Sir Sidney from the Temple to the prison of the Conciergerie. After this was accomplished, on the day after that on which the inspector of gaols 236 NAVAL ANECDOTES. * gaols was to visit the Temple and Conciergerie, a ceremony which is performed once a month in Paris, two Gentlemen of tried courage and ad- dress, who were previously instructed by Colonel Phelipeaux, disguised as officers of the maree chaussee, presented themselves in a fiacre at the Temple, and demanded the delivery of Sir Sid- ney, at the same time showing the forged order for his removal, This the gaoler attentively pe- rused and examined, as well as the minister's sig- nature. Soon after, the register of the prison in- formed Sir Sidney of the order of the Directory, upon hearing which, he at first appeared to be a little disconcerted, while the pseudo officer gave him every assurance of the honour and mild in- tentions of the Government towards him; Sir Sidney seemed more reconciled, packed up his clothes, took leave of his fellow-prisoners, and distributed little tokens of his gratitude to those servants of the prison from whom be had experi- enced indulgencies. Upon the eve of their depar- ture, the register observed, that four of the pri- son guards should accompany them. This ar- rangement menaced the whole plan with immedi- ate dissolution. The officers, without betraying the least emotion, acquiesced in the propriety of the measure, and gave orders for the men to be called out; when, as if recollecting the rank and honour of their illustrious prisoner, one of them addressed NAVAL ANECDOTES. 237 addressed Sir Sidney, by saying, " Citizen, you are a brave officer, give us your parole, and there is no occasion for an escort." Sir Sidney replied, that he would pledge his faith, as an officer, tQ accompany them, without resistance, wherever they chose to conduct him. Not a look or movement betrayed the intention ef the party. Every thing was cool, well-timed, and natural. They entered a fiacre, which, as is usual, was brought for the purpose of removing him, in which he found changes of clothes, false passports, and money. The coach moved, with an accustomed pace, to the FauxbourgSt. Ger- main, where they alighted and parted in different directions. Sir Sidney met Colonel Phelipeaux At the appointed spot of rendezvous. The project was so ably planned and conducted, that no one but the party concerned was ac- quainted with the escape, until near a month had elapsed, when the inspector paid his next periodi- cal visit. What pen can describe the sensations of twa ach men as Sir Sidney and Colonel Phelipeaux, when they first beheld each other in safety ? Heaven befriended the generous and gallant ex- ploit. Sir Sidney and his noble friend reached the French coast wholly unsuspected ; and, com- mitting themselves to their God and to the pro- tecting genius of brave men, put to sea in an open 538 NAVAL ANECDOTES. open boat, and \vere soon afterwards discovered by an English cruizing frigate, and brought in safety to the British shore. BRAVE ACTION OF CAPTAIN GRIGNION, COM- MANDER OF AN ENGLISH PRIVATETER. IN February, 1759, Captain Peter Grignion., commander of a privateer, of St. Kitt's (consort of the Thurloe privateer, Capt. Mantle) cruiz- ing off Curacoa harbour, discovered a French schooner privateer coming in ; whereupon Capt. Grignion, crossing the harbour, got between the schooner and the town, when an engagement en- sued in sight of the fort, and so near it, that three of the schooner's balls passed the governor and- other gentlemen, who, happening to be near their fort, were viewing the engagement The fort was then ordered to fire upon the English privateer, which it did, thirty-six shot, without effect; Grignion having boarded and made prize of the schooner, and returned a low obeisance to every shot fired from the fort. During the above engagement, the commander of a French privateer Snow (who had been beat- ing up for volunteers at Curacoa, and had shipped near a hundred stout fellows, Dutch free negroes included) applied to the governor, for leave to go out against the. English privateer, which having obtained NAVAL ANECDOTES. obtained, a number of new volunteers immediate- ly jumped on board. The Frenchman instantly sailed out, whom Capt. Grignion perceiving, sent his prize away, and though he had but fifty hand* left, waited for his formidable antagonist, who, coming up close, endeavoured several times to board him, but in vain, Grignion's sloop sailing round the Frenchman with great ease, and pour- in a broadside, and a volley of small ann.s each, time. They then, at three in the afternoon, came, to a close engagement, and continued till dusk, when they lay by to refit. The fire, in a little time, was renewed on both sides with great bra- rery, and continued till twelve at night, when- they parted by consent, and Grignion pursued his cruize. During the engagement, wagers of a thousand milled dollars to a hundred were laid against Grignion. The Frenchman returned next day to careen, being greatly damaged, and hav- ing a number of men miserably wounded and burnt, but would not own any killed, though many of the volunteers were missing. CHARACTERISTIC BRAVERY OF AN ENGLISH SEAMAN, AT THE ATTACK OF FORT OMOA. AT the attack of the celebrated fortress of St. Fernando de Omoa, in 1/79, the following sin- gular circumstance is related of a sailor, who singly 240 XAVAL ANECDOTES. singly scrambled over the fort, with a cutlass in each hand. Thus equipped, he fell in with a Spanish officer just aroused from sleep, and who in his hurry had forgotten his sword. The tar, disdaining to take advantage of an unarmed foe, and willing to display his courage in single combat, presented the officer with one of the cut- lasses, telling him, he scorned any advantage ; "you are now," said he, "on a footing with me." The as- tonishment of the officer at such an act of genero- sity, and the facility with which a friendly parly took place, when he expected no- thing else, but (from the hostile appearance of his foe) to be cut to pieces, could only be rivalled b^ the admiration which the relating the story ex- cited in his countrymen. Upon this circumstance being mentioned to Sir Peter Parker, at the re- turn of the squadron, he appointed this intrepid fellow to be boatswain of a sloop of war. A few years after, either in a fit of madness, or intoxi- cation, he forgot his situation, and struck the Lieutenant of the Ferret sloop of war, for which he was tried by a court-martial, condemned to suffer death, and was executed. A DEAD NAVAL ANECDOTES, 241 4 DEAD SPANIARD ON A BED OF HONOUR. DURING Vice-Adrniral Vernon's expedition^ on the island of Cuba, in 1741, the Worcester, Defiance, Shoreham, and Squirrel, took several valuable prizes ; the last, after a smart contest, boarded, and took with her boats a large Spa- nish privateer of 16* guns, and 130 men, which Captain Warren discovered at anchor, close in on- the Cuba shore : her crew landed, and sought refuge in the woods; being pursued by the Squir- rel's people, several of them were killed. In the pursuit, a tar observing a dead Spaniard lying on a British ensign, swore, " d n him, if he should lie on so honourable a bed ;" and rollino; off the O dead body, brought away the ensign, and gave it to his captain, who discovered concealed in one corner of it a packet of letters, which were of great consequence. BRAVERY OF AN ENGLISH FISHERMAN. ON the 30th of May, 1695, William Thomp- son, in a fishing-boat, out of Pool, in Dorsetshire, with only one man and a boy, was attacked by a French sloop privateer, which he obliged to sheer off. Thompson not intimidated by the su- perior force of the enemy, pursued, came up with, and, after engaging her for two hours, she R struck. 242 NAVAL ANECDOTES. struck. The privateer had two guns, several small arms, and sixteen men : Thompson had two small guns, and a few muskets. On his ar- rival at Pool, with his prize, the Lords of the Admiralty presented him with a gold chain, and a medal of the value of fifty pounds. IMPROMPTU, On hearing of the MARHIAGE of Captain FOOTE, of the Royal Nary, with Miss PATTEN, of Foreham, which was solemnized on Wednesday morning, August 24, 1803. MAY the union, cemented on Wednesday, at matin, Be blissful, and crown'd with abundance of fruit : May the Footc ever closely adhere to the Patten, The Patten for ever stick close to the Foote. i. And though Pattens are used but in moist, dirty weather, May their journey through hfe be unclouded and clean; May they longjit each other aud moving together, May only one sole (soul) be still cherish'd between. SIMPLICITY OF AN OLD WOMAN, THE MOTHER OF A DUTCH ADMIRAL. P. HE IN, from a cabin-boy, rose to the rank of an .admiral. He was killed in the action, at the moment his fleet triumphed over that of the Spaniards. Their high mightinesses sent a depu- tation to his mother, at Delft, to condole with her on the loss of her son. This simple old wo- rn :m NAVAL ANECDOTES. 243 inan, who had remained in her original obscurity, answered the deputies : / always foretold, thai Peter would perish like a miserable wretch that he was ; he loved noth'nig but rambling from one country to another, and now he has received the reward of his folly. NARRATIVE OF THE SINGULAR ADVENTU RE.S OF FOUR RUSSIAN SAILORS, Who were cast on the desert Island of East Spitzbergen. FROM THE FRENCH OF M. LE ROY. Lv the year 1743, one Jeremiah Okladmkoff, a merchant of Mesem, in the government of Archangel, fitted out a vessel, carrying fourteert men, destined for Spitzbergen, to be employed in the whale or seal fishery. For eight successive days, after they had sailed, the wind was fair; but on the 9th it changed, so that instead of get- ting to the west of Spitzbergen, the usual place of rendezvous, they were driven eastward of those islands, and, after some days, they found them- selves at some distance from one of them, called East Spitzbergen. Having approached this island within about two English miles, their vessel was suddenly surrounded by ice, and they found them- selves in an extremely dangerous situation. In this alarming state a council was held, when R 2 the 244 NAVAL ANECDOTES. the mate, Alexis Himkoff informed them, that he recollected to have heard, that some of the people of Mesem, some time before, having form- ed the resolution of wintering upon this island, had accordingly carried from that city timber proper for building a hut, and had actually erected one at some distance from the shore. This information induced the whole company to resolve on wintering there, if the hut, as they hoped, still existed. They dispatched, there- fore, four of their crew in search of the hut. These were Alexis Himkoff, the mate ; Iwan Himkoff, his godson; Stephen Scharapof, and Feodor Weregin. , Having maturely considered the nature of their undertaking, they provided themselves with a musket, a powder-horn containing twelve charges 'of powder, with as many balls, an ox, a small kettle, a bag with about twenty pounds of flour, a knife, tinder-box and tinder, a bladder filled with tobacco, and every man his wooden pipe. Thus accoutred, these four sailors quickly ar- rived on the island. They began with exploring the country, and soon discovered the hut they were in search of, about an English mile and a half from the shore. It was thirty-six feet in length, eighteen feet in height, and as many in breadth. It contained a small NAVAL ANECDOTES. . 245 small anti-chamber, about twelve feet broad, which had two doors, the one to shut it up from the outer air, the other to form a communication with the inner room : this contributed greatly to keep the larger room warm, when once heatecl. In the large room was an earthen stove, construct- ed in the Russian manner; that is, a kind of oven without a chimney, which serves occasion- ally either for baking or heating the room ; or as is customary amonst the Russian peasants, in very cold weather, for a place to sleep upon. They rejoiced greatly at having discovered the hut, which had suffered much from the weather ; our adventurers, however, contrived to pass the night in it. Early in the morning they hastened to the shore impatient to inform their comrades of their success. I leave my readers to figure to themselves the astonishment and agony of mind these poor people must have felt, when, on reaching the place of their landing, they saw nothing but an open sea, free from the ice which, but a few days before, had covered the ocean. Whatever accident had befallen the ship, they saw her no more ; and as no tidings were ever afterwards received of her, it is most probable that she sunk, and that all on board of her perished. This melancholy event depriving the unhappy wretches of all hope of ever being able to quit R 3 the 246 NAVAL ANECDOTES. the island, they returned to the hut whence they had come, full of horror and despair. Their first attention was employed in devising means of providing subsistence, and for repairing their hut. The twelve charges of powder which they had brought with them, soon procured them as many rein-deer, the island, fortunately for them, abounding in these animals. I have before observed, that the hut, which the sailors were so fortunate as to find, had sus- tained some damage, and it was this there were- cracks in many places between the boards of the building, which freely admitted the air. This in- convenience was, however, easily remedied, as they had an axe, and the beams were still sound, so it was easy for them to make the boards join very tolerably; besides/ moss growing in great abundance all over the island, there was more than sufficient to stop up the crevices, which wooden houses must always be liable to. With- out fire, however, it was imposible to resist the rigour of the climate ; and without wood, how was that fire to be produced, or supported ? Pro- vidence, however, has so ordered it, that, in this particular, the sea supplies defects of the land. In wandering along the beach, they collected plenty of wood, which had been driven ashore, by the waves ; and which at first consisted of the wrecks of ships, and afterwards of whole trees with NAVAL ANECDOTES. 247 tvith their roots, the produce of some more hos- pitable, but to them unknown climate. Nothing proved of more essential service to these unfortunate men, during the first year of their exile, than some boards they found upon the beach, having a long' iron hook, some nails of about five or six inches long, and proportion- ably thick, and other bits of old iron fixed in them ; the melancholy relics of some vessels ca^t away in some remote parts. These were thrown ashore by the waves, at a time when the want of powder gave our men reason to apprehend that they must fall a prey to hunger, as they had nearly consumed those rein-deer they had killed. This lucky circumstance was attended with another, equally fortunate; they found on the shore the root of a fir-tree, which nearly approached to the figure of a bow. As necessity has ever been the mother of in- vention, so they soon fashioned this root to a good bow, by the help of a knife ; but they still wanted a string and arrows. Not knowing how to procure these at present, they determined on making a couple of lances, to defend themselves against the white bears, by far the most ferocious of their kind, whose attacks they had great reason to dread. Finding they could neither make the heads of lances, nor their arrows, without a hammer, R 4 they 248 NAVAL ANECDOTES. they contrived to form the large iron hook men- tioned above into one, by heating it, and widen- ing a hole it happened to have about its middle, with the help of one of their large nails. This re- ceived the handle, and a round button at one end of the hook served for the face of the hammer. A large pebble supplied the place of an anvil, and a couple of rein-deer's horns formed the tongs. By the means of such tools they made two heads of spears, and after polishing them, and sharpen- ing them on stones, they tied them as fast as pos- sible with thongs made of rein-deer skins, to sticks about the thickness of a man's arm, which they got from some branches of trees that had been cast on shore. Thus equipped with spears, they resolved to attack a white bear, and, after a most dangerous encounter, they killed the formidable creature, and thereby made a new supply of provisions. The flesh of this animal they relished exceedingly, as they thought it much resembled beef in its taste and flavour. The tendons they saw, with much pleasure, could with little or no trouble be divided into filaments, of what fineness they thought fit. This, perhaps, was the most fortunate discovery these men could have made, for, besides other advantages, they were hereby furnished with strings for their bows. The success of our unfortunate islanders in making NAVAL ANECDOTES. 249 making the spears, encouraged them to proceed, and to forge some pieces of iron into heads of arrows of the same shape, though somewhat smaller in size than the spears above-mentioned. Having ground and sharpened these like the former, they tied them with the sinews of the white bear to pieces of fir, to which, by the help of fine threads of the same, they fastened feathers of the sea-fowl; and thus became possessed of a complete bow and arrows. Their ingenuity, in this respect, was crowned with success far be- yond their expectation, for, during the time of their continuance on the island, with these arrows they killed no less than two hundred and fifty rein- deer, besides a great number of blue and white 7 o foxes. The flesh of these animals served them also for food, and their skins for cloathing, and other necessary preservation against the intense coldness of a climate so near the pole. They killed, however, only ten white bears In all, and that not without the utmost danger; for these animals being prodigiously strong, defended themselves with astonishing vigour and fury. The first our men attacked designedly, the other nine they slew in defending themselves from their as- saults; for some of these creatures even ventured to enter the outer room of their hut, in order to devour them. To remedy, in some measure, the hardship of eating 250 NAVAL ANECDOTES. eating their meat half raw, they bethought them- selves of drying some of their provision during the summer in the open air, and afterwards of hanging it up in the upper part of the hut, which was con- tinually filled with smoke down to the windows; it was thus thoroughly dried by the help of that smoke. This meat, so prepared, they used for bread, and it made them relish the other flesh the better, as they could only half dress it. Water they had in summer from small rivulets that fell from the rocks, .and in winter from the snow and ice thawed : this was of course their only beverage, and their small kettle was the only vessel they could make use of for this and other purposes, Our mariners, seeing themselves quite destitute of every means of cure in case they should be at- tacked with the scurvy, judged it expedient not to neglect any regimen generally adopted as a pre- servative against this impending evil. Iwan Him- kof, wha had several times wintered on the coast of West-Spitzbergen, advised his unfortunate com- panions to swallow raw and frozen meat broken into small bits', to drink the blood of rein-deer warm, as it flowed from their veins immediately after killing them ; to use as much exercise as possible, and, lastly, to eat scurvy-grass, which grows on the island, though not in great plenty. Three of the sailors, who pursued the above method, continued free from all taint of the dis- ease. NAVAL ANECDOTES. 251 ease. The fourth, Feodor Weregin, on the con- trary, who was naturally indolent, averse to drink- ing the rein-deer blood, and unwilling to leave the hut when he could possibly avoid it, was, soon after their arrival on the island, seized with the scurvy, which afterwards became so bad, that he passed almost six years under the greatest suffer- ings ; in the latter part of that time he became so weak that he could no longer sit erect, nor even raise his hand to his mouth ; so that his humane companions were obliged to feed and tend him, like a new-born infant, to the day of his death. I have mentioned above that our sailors brought off a small bag of flour with them to the island. Of this they had consumed about one half with their meat, the remainder they employed in a different manner, equally useful. They soon saw the necessity of keeping up a continual fire in so cold a climate, and found, that if it should un- fortunately go out, they had no means of lighting it again ; for though they had a steel and flints, yet they wanted both match and tinder. In their excursions through tbe island they had met with a slimy loam, or a kind of clay, nearly in the middle of it; out of this they found means to form a utensil which might serve as a lamp; and they proposed to keep it constantly burning with the fatoftlie animals they might kill. Having therefore fashioned a kind of lamp, they filled it with 252 NAVAL ANECDOTES. with rein-deer fat, and stuck in it some twisted linen shaped into a wick; but they had the mor- tification to find, that as soon as the fat melted, it not only soaked into the clay, but fairly run through it on all sides. The thing therefore was to devise some means for preventing this inconve- nience, notarising from cracks, but from the sub- 7 O * stance of which the lamp was made being too porous. They made, therefore, a new one, dried it thoroughly in the air, then heated it red hot, and afterwards quenched it in their kettle, where- in they had boiled a quantity of flour down to the consistence of starch. The lamp being thus dried, and filled with melted fat, they now found, to their great joy, that it did not leak. But, for greater securitv, they dipped linen rags in the paste, and with them covered all its outside. Suc- ceeding in this attempt, they immediately made another lamp, for fear or' an accident, that in all events they might not be destitute of light; and when they had done so much, they thought proper to save the remainder of the flour for similar pur- poses. They had skins of rein-deer and foxes in plenty, that had hitherto served them for bedding, and which they now thought of employing in some more essential service, but the question was how- to tan them. After deliberating on this subject, they took to the following method : they soaked the NAVAL ANECDOTES. 253 the skins for several days in fresh water, till they could pull off the hair pretty easily ; they then rubbed the wet leather with their hands till it was nearly dry, when they spread some melted rein-deer fat over it, and again rubbed it wet; by this process the leather became soft, pliant and supple, proper for answering every purpose they wanted it for. Those skins which they designed for furs they only soaked for one day, to prepare them for being wrought, and then proceeded in the manner before-mentioned, except only that they did not remove the hair. Thus they soon provided themselves with the necessary materials for all the parts of dress they wanted. But here another difficulty occurred. They had neither awls for making shoes or boots, nor needles for sewing their garments ; this want they soon supplied by means of the bits of iron they had occasionally collected. The making eyes to their needles gave them indeed no little trouble; but this they also performed with the assistance of their knife, for having ground it to a very sharp point, and heated red hoc a kind of wire, wove for that purpose, they pierced a hole through one end, and, by whetting and smoothing it on stones, brought the other to a point, and thus gave the whole a very tolerable form. The sinews of the bears and the rein-deer, which 254 NAVAL ANECDOTES. which they had found means to split, served them for thread ; and thus provided with the necessary implements, they proceeded to make their new cloaths. Their summer's dress consisted of a kind of jacket and trowsers, made of skins prepared as I have mentioned above; and in winter they wore long fur gowns. When our four mariners had passed nearly six years in this dismal place, Feodor Weregin, whose illness we had occasion to mention above, and who all along had been in a languishing condition, died, after having in the latter part of his life suf- fered the most excruciating pains. Though they were thus freed from the trouble of attending him, and the grief of being witnesses to his misery, without being able to afford him any relief, yet his death affected them not a little. They saw their number lessened, and every one wished to be the first that should follow him. As he died in winter, they dug a grave in the snow as deep as they could, in which they laid the corpse, and then covered it in the best manner they could, that the white bears might not get at it. Now, at the time when the melancholy reflec- tions occasioned by the death of their comrade were fresh in their minds, and when each expected to pay this last duty to the remaining companions of NAVAL ANECDOTES. 255 of his misfortunes, or to receive it from them, they unexpectedly got sight of a Russian ship; this happened on the 15th of August, I74p. The vessel belonged to a trader who had come to Archangel, proposing it should winter in Nova Zembla; but, fortunately for our poor exiles, Mr. Vernezobre proposed to the merchant to let his vessel winter at West-Spitzbergen, which he at last, after many objections, agreed to. The contrary winds they met with on their pas- sage made it impossible for them to reach the place of their destination. The vessel \vas driven towards East-Spitzbergen, directly opposite to the residence of our mariners, who, as soon as they perceived her, hastened to light fires upon the hills nearest their habitation, and then ran to the beach, waving a flag of rein-deer's hide, fastened to a pole. The people on board seeing these signals, concluded that there were men on the island who implored their assistance, and therefore came to an anchor near the shore. It would be in vain to attempt describing the joy of these poor people, at seeing the moment of their deliverance so near. They soon agreed with the master of the ship to work for him on their voyage, and to pay him eighty roubles on their arrival, for taking them on board, with all* their riches, which consisted in fifty pod, or two thousand pounds of rein-deer fat, in many hides of 25f) NAVAL ANECDOTES. of these animals, and skins of the blue and white foxes, together with those of the ten white bears they had killed. They took care not to forget their bow and arrows, their spears, their knife and axe, which were almost worn out, their awls, and their needles, which they kept carefully in a bone box, very ingeniously made with their knife only ; and, in short, every thing they were possessed of. Our adventurers arrived safe at Archangel on the 28th of September, 1749, having spent six years and three months in their rueful solitude. The moment of their landing was nearly prov- ing a fatal one to the loving and beloved wife of Alexis Himkof, who being present when the ves- sel came into port, immediately knew her hus- band, and ran with so much eagerness to his em- braces, that she slipped into the water, and very narrowly escaped being drowned. All three on their arrival were strong and healthy, but having lived so long without bread, they could not reconcile themselves to the use of it, and complained that it filled them with wind. Nor could they bear any spirituous liquors, and therefore drank nothing but water. Before I conclude, I cannot help subjoining a reflection of Mr. Vernezobre, with which he con- cludes one of his letters. " I make no doubt, but some of your readers will consider the adventures of these sailors in the same light as the English 1 do NAVAL ANECDOTES. 257 do Robinson Crusoe. But however ingenious that composition is, a comparison with this nar- rative will prove much in your favour ; as the former is all fiction, whereas your subject consists of facts sufficiently authenticated. And Crusoe is represented as having almost lost what know- ledge he had of Christianity ; but our sailors care- fully retained their religious principles, and, as they assured me, never wholly departed from their confidence in the goodness of God, to be exerted in their behalf, even in this world. REMARKABLE PRESENTIMENT OF SIR WIL- LIAM SIDNEY SMITH. BEING sent, some years since, onshore^pon the Irish coast with a brother officer, who is now holding a deservedly high situation in the service, to look for some deserters from their ship, after along, fatiguing, and fruitless pursuit, thy halt- ed at a little inn to refresh themselves : having dined, Sir Sidney on a sudden became silent, and seemed lost in meditation: " My dirk for your thoughts," exclaimed his friend, gently tapping him on the shoulder, " what project, Sidney, has got possession of you now p" 9 " My good fellow,"' replied the young warrior, his expressive counte- nance brightening as he spoke, "you will, no doubt, suppose me a little disordered in my mind, s but 258 NAVAL ANECDOTES, but I have been thinking that, before twelve years shall have rolled over my head, I shall make th<2 British arms triumphant in the Holy Land." We need not knock at the cabinet-door at St. Cloud to know how splendidly this prediction was veri- ikd. THE SAILOR'S DIRGE. op the hammock ! Death has laid Poor Jack in honour's bed; Heave out a sigh, and lower away* Our gallant messmate's dead. A right true-hearted lad he was, A seaman stout and bold, lie lov'd his friend, he lov'd his girl, But now his heart is cold. 80 long as French or Spaniard fought^ No liou was more brave ; Bilt when he cried for qua! Ler, none Than Jack more free to save. When overboard, and straggling hard For life's dear sake was I, Tho' wild the waves and loud the wind, Jack heard my piteous cry. lie ask'd no leave of paltry But swam and took me out; Now Jack must sink, and 1 may swim? ise fortune, veers a.boi*t. fareweV NAVAL ANECDOTES. 259 JFarewel, poor Jack, tho' o'er thy head The ocean billows roll, Good hope that Heav'n's sweet riiercy there Will find and save thy soul. INTERESTING ANECDOTE OF CAPTAIN EL- PHINSTONE, OF THE RUSSIAN NAVY. AFTER the battle between the fleets of Russia and Sweden, off Cronstadt, in May 1780, Cap- tain Elphinstone, then a very young lieutenant, was dispatched by his uncle, Admiral Ceuse, to Ca- therine, who was at that time at the palace of Zarko Zelo, with an account of the successful manoeuvres of his fleet. For four days and nights preceding the Empress had taken no rest, and but little refreshment, the greater part of which time she had passed upon the beautiful terrace near the baths of Porphyry, listening, with the greatest an- xiety, to the distant thunder of the cannon, which was so tremendous, that several windows in Pe- tersburgh were broken by its concussion. It is said, that anticipating the last disaster, her horses and carriages were ready to convey her to Moscow* Young Elphinstone arrived at the palace late at night, in his fighting clothes, covered with dust and gunpowder, and severely fatigued with long and arduous duty. His dispatches were instantly earned to the empress, who ordered her page in s 2 -waiting 260 NAVAL ANECDOTES. waiting to give the bearer refreshments and a bed, and requested that he might on no account be disturbed. The gallant messenger availed him- self of her graciousness, and " tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep, 1 ' never opened his eyelids till the dawn had far advanced, during which period Catherine had sent three times to see if he were awake. At length Captain Elphin- stone, in all his dishabille, was conducted to her presence by her secretary, when she commenced an enchanting conversation, in which she compli- mented the gallantry and many naval achievements of his family; and after proceeding upon various topics for about half an hour, she said, calling him, " My, son, now let us proceed to business: I have received the dispatches, which have afford- ed me infinite satisfaction ; I thank you for your bravery and zeal ; I beg you will describe to me the position of the ships," which, as Captain El- phinstone explained, she indicated with her pen- cil upon a leaf of her pocket-book ; and as she 'gave him her orders to the coinmander-in-chief, she presented him with a rouleau of ducats, a beautiful little French watch, and, although very young, promoted him to the rank of captain. HUMANITY NAVAL ANECDOTES. 26 1 HUMANITY AND BRAVERY OF THE LATE KING OF SWEDEN. IT was during the battle, mentioned in the pre- ceding anecdote, that the Swedish monach behaved with his accustomed gallantry : as he was rowing in his barge, and giving his orders, in the thickest of the battle, a shot carried away the hand of the strokesman, and at this moment a small Russian vessel of war discovering the king, bore down upon him ; the brave and generous monarch, seeing the accident which his poor bargeman had sustained, and his own personal peril at the same time, calmly took out his handkerchief and bound over the wound, then leaped on board one of his gun-boats, and miraculously escaped, by that good fortune which never favours little minds, at the instant when his barge was boarded by the enemy, the cushions of which were preserved in the apartment of Captain Elphinstone, in the marina barracks, as trophies of war and of humanity, GALLANT BEHAVIOUR AND WONDERFUL PRE- SERVATION OF CAPTAIN BOUCHIER, OF THJE HECTOR. AMONG the French prizes which were taken in the West Indies, on the glorious 12th of April, 1 782, was the Hector, of 74 guns, which struck s 3 t 262 NAVAL ANECDOTES. to the Canada, commanded by captain, now Ad- miral Cornwallis. Captain Bouchier was after- wards appointed to the Hector; and, in the month of August following, that ship sailed for England, with Rear- Admiral Graves's squadron. Being badly manned, and a heavy sailer, she dropped so far astern, that she parted company with the fleet about a week after they left the Ha- vannah. Her situation after this was truly deplo- rable. She was an old ship, and in such bad con- dition, that before she sailed from Jamaica, all her guns, excepting fifty-two, were taken out, and her masts were replaced by others of a smaller dinien- sion ; her complement of men amounted to 300, most of whom were invalids from the fleet, Ame- rican and French prisoners. In this miserable condition, on the evening of the 5th of September, she fell in with the Eagle and Gloire French frigates, each mounted with 40 guns, and a complement of 800 men, besides a great number of land officers and troops, whom they were conveying to North America. The weak state of the Hector was not long unper- ceived by the frigates, who instantly bore down, and placing themselves one upon her beam and the other upon her quarter, began a furious can- nonade ; Captain Bouchier made a most gallant resistance, but the slackness of the Hector's fire, and the slowness of her movements, gave the ene- my NAVAL ANECDOTES. 2(53 my frequent opportunities of raking her; confid- ing in the number of their men, they attempted to board the Hector, but were nobly repulsed with great slaughter. The engagement continued almost four hours with unabating violence, when, to the astonishment of those on board the Hector, the enemy ceased firing and sheered off, although day-light must have discovered to them the mise- rable state she was in. The damages sustained were prodigious, her already crazy hull was al- most torn to pieces, the masts, sails, and rigging, rendered by the shot useless; her emaciated and weak crew worn down by sickness, performed pro- digies of valour, and by their noble exertions sup- plied the defect of strength and numbers, Forty- six of those brave fellows were either killed or wounded, among the latter was Captain Bou- chier, who received so desperate a wound in the arm, that he was obliged to quijt the deck: giving charge of the ship to Captain O'Brien Drury, (who was on his passage to Englan.d) ; this officer maintained the battle with undaunted courage and intrepidity till the enemy sheered off. They were still Destined to encounter more se- rious and dreadful calamities, A few days after the engagement a storm arose, in which they lost all their masts and rudder; the leaks encreased to so violent a degree that the hold was filled with salt water, by which a great quantity of the pro- s 4 visions 264 NAVAL ANECDOTES. visions and fresh water was spoiled^ The only remaining sail was fothered and drawn under the bottom of the ship, with the hope of diminishing the leak ; this had no manner of effect, the leaks continued to gain upon them, the decks were fast sinking, and some of the beams of the orlop deck had absolutely fallen into the hold. The sick died apace. The small quantity of spirits, which for several days had supported the rest of the crew from perishing, was nearly exhausted. It required the utmost exertion of the officers to prevail on and keep the men at the pumps, many of whom dropped down dead while working them. For four days they were reduced to the deplora- ble necessity of existing without either spirits or water. The most miserable and afflicting picture now presented itself, that of being destined to lin* ger out a painful but short existence, when, to their inexpressible joy, on the 3d of October a sail was discovered bearing down upon them. This proved to be the Hawke snow, a letter of marque, belonging to Dartmouth, commanded by Captain John Hill, from Lisbon, bound to St. John's, Newfoundland. The distressed situ- ation of the Hector was no sooner known to this generous and humane man, than, without consi- dering the risk to which himself and crew might be exposed, he instantly applied himself to their Telief. He remained by them all night, and in the. morning NAVAL ANECDOTES. 265 morning took on board Captain Bouchier* and the 200 poor fellows who were left. His vessel be* came so much crowded, that in order to accommo- date them the better, he threw overboard a great part of his cargo. On the day when the Hawke arrived at St. John's, the last cask of vvater was abroach ; had the wind proved otherwise than fair, their generous deliverers might have been- involved in the distresses which the unfortunate crew of the Hector had so recently experienced. HEROIC CONDUCT OF AN ENGLISH LADY. The following gallant exploit, in which an En- glish lady bore a distinguished part, is highly worthy of notice. The ship Betsey, bound to London from Ja- maica, having parted company with the convoy in the Gulph of Florida, on the 20th of July, i 794, when off the Lizard, fell in with and was captured a squadron of French frigates. The master and crew (excepting the mate, cook, carpenter, a boy, and Mrs. Williams, a passenger) were taken out of the Betsey, and a lieutenant and thirteen Frenchmen put on board to take charge of the prize. On the 23d, in the evening, the ship being * At ptesent captain of Greenwich-Hospital. driven 266 NAVAL ANECDOTES. driven by a heavy gale of wind in sight of Guern- sey, a plot was laid for securing the Frenchmen and to retake the ship. On the mate suggesting it to Mrs. Williams, she instantly fainted, sensible, it is presumed, that if the same failed every soul would be put to death. Recovering in a short time her composure, she went to the mate, and, with heroism unparalleled, actually engaged to assist in the execution of the project. At eleven o'clock at night, when the lieutenant was asleep in his birth, and others of the French were between decks in the fore part of the ship, the signal was given, and Mrs. Williams kept her resolution by locking the lieutenant's dopr, and standing with her back against it to prevent its being forced : jrj the meanwhile the Frenchmen on deck were thrust down the hatchway by the three men, and threatened with death if they made the least at- tempt to get up. Providence favouring their ef- forts, with a fine breeze to the S. W. they reached Cowes Road at two o'clock in the morning of the 25th. When a boat went on board, they found Mrs. Williams in the same position, with a pistol Jn her hand. PJIAISE- NAVAL ANECDOTES. PRAISEWORTHY CONDUCT OF CAPT. JONES, OF THE CHESTERFIELD PACKET. THE following transaction, so highly honour- able to Captain Jones, of the Chesterfield packet, is worthy of being recorded in the annals of Bri- tish humanity. On the 28th of September, 1793, after having experienced a severe gale, it became more mode- rate, but a large and heavy swell was running, when Captain Jones fell in with and spoke the Maria, Captain Humphries, of London, bound for Newfoundland, out five weeks, and in great distress, her mizen-mast and main-top-mast car- ried away, her boats washed overboard, her stern- frame stove in, six of her upper deck beams broken, and in a very leaky condition. The cap- tain and crew in this dreadful situation solicited Captain Jones to take them on board, but his boats having been washed overboard in the same gale of wind in which the Maria suffered, there was no alternative to give these poor men assist- ance but boarding her with the packet. Captain Jones accordingly determined to try what he could do at all risk, and was happy enough to ex- ecute his plan with a good deal of success, by- laying her on board on the larboard quarter, by which effort he took out tha captain and five men. 268 men ; but two of the crew, in the great hurry and expedition in which it was executed, were unfor- tunately left on board. Captain Jones, with the greatest humanity, made several unsuccessful at- tempts to release these unhappy men from their miserable situation ; at length he run close along- side the Maria and threw a rope on board, calling to the men to make themselves fast to it and jump overboard, which they executed, and were hauled on board unhurt. HEROIC ACHIEVEMENT OF THREE SCILLY PILOTS. ON the 31st of August, 1794, a most daring and brave attempt was made, with success, by a boat and with only three men, who went to sea from St. Mary's, Scilly, in quest of ships as pilots. At two leagues distance from the land they spoke a brig, which, on the 29th, had been captured by three French frigates, about twenty leagues to the westward. She was in the possession of seven Frenchmen, five of whom were remarkably stout men ; there had been left on board one English sailor and a boy, the former of whom, on a swivel being pointed at the boat, called to them that they had neither powder nor arms, and desired them to jump on board, which they no sooner had done, than a conflict ensued with such wea- pons NAVAL ANECDOTES. 269 pons as could be most readily obtained ; at one time the conflict was so desperate that they had nearly overcome the Scilly men, however, at length the Frenchmen were subdued, and the ves- sel, on the 1st of September, was carried into St. Helen's Pool. She proved to be the brig Beck- ford, belonging to Great Yarmouth, from Sopha Bay, on the Barbary coast, laden with salt-petre and hides. ANIMATED DESCRIPTION OF THE BATTLE OF COPENHAGEN. THE following impressive and well- written nar- rative is extracted from a late elegant publication of Mr. Carr, entitled, A Northern Summer. A battle, in which the departed Nelson achieved such immortal glory for himself and for his coun- try, cannot be regarded but with enthusiastic ad- miration by Englishmen. On our return to the city, says Mr. Carr, " and about a mile from it, a tufted hillock of small poplars attracted our notice: it was the national tomb of the heroes who fell in the me- morable battle of Copenhagen Roads, on the 2d of April, 1801, and stood in a meadow about two hundred yards from the road, and looked towards the Crown Battery. As we approached it we saw a small monumental obelisk, which, was raised 270 NAVAL ANECDOTES* raised to the memory of Captain Albert Thuraty by the Crown Prince. It appeared, by the in- scription, that during the heat of that sanguinary battle a signal was made from one of the block ships, that all the officers on board were killed ;. the Crown Prince, who behaved with distinguish- ed judgment and composure during the whole of that terrific and anxious day, and was giving his orders on shore, exclaimed, " Who will take the command?" The gallant Thurah replied, " I will, my prince," and immediately leaped into a "boat, and, as he was mounting the deck of the Mock ship, a British shot numbered him with the dead, which formed a ghastly pile before him, and consigned his spirit and his glory to the regions of immortality. As the battle, under 4 all its circumstances, was as awful and affecting as any in the English and Danish history, the reader will, I am sure, feel no reluctance minutely to contemplate the larger tomb which first attracted our notice; it is o a pyramidal hillock, neatly turfed and planted with sapling poplars, corresponding with the num- ber of officers who fell. A little above is an obe- lisk of grey northern marble, raised upon a pe- destal of granite, bearing this inscription : To the memory of those who fell for their country, their grateful fellow-citizens raise this monu- ment, AprilZ, 1801; and beneath, on a white marble NAVAL ANECDOTES, 271 marble tablet, under a wreath of laurel, oak, and cypress, bound together, is inscribed: - The wreath which the country bestows never withers ever the grave of the fallen warrior. The whole is enclosed in a square palisado : as a national monument it is too diminutive. The next day I visited the spot where so much blood was shed. A young Danish officer upon the Crown battery obligingly pointed out the disposition of the ships, and spoke of the bat- tle with great impartiality. From the disposition of the British fleets, before the squadron under Lord Nelson bore down and rendered his inten- tion indubitable, the Danes were firmly of opi- nion that the British commander intended to pro- ceed either to Calscrona or Revel, and made no preparation for defence; their ships were lying in ordinary : they therefore trusted entirely to their block ships and batteries. On that day the Hero of the Nile surpassed those achievements, which an admiring and astonishing world conceived must for ever remain without imitation, as they had been without example, in the annals of the British navy. Favoured with a fortunate shift of wind, and an extraordinary elevation of the tide, which at that time was higher than the Danes had long remembered it, he placed his unsupported squadron, and, as it is said, with an unobserved signal of retreat flying at the mast head of the 3 ship 272 NAVAL ANECDOTES. ship of the chief in command, in a most advan- tageous and formidable position. The citizens of Copenhagen in a moment flew to their posts ; all distinctions were lost in the love of their country, Nobles and mechanics, gentlemen and shopmen, rushed together in crowds to the quays ; the sick crawled out of their beds, and the very lame were led to the sea-side, imploring to be taken in the boats, which were perpetually going off with crowds to the block-ships. A carnage, at once tremendous and novel, only served to increase their enthusiasm. What an awful moment ! The invoked vengeance of the British nation, with the fury and velocity of lightning, was falling with terrible desolation on a race of gallant people, in their very capital, whose kings were once seat- ed upon the throne of England, and in the veins .of whose magnanimous prince flowed the blood of her august family. Nature must have shuddered as she contemplated such a war of brethren : the conflict was short, but sanguinary beyond exam- ple ; in the midst of the slaughter, the heroic Nelson dispatched a flag of truce on shore, with a note to the Crown Prince, in which he expressed a wish that-a stop should be put to the farther ef- fusion of human blood, and to avert the destruc- tion of the Danish arsenal and of the capital, which he observed the Danes must then see were at his mercy. He once more proposed their * with- NAVAL ANECDOTES. 273 withdrawing from their triple league, and ac- knowledging the supremacy of the British flag. As soon as the Prince's answer was received, a cessation of hostilities took place, and Lord Nel- son left his ship to go on shore. Upon his ar- rival at the quay, he found a carriage which had been sent for him by Mr. D. a merchant of high respectability, the confusion being too great to enable the prince to send one of the royal car- riages; in the former the gallant admiral proceed- ed to the palace in the Octagon, through crowds of people, whose fury was rising to phrenzy, and amongst whom his person was in more imminent danger than even from the cannon of the block ships; but nothing could shake the soul of such a man. Arrived in the palace at the Octagon, he calm- ly descended frdm the carriage, amidst the murmurs and groans of the enraged concourse, which not even the presence of the Danish officers who ac- companied him could restrain. The Crown Prince received him in the hall and conducted him up stairs, and presented him to the king, whose long shattered state of mind had left him but very little sensibility to display upon the trying occa- sion. The objects of the impressive interview were soon adjusted to the perfect satisfaction of Lord Nelson and his applauding country ; that done, he assumed the gaiety and good-humour of T a visitor, 274 NAVAL ANECLOTES. a visitor, and partook of some refreshments with the Crown Prince. During the repast Lord Nelson spoke in rap- tures of the bravery of the Danes, and particu- larly requested the Prince to introduce him to a very young officer, whom he described as having done wonders during the battle, by attacking his own ship immediately under her lower guns. It proved to be the gallant young Welmoes, a strip- ling of seventeen; the British hero embraced him with the enthusiasm of a brother, and delicately intimated to the Prince that he ought to make him an admiral ; to which the Prince very happily re- plied, " If, my lord, I were to make all my brave officers admirals, I should have no captains or lieutenants in my service." This heroic youth had volunteered the command of a praam, which is a sort of raft, carrying six small cannon, and manned with twenty-four men; who pushed off from shore, and in the fury of the battle placed themselves under the stern of Lord Nelson's ship, which they most successfully attacked, in such a manner, that although they were below the reach of his stern chasers, the British marines made ter- rible slaughter amongst them : twenty of these gallant men fell by bullets, but their young com- mander continued knee-deep in dead at his post, until the truce was announced. He has been ho- noured, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 275 nouredj as he most eminently deserved to be, with the grateful remembrance of his country, and of his prince, who, as a mark of his regard, present- ed him with a medallion, commemorative of his gallantry, and has appointed him to the command of his yacht, in which he makes his annual visit to Holsiein. The issue of this contest was glo- rious and decisive ; could it be otherwise, when its destinies were committed to a Nelson ? THE SAILOR S FAREWEL. BY DR. OGILVIE. HARK I the halloo that calls us away ! Tom, fill us a bumper in haste ; While the ship lies unmoor'd in the bay, Let us drink to the days that are past. Let us drink, jolly boys, ere we part, To our mates who carouse on the shore ; To the friend whom we lodge in our hearts ; To the nymph whom we prize as our store. Adieu to the hut in the vale, To the secret recess of the grove; To old Ned, with October so stale, To Molly, the maid of my love. To the joys of the feast and the glas, Where beauty displays all her'cTiaja To the song, and the bolftftri Vbung lass, That melts at the sound in your arras^ i 2 See NAVAL ANECDOTES. See the main-sail that floats on the wind, Hark ! they heave up the anchor j Gee-ho 1 Our friends stand assembled behind ; While the shores all re-echo hillo ! Let the hearts of each Briton rejoice, At the shouts that resound from the main; 'Tis the spirit of England, brave boys, That swells in the slow-rolling strain. Farewel to our dear native home, And our sweet little pastimes of yore ; O'er the wide spreading ocean we roam, And may see the old hamlet no more. Yet the heart of a sailor can feel For his friends, for his country's repose ; To these it presents the smooth peal, And the rough oak beneath to their foes. Free lords of the ocean we steer, In commerce as well as in war ; To the nations we speak without fear : Let the Monsieurs contend if they dare.. \\V11 bring with your monkeys so gay, In frolic akin, as in face, Some spruce little Frenchman to play, And give each the fraternal embrace? Ye breezes, blow fair from the land ! Thou Power on all nature impress'd, Who hold'st the wild wind in thine hand ; O smooth the rough billows to rest ! Thy NAVAL ANECDOTES. 277 They fill the loose sails as they glide ; The landscape recedes from the view ; In our broad wake we furrow the tide. Ye shores of Old England, adieu ! - ANECDOTE OF CAPTAIN VANCOUVER. CAPTAIN Vancouver used to say, that he had been nearer the pole than any other man for that when the immortal Cook, in latitude 72, was stop- ped in his progress by impenetrable mountains of ice, and was preparing to tack about, he went to the very end of the bowsprit, and waving his hand, exclaimed Ne plus ultra. MACKLIN'S DESCRIPTION OF AN ENGLISH MAN OF WAR. AN English man-of-war can speak all lan- guages : she is the best interpreter, and most pro- found politician in this island ; she was always Oliver Cromwell's ambassador ; she is the wisest minister of state that ever existed, and never tellf a lie nor will she suffer the proudest French- man, or Spaniard, or Dutchman, to bamboozla her, or give her a saucy answer. T 5 ENTER- 278 NAVAL ANECDOTES, ENTERPRISING ACT OF ADMIRAL HOPSOJT WHEN A BOY. BONCHURCH village, in the Isle of Wight, claims the honour of having been the birth-place of the gallant Admiral Hopson ; who, from a common sea-boy, rose to a high rank in the na- vy, and was much celebrated in the reign of Queen Anne. The history of this extraordinary character is as follows : He was left an orphan at an early age, and apprenticed by the parish to a taylor ; a species of employment ill-suited to his enter- prising spirit. As he was one day sitting alone on the shop-board, with his eyes directed towards the sea, he was struck with the appearance of a squadron of men-of-war coming round Dunnose : following the first impulse of his fancy, he quit- ted his work, and ran down to the beach, where he cast off the painter of the first boat he saw, jumped on board, and plied the oars so well, that he quickly reached the admiral's ship, where he entered as a volunteer, turned the boat adrift, and bade adieu to his native place. Early the next morning the admiral fell in with a French squa- dron, and in a few hours a warm action com- menced, which was fought on both sides with equal bravery. During this time Hopson obeyed his orders with great cheerfulness and alacrity ; but, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 279 but, after fighting two hours, he became impa- tient, and enquired of the sailors what was the object for which they were contending. On be- ing told that the action must continue until the white rag at the enemy's mast-head was struck, he exclaimed : " Oh I if that's (ill, I will see what lean do" At this moment the ships were engaged yard-arm and yard-arm, and obscured iri the smoke of the guns. Our young hero, taking advantage of this circumstance, determined either to haul down the enemy's colours, or to perish in the attempt. He accordingly mounted the shrouds unperceived, walked the horse of the main-yard, gained that of the French Admiral, and ascend- ing with agility to the maintop-gallant- mast-head, struck and carried off the French flag, with which he retreated ; and, at the moment lie regained his own ship, the British tars shouted Victory, with- out any other cause than that the enemy's flag had disappeared. The crew of the French ship being thrown into confusion in consequence of the loss of the flag, ran from their guns, and while the admiral and officers, equally surprised at the event, .were endeavouring to rally them, the Bri- tish tars seized the opportunity, boarded the ves- sel, and took her. Hopson at this juncture de- scended the shrouds, with the French admiral's flag wound round his arm, and displayed it tri- umphantly to the sailors on the main-deck, who T 4 received 280 NAVAL ANECDOTES. received his prize with the utmost rapture and as- tonishment This heroic action reaching the quarter-deck, Hopson was ordered to attend there ; and the officers, far from giving him cre- dit for his gallantry, gratified their envy by brow- beating and threatening him with punishment for his audacity ; but the admiral, on hearing of it, observed a very opposite conduct : My lad, '(said he to Hopson) / believe you to be a brave young man ; from this day I order you to walk the quar- ter-deck; and according to your future conduct, you shall obtain my patronage and protection. Hopson soon convinced his patron that the coun- tenance shewn him was not misplaced. He went rapidly through the several ranks of the service until he became an admiral ; and so great was the confidence which his sovereign placed in his con- duct, that she gave him the command of a squa- dron, with a commission to cruise at his own dis- cretion. In this service he acquitted himself to the satisfaction of his royal mistress, and became the pride of the British navy. EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCE OF RE-CAPTURE, ON the 28th of August, 1799, was decided the following extraordinary case of a re-capture, ojade by one English sailor and a boy, who retook- 6 th* NAVAL ANECDOTES. 281 the snow, Liberty, from a prize-master and nine Frenchmen. The facts proved upon oath were the following : The vessel was freighted at the West-Indies to London, with a cargo of cotton, rum, &c. 60Q01. value. In the month of January, 1797, she was captured in the Bay of Biscay by a French priva- teer. A prize-master and nine French seamen were put on board; the only Englishman left were Robert Cloyston, the* mate, and Oliver, a grown-up boy. The second day the mate ob- served that the French crew got intoxicated, and that they quarrelled among themselves, and most cordially hated the prize-master. The mate con- sulted the boy how he should retake the ship ; the latter could speak French tolerably well. Ac- cordingly, the next morning, Oliver spoke to four of the Frenchmen that were the most refractory, and told them if they would assist to retake the ship, they should be well rewarded. The French- men agreed to the scheme, and the next morning the prize-master was knocked down, and cut with an axe ; the helm was taken possession of, the ship re-captured, and the other French sailors se- cured. When this was effected, the boy Oliver told them, if they made for a port in France, they would all be put to death ; and therefore (being off Scilly) they had better steer for Cork, where they would be safe. The ship -was accordingly carried 282 NAVAL ANECDOTES. carried into Cork, and Mr. Cloyston acted as master; from thence she arrived safe in the port of London. Sir William Scott, the judge, reviewed the whole case, and was clearly of opinion, that the appli- cants deserved the highest reward which the law would allow ; he therefore adjudged the recaptors one sixth of the ship and cargo, together with rea- sonable costs. GENEROSITY OF AN IRISH SAILOR. IN October, 1799, during the escort of the treasure which had been taken in the Spanish fri- gates, Thetis and Santa Brigeda, to the dungeons of the citadel at Plymouth, where it was deposited for safety, as the procession was passing through the market-place, some interruption occasioned a stoppage of the headmost waggon of the second division. This naturally drew a croud about the waggon; during which, a gentleman pushed for- ward to see how the dollars were packed, when the honest tar, who carried the British ensign over the Spanish, asked him in a goodnatured way, " if his honour wished to smell at the treasure ;* the gentleman said laughingly, " he would much rather taste it :" the sailor immediately putting his unemployed fingers into his mouth, pulled out a small Spanish gold coin, and a quid ; and put- ting NAVAL ANECDOTES. 283 fing both into the gentleman's hand, emphatically said, " By Jasus, in my country \ve find tasting better than smelling, and feeling is the naked truth ; so your honour's welcome." The gentle- man offered him more than the real value ; but honest Patrick refused, and said " he had enougli and to spare." The waggon then driving on, pre- vented any other application on the subject. SPLRITED BEHAVIOUR OF A BRITISH SAILOR, AT THE ATTACK OF THE HELDER. THIS man was one of the detachment of sea- men sent on shore to assist in drawing the artil- lery up the beach. The party employed on this service were covered by a body of grenadiers, one of whom having dropped, Jack started from his gun, and examined the body, exclaiming with an oath, that he was a dead man, and he would take his place; and, having stripped off the gre- nadier's belt and cartouche-box, and equipped himself therewith, he seized his firelock, and be- gan loading and firing at the enemy: he dis- charged his piece six times, at each time bringing down his man. At length he dropped himself, and was carried on board the hospital-ship to be amputated, having received a ball through his knee. This was not all ; he was told that he must be brought to trial for having deserted his post, 284 NAVAL ANECDOTES. post, and taken upon himself a task out of the line of his duty : " But, please your honour," replied this gallant fellow, "I killed six of them." " That may be," said his captain, " but you flew from your quarters." " Then, please your ho- nour," rejoined Jack, in the simplicity of his heart, " forgive me this once, and I will kill no more of them." ]S 7 OB:LE FORTITUDE AND HEROISM OF A MARINE. IN cutting out a Spanish polacre/from the liar- bour of Lu Seva, in 1799, by the boats of the Success frigate, a marine, who had his right arm broken by a grape-shot, was asked by Lieutenant Facey, " if his right-arm was not disabled ?" To which he nobly replied, " yes, it was ; but, thank. God, though he could not pull a trigger with his right, he could handle a cutlass with his left hand ;" and in this situation was very active in assisting to board and carry the vessel. REMARKABLE COMBINATION OF COURAGE AND SEAMANSHIP. THE following extraordinary instance of British seamanship, valour, and dexterity, occurred in the NAVAL ANECDOTES. 285 the escape of a pilot-boat from a French priva- teer, in the month of January, 1800 : The vessel was the Amity, belonging to Bern- bridge, on the look out for ships. About ten in the morning they discovered a lugger-privateer about two miles distance, which they could not perceive before in consequence of the morning being hazy. There being little wind, the enemy was rowing with thirteen oars on each side, and fast approaching : the master of the pilot-boat thought it best to leave his vessel immediately, there being no other means of escaping. He and another man, therefore, got into their small boat, and desired James Wallis, the boy, to come also ; but he bravely answered, he would re main by the vessel, whatever might be the conse- quence. Thus resolved, he gave them his watch and all the little money he had, which he request- ed they would give to his father ; they promised to perform his request, and immediately left him to his fate, when the privateer was only about a quarter of a mile distant. In a few minutes she shot up under his lee-quarter, with an intention to grapple the pilot-boat ; and having fresh way, lowered their main-top-sails and lug-sail ; the lad observing their design, just as they were in the act of heaving their grappling-irons, put his helm down, and went about, whilst the privateer fired small-arms and swivels into her. This manoeuvre obliged 286 NAVAL ANECDOTES* obliged them to make sail and tack : when they had made all the sail they could, the young man, with great judgment, tacked and weathered them about the length of the lugger : the privateer hav- ing gained his wake, tacked also. The youth continued to tack every time the privateer set her sails, which was repeated seventeen or eighteen times : they likewise constantly fired when near, and particularly when crossing at a distance, ne- ver more than thirty yards. After manoeuvring in this dexterous manner for above two hours, a fresh breeze happily sprung up : the pilot-boat was then on the last tack, and had gained about a cable's length to windward, when she crossed the privateer, which, after firing all her swivels and small-arms, bore up and left him. SUPERSTITION OF FORMER AGES ; Illustrated bj an Historical Anecdote of William, surnamed Longsword, Earl of Salisbury. IN the year 1222, or 1223, when William Earl of Salisbury, was returning from an expedition to the Holy Land, he was overtaken at sea by a vio- lent tempest, which gave rise to the following nar- rative of a miraculous interposition, so consistent with the superstitious genius of that age : 4 " There NAVAL ANECDOTES. 287 M There arose so great a tempest at sea, that de- spairing of life, he threw his money and rich ap- parel overboard. But when all hopes were past, they discerned a mighty taper of wax burning bright at the prow of the ship, and a beautiful woman standing by it, who preserved it from rain and wind, so that it gave a clear bright lustre. Upon sight of which heavenly vision both himself and the mariners concluded of their future secu- rity ; but every one there being ignorant what this vision might portend, except this earl, he at- tributed it to the benignity of the Blessed Virgin; by reason, that upon the day when he was ho- noured with the girdle of knighthood, he brought a taper to her altar, to be lighted every day at mass in honour of her, when the canonical hours used to be sung, and to the intent, that for this terrestial light he might enjoy that which is eter- nal." INGENIOUS DEVICES OF CAPTAIN MARTIN", OF THE MARLBOROUGH INDIAMAX. CAPTAIN Martin, while commanding the Maryborough Indiaman, was attacked by three French ships of war, one of 70, one 60, and one of 32 guns ; of which last force his own ship was. They had taken a station in India to intercept all $he outward-bound ships that year. The Marl- borough's 288 NAVAL ANECDOTES. borough's cargo was valued at 200,0001. sterling, having 100,0001. in foreign specie on board ; this Captain Martin supposed they knew, as otherwise he was of opinion they would have sunk him with their lower tier, when two or three times near him. He first saw them on Thursday morning, and it was Saturday night before he was quite clear of them. His officers and people would persuade him that they were English ships, and mentioned their names, the largest they called the Barring- ton ; upon which he hauled up his sails, and was sending his boat to invite the captain to dinner, o and to learn their news ; but not being thorough- ly satisfied while viewing them with his glass, he perceived the largest open her lower tier of ports ; and asking if the Barrington had two tiers of ports, he was informed not ; on which he recalled his boat and made all the sail he could ; which they no sooner perceived than they began to fire upon him, hauling down English and hoisting French colours, continuing a brisk engagement for two or three glasses before he could get any distance from them. They kept chasing them till the next day, when they were so near that they could hear what was said on board each other's ship. Perceiving thick weather arising, he formed a scheme which proved of great service to him. He quietly ordered every man to his post, and the sails to be trimmed as sharp as possible -, he then NAVAL ANECDOTES. then told the man at the helm, that when he told him to put the helm hard-a-vveather, he must put it hard-a-lee, and that if he made no blunder he \voujd reward him handsomely, but, if he erred, he would shoot him through the head. Then go- ing on the poop, and seeing the French ship so near, he stamped with affected wrath, and asking if he had a mind to be on board her, bid him put the helm hard-a -weather ; he put it quite the con- trary, as ordered, and brought the ship quite round, almost under the French ship's bowsprit, which surprised them greatly, they imagining they meant to board them. As soon as they were con- vinced that was not their design, they began to fire, and put their helm hard-a-lee ; but their sails not being prepared like his, were all taken aback* which put them into great confusion, and had there been as much wind as he expected from the appearance of the weather, in all probability they had lost all their masts, which was his aim; but, as it was, before they could get in a proper con- dition to follow him, he had got above a league ahead. This was reckoned very able seaman- ship, as well as a serviceable stratagem. Being at such a distance when night came on, he easily altered his course without observation. He got close in under land, and anchored to refresh his people, and repair his rigging and sails, which were much shattered. He declared he never u slept 290 NAVAL ANECDOTES. slept sounder for four or five hours, than he diet that night on the open deck, with a log of wood for his pillow. Not being perfectly secure, at 'dawn of day he ordered some men up to the mast- head to keep a good look-out, where they had not been long before they cried out that they es- pied a pagoda, but he knowing the coast very well, knew there could be no such thing in sight, and concluded it to be one of the French ships. He immediately cut away his anchor, and made all the sail he could ; but before he was well un- derweight the French sixty-gun ship was nearly up with him. Thus they continued all day. At night he once more effectually deceived them : as soon as it was dark, he ordered a light to be placed in the great cabin-window and no other light to appear in the ship ; he then ordered a water- cask to be sawed in halves, in one of which he fixed a mast exactly the height of the light in the window, to which he affixed a candle and lant- horn, and putting the light out of the window, turned the cask adrift. The French soon came up with it, and believing it was his ship, and that he meant to fight, prepared for action ; but before all was arranged it sunk, and left them in a per- plexity how to proceed. Captain Martin conti- nued his course, and in a short time arrived safe in the port he was bound to. LUDI- NAVAL ANECDOTES. 291 LUDICROUS INTERVIEW BETWEEN THE LATE ADMIRAL VERNON AND MR. (AFTERWARDS SIR WILLIAM) BARNABY. MR. Barnaby was a man extremely attached to exterior appearance, and aimed, on all occa- sions, at being the best dressed man in whatever company he mixed : he however carried this de- sire on some occasions to a height which exposed him to ridicule, and the imputation of absurdity. Mr. Vernon, it is said, was of a different turn of mind ; he, on the opposite direction, sunk his ideas of dress into a slovenly appearance, highly improper in an officer of any rank, and truly re- prehensible in a commander-in-chief like himself, as well as derogatory to the decency of a gentle- man. A meeting between two such opposite cha- racters must have been not a little amusing, sup- posing them both to have had an opportunity of displaying their different inclinations. This ab- solutely took place, and in the following manner : Mr. Barnaby, immediately after his arrival at Ja- maica, proceeded, as is customary, to pay a visit of ceremony to the commander-in-chief. On this solemn occasion he equipped himself gorgeously in a suit of silk, or, as some say, velvet, very splen- didly laced. The admiral was, as was not un- common with him, coarsely dressed in a very or- 2 dinary NAVAL ANECDOTES. dinary manner. When Mr. Barnaby was an- noqnced, Mr. Vernon rose from his escrutore with much apparent and pretended confusion, and hurrying into an inner apartment, put on a wig of ceremony, which, having adjusted with pretended haste and embarrassment, he advanced towards Mr. Barnaby with great gravity, and de- sired to know his commands ; when the latter in- formed him with much precision and attention to form. " that he had the honour to command a bomb-vessel, which had just arrived from Eng- land." Mr. Vernon, with a ludicrous and gro- tesque alteration of countenance, replied, " Gad, so, sir, I really took you for a dancing-master." AMIABLE AND HONOURABLE CONDUCT O CAPTAIN DE L ANGLE, OF THE DURSLEY GALLEY, TOWARDS SOME SPANISH PRI- SON 7 EKS~ THE following anecdote redounds so highly to the honour of this brave and worthy man, that, to omit it, would be unpardonable. The circum- stance which it records took place in the year 1742, and is thus related in a letter which was subsequently written : A year or two since, his majesty's ship, the Dursley galley, of ^pivuns, Captain de L'Angle, commandex.. "NAVAL ANECDOTES. Commander, cruizing to the eastward of Al leant Bay, made a small sail, to which she gave ehase. Coming up with it towards evening, and firing a gun, the bark struck ; and the boat going off to take possession of her, found her a small zobeyne, bound from Malaga to Yvica, with provisions and .passengers of both sexes, whom our soldiers with- out much ceremony plundered of what money ot tilings of value they had on board. The surgeon of the man-of-war (from whom I have this narra- tive) soon after going on board the prize, it being almost dark, could just perceive a Romish clergy- man (for such he appeared by his dress) leaning in a disconsolate manner over the side of the ves- sel, with a young girl with him all in tears. On seeing this he took occasion to speak with him in Latin, which brought on a conversation in that language, by which he understood that this pre- late was Bishop of Yvica, on his passage from Spain to that island, and that the young girl was a relation 1 :ft under his care. The surgeon, after a few compliments of condolement, returned to his ship, and gave Captain de L' Angle an account of what had passed. This worthy commander im- mediately sent his pinnace for the bishop and his fair kinswoman, for whom he had provided an ele- gant supper, during which, being placed at the head of the table, they were treated by him and his officer with the politeness and respect due to 4; 3 their 294 NAVAL ANECDOTES. their rank and quality; in the mean while the captain had taken such proper measures that, as soon as supper was ended, he caused to be re- stored to these distressed prisoners all the little money, jewels, plate, clothes, &c. which they had lost, excepting a silver chalice, which could not be recovered. Imagine, sir, to yourself, the sen- timents of this honest prelate at such unexpected treatment from those whom, no doubt, he had been taught to regard as cruel heretics, and from whom he probably apprehended the worst usage for him- self and his young relation. The simplicity and the goodness of .his heart discovered itself by a flood of tears, more expressive than the rhetoric of a Jesuit, or the wit of a cardinal. Captain de L'Angle, pleased with the sincerity of his joy, as- sured him of his being safe as well as free, and the next morning he should be at full liberty to pursue his voyage without any fears of future danger. Accordingly, after an agreeable break- fast, he was re-conducted on board his own bark, and arrived soon after safe at Yvica. I am well informed that this bishop has so last- ing a sense of this obligation, that whenever (though the war still subsists) an English man-of- war appears off the port of Yvica, he never fails to send out a boat with such refreshments as the island affords, and his compliments to the cap- tain, in acknowledgements for the favours shewn NAVAL ANECDOTES. 295 him on board the Dursley galley. This therefore, ought to recommend a generous behaviour to our enemies. ANOTHER EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCE OF RE-CAPTURE. ON the 2d. of April, 1801, the Beaver, mer- chantman, O'Connor, master, laden with wine from Oporto to London, parted from her convoy. On the 10th she was captured by the Braave, French privateer of J 8 guns and 70 men; the captain of which put on board a prize-master and four men ; leaving only O'Connor and a boy on board the Beaver. He contrived to secure the French prize-master, by seizing him and tying hfs hands behind him, in the cabin, and locked the door ; then ran on deck with a crow-bar and pis- tol and attacked the man at the helm, who, in th scuffle, fell overboard and was drowiied. The other three men being aloft in the tops, he took the helm, and ordered them to stay there or he would shoot them. In this anxious state he re- mained all night, the Beaver making very little way being very leaky. In the morning at day- light, to his great joy, h discovered a frigate, and contrived to make a signal of distress, upon which she bore down towards him, and proved to be the Loire; Captain Newman, who sent a boat \s 4 on 296 NAVAL ANECDOTES. on board to his assistance, and carried the Beaver into Plymouth. For this gallant exploit, the Court of Admiral- ty awarded Mr. O'Connor 8501. ; to the boy who assisted him, 1 501. ; to the office r s and crew of his majesty's ship, Loire, 5001. CRUELTY AND INFAMOUS CONDUCT OF THE FRENCH COMMODORE, MAC NAMARA, TO- WARDS THE OFFICERS AND CREWS OF SOME ENGLISH CARTEL-SHIPS. SUBSEQUENTLY to the expedition against Lou- isbnrg, in 1745, Captain Man of the Launceston, man-of-war, with fourteen cartel ships, was dis- patched thence by Commodore Warren to France, with the prisoners who had been taken in arms, and such of the inhabitants as chose to remove thither. " No sooner were we arrived in the road of Rochfort," says Mr. Gibson, one of the officers employed on this occasion, " but Com- modore Mac Namara, in a ship of seventy-four guns, obliged us to come to under his stern. We obeyed and shewed our passports, which, when he had read, he insisted that every master should deliver into his hands Jbis particular journal. Some looking on it as an unreasonable demand, "with resolution opposed, but were confined in irons in his ship for their refusal. Soon after, he sent NAVAL ANECDOTES. 297 sent for me : being admitted into his cabin, he or- dered me to sit down at his green-table and give an account of my own proceedings in writing, which orders I readily complied with, and deli- vered into his hands. Upon the receipt of it he told me, that the cartels could receive no favour at Rochfort ; and since he was informed by seve- ral passengers, that I had been a very busy, active fellow against the interest of his most Christian ma- jesty at Louisburg, if he could find out any arti- cle whatever, that w^as in the least contradictory to the declaration I had delivered, he would send me to the tower. Pie immediately sent on board for my trunk, and insisted on my giving him the key. I did ; and he took all my papers, and read them over in the first place ; after that, he broke open the letters directed for London ; those, indeed, he sealed up again, and, having put them into the trunk, dismissed me. His next orders were, that the cartels should not go on board the Launceston on any pretence : he charged us, like- wise, not to go on shore, and gave strict orders to the garrison to watch us night and day ; and in case any of us attempted to go on shore, the guard was direct- ed to shoot us. He would not permit a boat to bring us the least supply of any kind ; insomuch, that we were obliged to live wholly on salt provisions, and drink water that was ropy and very offensive to the smell, foe above six weeks successively. When 298 NAVAL ANECDOTES. When this cruel commodore set sail with his fleet, consisting of about two hundred sail of mer- chantmen and seven men-of-war, for Hispaniola, another as cruel supplied his place. On Sunday eve he sent out a yawl with orders for all the car- tels to unbend their sails. We did as directed ; and on Monday morning, his men came in their long-boats and carried all our sails on shore, in- to the garrison, which surprised us to the last de- gree, as we had been detained so long and lived in expectation of our passports every day. At this unhappy juncture, Captain Robert Man, who was commander of the Launceston, was taken vio- lently ill of a fever, and, notwithstanding inter- cession was made that he might be removed on shore, as the noise on board affected his head too much, yet the favour was inhumanly denied him, to every officer in the ship besides." LAUGHABLE ECCENTRICITIES OF THE LATE CAPTAIN, THE HONOURABLE WILLIAM MONTAGUE. Ix coming up the Channel during the time he commanded the Bristol, he fell in with a nume- rous fleet of outward-bound Dutch merchantmen, lie fired at several in order to compel them to bring to, a measure authorised by custom and his general NAVAL ANECDOTES. 299 general instructions. The Dutch, aided by a fair wind, hoped by its assistance to escape the disa- greeable delay of being searched or overhauled, and held on their way : Captain Montague pur- sued, but, on overtaking them, took no other sa- tisfaction than that of manning and sending out his two cutters, with a carpenter's-mate in each, ordering them to cut off twelve of the ugliest heads they could 'find in the whole fleet, from among those with which, as it is well known, those people are accustomed to ornament the ex- tremity of their rudders. When these were brought he caused them to be disposed on brac- kets round his cabin, contrasting them in the most ludicrous manner his vein of humour could in- vent, and writing unde*r them the names of the twelve Caesars. Another anecdote is, that being once at Lis- bon, and having got into a night affray with the people on shore, he received in the scuffle what is usually termed a black-eye. On the succeed- ing day, previously to his going on shore, he com- pelled each of his boat's crew to black with cork one of their eyes, so as to resemble a natural in- jury ; the starboard rowers the right-eye, the lar- board rowers the left, and the coxswain both : the whimsical effect may be easily conceived. When under the orders of Sir Edward Hawke, in 175j, he solicited permission to repair to town. The ,300 NATAL ANECDOTES. The admiral, aware of the impropriety of such a, request, and at the same time wishing to palliate refusal by imposing, on his permission, a condi- tion he conceived impossible to be undertaken, even by a man of Captain Montague's harmless, though extravagant turn of mind, jestingly said, " The complexion of affairs was so serious that he could not grant him leave to go farther from his ship than where his barge could carry him. Captain Montague, not to be foiled or abashed, is said to have immediately repaired to Ports- mouth, where he gave orders for the construction of a carriage on trucks, to be drawn by horses, on which he meant to row his barge : and having previously stored it with provisions and necessa- ries requisite for three days, to proceed to Lon- don. Having lashed it to the carriage, the crew was instructed to imitate the action of rowing with the same solemnity, as if they had been ac- tually coming into the harbour from Spithead. Sir Edward, as it is said, received intelligence of his intention soon after the boat and its contents were landed, and immediately sent him permission to proceed to London in whatever manner he thought proper. II 0X0 6 ft- NAVAL ANECDOTES, 301 irOXOURABLE AND GENEROUS CONDUCT OF THE SAME OFFICER. WHEN in the West Indies, in the early part of his life, an affair, very disagreeable to Captain Montague, unfortunately occurred : a boat pas- sing his ship in the night, was fired at by his or- der, to compel it to bring to, some suspicion be- ing entertained that there were French people on- board. Through inattention, or carelessness, one of the shots so fired wounded a negro in the leg,, so terribly, that he died the next morning. Ad- miral Knowles thought proper to suspend him from his command on that account, and, as it is said, not only refused to allow him a court-mar- tial, but also the privilege, which the captain ear- nestly requested, of being tried by the laws of the island of Antigua, where the unfortunate accident happened* This unjust treatment afterwards underwent a kgal investigation ; and Captain Montague, with that honourable and generous eccentricity, which so stro-ngly marked his character, was contented with vindicating his own honour, and proving, to the satisfaction of the court, the ill usage he had experienced ; for though it was supposed very considerable damages would have been recovered against the admiral, the trial was prevented from regularly proceeding to an end, the counsel for Captain 302 NAVAL ANECDOTES. Captain Montague being instructed by him to declare he would be contented with a verdict of ten guineas, and the costs of suit. The sum re- covered we believe to have been afterwards dis- tributed among the prisoners in the marshalsea. DOCTORS SOMETIMES DIFFER. THE medical profession, indeed, is not the only one, the members of which are apt to entertain different opinions on the same subjects, as is evi- dent from the following anecdote of the admirals, Kempenfeldt and Geary. In the month of July, 1780, Admiral Geary then commanding a squadron in the Channel, an enemy's fleet was discovered. Rear-admiral Kempenfeldt, who at that time acted as Admiral Geary's first-captain, was universally and most deservedly esteemed one of the bravest and best- informed officers in the service, as to the manage- ment and requisite mode of manoeuvring a large fleet previous to the commencement of, and dur- ing the continuance of an action itself. Lord Hawke, than whom no man was a sounder judge of nautical abilities, adds in a postscript to one of his letters to Admiral Geary, " I am glad you have got so excellent an officer as I am conviaced Kempenfeldt is : he will be of great service to you." But NAVAL ANECDOTES. 303 But in the attainment of this universally acknow- ledged and valuable qualification, he had con- tracted a habit of using more signals than men less practised in that particular branch of service deemed necessary : of this latter class of com- manders was Admiral Geary. As soon as the enemy was discovered, and the signals made for a general chase, Kempenfeldt, burning with as much impatience as his commander-in-chief to get up with the enemy, though differing in a tri- vial degree in his ideas as to the best mode of ef- fecting it, brought up the signal-book, which he opened and laid on the binnacle with the greatest form and precision ; Admiral Geary, eagerly sup- posing the chase to be the Brest fleet, went up to him with the greatest good -humour, and, squeez- ing him by the hand in a manner better to be con- ceived than expressed, said, quaintly " Now, my dear, dear friend, do pray let the signals alone for to-day, to-morrow you shall order as many as ever you please." THE MORXING-STAR OF GIBRALTAR DOCK- YARD. AT the commencement of the winter of 1798, the dock-yard at Gibraltar was employed on the repairs of some of the ships under the Earl of 6 St. 304 NAVAL ANECDOTES. St. Vincent's orders ; conceiving his presence would accelerate the public service, he quitted the Ville-de-Paris, then bearing his flag off Cadiz, and took up his residence at the garrison. On his requiring that the workmen in the dock should commence their employment at day-break, which was at this season at five o'clock, he was informed that the gates were not opened until an hour after that time ; he therefore applied to the governor, General O'liara, for an alteration in the hour, accommodated to this early duty. " The men,"' said the governor, " will not be able to see.'' " Perhaps not," said his lordship, " but they can hear me." The request was granted ; the Earl of St. Vincent was ever at his post at the dawn of day, with Stentorian voice directing the business ; and, from the insignia of his rank, with which he was decorated, he was metaphorically styled," The morning-star." REMARKABLE INSTANCE OF BRITISH HEROISM. ON the morning of the 23d of November, 1 799, the Marquis of Granby, of Sunderland, S. Urwin, master, was captured in crossing the Kentish Knock, by a French lugger-privateer. The mas- ter and two men were put into the Frenchman's boat, in order to be conveyed on board the pri- vateer, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 305 fateer, which was giving chace to another vessel, and by carrying a press of sail, in a short time left the boat nearly five miles a-stern ; this circum- stance induced Mr. Urwin to conceive it practi- cable to retake his own vessel, and wresting a sword out of the hands of the officer in the boat, he compelled the French sailors to row him back to the Marquis of Granby. He gallantly boarded her sword in hand, and soon cleared the deck of the Frenchmen, who precipitately plunged into the sea, and were picked up by their countrymen in the boat. Mr. Urwin proceeded on his voy- age ; but what became of the French sailors and the boat was not known. The Committee of the Navigation Policy Company, in which the the vessel was insured, as a reward for Mr. Ur- win's bravery and merit, presented him with a piece of plate, with a suitable inscription. FIRMNESS AND IN 7 DECISION CONTRASTED. THE late Captain Watkins was one of the com- manders under the orders of Captain Powlett, afterwards Duke of Bolton, when detached by Admiral Mathews of Civita Vecchia, m quest of some vessels which had arrived at that place, with stores, artillery, &c. in the year 1743. Two pa- pal gallies were then in the port, having put in there while the British ships lay off, and before x. they NAVAL ANECDOTES. they had orders to proceed to extremities. It was not long afterwards determined to attempt burning them in the harbour. Two feluccas coming down the Tyber were therefore detained, and fitted up as fire-ships for that purpose : the boats of the different ships were ordered to at- tend them ; the whole enterprize to be under the command of Captain Watkins, who was the ju- nior captain, and to whom, according to the ge- neral custom of the service, the direction of such an undertaking, as it were of right, belonged. Captain Hodsell, who was also present, and was a senior officer, insisted that the command should be entrusted to him. Captain Watkins of course yielded up his claim, but insisted on attending as a volunteer. When the boats and feluccas had proceeded to the very entrance of the harbour, the centinels were heard passing the word, and the bells ringing the hour ; every thing else was quiet, and appeared to bespeak security. Captain Hodsell, however, alarmed at the foregoing cir- x cumstance, ordered his people to lay on their oars, and asked the advice of Captain Watkins, whe- ther it would be -prudent to proceed ? The lat- ter firmly replied, " He was not there to give ad- vice, but to obey orders." The same question was afterwards proposed to other officers of less rank, who unanimously returned the same an- swer. But Captain Hodsell thinking that the 1 enemy NAVAL ANECDOTES. 307 enemy had taken the alarm, ordered the boats, c, to return. LUDICROUS TERROR OF A SPANISH CAPTAIN. ADMIRAL Byron, in his celebrated narrative, relates the following incident, which occurred while he was at Chaco. " Some time after we had been here, a snow arrived in the harbour from Lima, which occa- sioned great joy amongst the inhabitants, as they had no ship the year before on account of the alarm Lord Anson had given upon the coast. This was not the annual vessel, but one of those which come unexpectedly. The captain of her was an old man, well known upon the island, who had traded here, once in two or three years for more than thirty years past. He had a remark- ably large head, and therefore was commonly known by a nick-name they had given him, of Cubuco de Toro, or " Bull's Head." He had not been here a week before he came to the governor, and told him with a most melancholy eounte nance, that he had not slept a wink since he came into the harbour, as the governor was pleased to allow three English prisoners liberty to walk about, instead of confining them, and that he expected every moment they would board his vessel, and x 2 carry 308 NAVAL ANECDOTES. carry her away : this he said when he had above thirty hands aboard. The governor assured hirn he would be answerable for us, and that he might sleep in quiet ; though at the same time he could not help laughing at the man, as all the people in the town did. These assurances did not sa- tisfy the captain, he used the utmost dispatch in disposing of his cargo and to put to sea again, not thinking himself safe till he had lost sight of the island. TANTARARAUA ROGUES ALL. f)uRiXG the time of Earl St. Vincent's (then Sir John Jervis) co-operation with Sir Charles Grey in the West Indies, about the year 1794 f there were some circumstances attending the pro- cedure of a convoy of merchant-ships to Europe* on which Sir John wished to consult the different masters. A signal was made to this effect : the masters of the merchantmen attended on board the admiral's ship ; he stated to them the motives which had influenced him to convene them, and requested their sentiments on the subject. Find- ing that each delivered his opinion as his respec- tive interest dictated, the admiral endeavoured to shew the expedience of unanimity, but without effect ; at which, much irritated, he hastily paced the deck, loudly snapping his fingers, singing, i with. NAVAL ANECDOTES. 309 with a voice of no common strength, Sing tanta- rarara, rogues all, rogues all ; sing tantararara, rogues all f and repeated it with such vehe- mence, that the masters, dreading some more impressive marks of the admiral's displeasure, hastened out of the ship without further commu-- nication, and the convoy was dispatched to Eng- land on his own plan, but without the concur- rence his solicitude for the common interest of the trade had in vain endeavoured to procure. EXTRAORDINARY SEA-FIGHT. ABOUT the year 1683, the Captain Pacha of the Porte, with a whole Turkish fleet under his command, on a visit to Cairo and other ports, for the purpose of convoying the vessels laden at those places for Constantinople, met with two English ships, the Hector, and William and Ralph, loading corn in the Gulph of Mola. Corn be- ing a prohibited commodity, and not to be trans- ported, under penalty of forfeiting ships, cargo, and the liberty of the men, the pacha was invited, by the prospect of such a booty, to command the seizure of these vessels, which, as they were but two, it was not questioned but they would yield at the first summons ; but in this the Turk was mistaken, he had to deal with people who knew x 3 their 3 JO NAVAL ANECDOTES. their situation, who were unused to fear, and who were resolved to make the infidels pay as dearly as possible for the liberty, property, and lives of Britons. Immediately the English ships cut their cables and stood out to sea, where they were at- tacked by the whole Ottoman fleet, being some- times boarded by one and then by two gallies at once; yet, as they plied their guns with half-pikes, they often cleared their decks, and beat off the enemy with great slaughter. The captain-pacha, being ashamed that his whole fleet should meet with such opposition from such vessels, resolved to enter his men at the gunroom-ports of one of the ships, and running the prow of his own galley into the stern, the valiant English crew clapped an iron spike into the trunch-hole of the prow, by which the galley being wedged fast to the tim- bers of the ships, they brought their guns to bear aft, and charging them with cross-bars, pieces of iron, and cartridge-shot, raked them fore-and-aft, killed the captain-pacha himself and near three hundred of his men. At length, having spent all their shot, they charged their guns with pieces of eight, but being overpowered by numbers of their enemies, and not able to make further resistance^ after maintaining this unequal conflict for more than three hours, they set fire to their ships, which, blowing up, destroyed two or three gallies which lav alongside them, together with those near. NAVAL ANECDOTES. 311 near, who were fighting upon deck, hand to hand, with the defendants ; so that none of these un- daunted fellows were taken, but three or four that were picked up out of the sea. Thus ended this extraordinary action, the Turks gaining the victo- ry with the loss of three hundred slaves killed and wounded, besides the captain-pacha, and several other officers of note killed, and five hundred Turks slain or wounded. The gallies were forced into port, where they remained a full month to repair. This affair struck the Porte with amaze- ment at the bravery, or obstinacy, as they called it, of the English ; and it is a matter not altoge- ther forgotten at Constantinople at this day. THE IXCHCAFE ROCK. No stir in the air, no stir in the sea, The ship was still as she might be; Her sails from Heav'n received no motion Her keel was steady in the ocean. Without either sign, or sound of their shock, The waves flow'd over the Inchcape Rock ; So little they rose, so little they fell, They did not move the Juchcape Bell. The abbot of Aberbrothok, Had floated that bell on the Inchcape Rock On the waves of the storm it floated and swung, And louder and louder it warning rung. x. 4 When 312 NAVAL ANECDOTES. When the rock was hid by the tempest's swell The mariners heard the warning bell ; And then they knew the perilous Rock, And bless'd the priest of Aberbrothok. The sun in Heav'n shone so gay All things were joyful on that day ; The sea-birds scream'd as they floated round, And there was pleasure in the sound. The float of the Inchcape bell was seen, A darker speck on the ocean green ; Sir Ralph, the rover, walH'd his deck, And he fix'd his eyq on the darker speckr He felt the chearing power of spring; It made him whistle, it made him sing; His heart was mirthful to excess - But the rover's mirth was wickedness, His eye was on the bell and float, Quoth he, my men put out the boat; And row me to the Inchcape Rock, And I'll plague the priest of Aberbrothok. The boat is lower'd, the boatmen row, And to the Inchcape Rock they go; Sir Ralph bent over from the boat, And cut the warning bell from the float. Down sunk the bell with a gurgling souud, The bubbles rose, and burst around : Quoth Sir Ralph, the next who come to the Rock \Vjll not bless the priest of Aberbrothok. Sir NAVAL ANECDOTES. 3 13 Sir Ralph, the Rover, sail'd away, He scour'd the seas for many a day ; And now grown rich with plunder'd store, He steers his course for Scotland's shore. So thick a haze o'erspread the sky, They could not see the sun on high j The wind hath blown a gale all day, At evening it hath died away. On the deck the Rover takes his stand, So dark it is, they see no land ; Quoth, Sir Ralph, it will be lighter soon, For there is the dawn of the rising moon. Canst hear, said one, the breakers roar ; For yonder, methinks, should be the shore, Now, where we are I cannot tell, But I wish we could hear the Inchcape bell. They hear no sound, the swell is strong, Tho' the wind hath fallen they drift along, Till the vessel strikes with a shiVring shock,. Oh, Christ ! it is the Inchcape Rock! Sir Ralph, the Rover, tore his hair, He curst himself iu his despair; The winds rush in on ev'ry side, The ship is sinking beneath the tide. But even in his dying fear, One dreadful sound could the Rover hear ; A sound as if, with the Inchcape bell, The devil below was sounding his knell. THE JJAVAL ANECDOTES. THE CONVERTED PILOT. FROM political motives, John II. of Portu- gal, concealed the progress of his navigators on the western coast of Africa: he .therefore, on all occasions, magnified the dangers of a Guinea voyage ; declaring that every quarter of the moon produced a tempest; that the inhospitable shores were covered with the most tremendous rocks ; that the inhabitants were cannibals, and that no -vessel, but those of a particular construction which the Portuguese builders had invented, could live in those raging seas. A pilot, who had often made the voyage, and was a better seaman than a politician, publicly maintained, in opposition to the king's opinion, that any other kind of ship would serve equally well for the purpose as the caravellas of his sovereign. John immediately sent for the unwary pilot, and publicly repri- manded him for his ignorance. Some months afterwards this same pilot re-appeared at court, and approaching the king, thus addressed him : " Being of an obstinate disposition, may it please your Majesty, I resolved, notwithstanding what \i/oitr Majesty asserted, to attempt a voyage to Guinea in a Vessel different from those that are usually employed, and 1 now acknowledge that it is impossible."" The king could not refrain from smiling, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 315 smiling, he favoured the pilot with a private in- terview, and giving him money, desired him to encourage the deception. ! AN INGEXIOU3 NIGHT-SIGNAL. IN the early part of the year of the blockade of Cadiz, so effectually executed by Earl St. Vin- cent, there appeared one night every indication of an approaching gale of wind; it shortly took place, and rapidly increased to such a height as to threaten the destruction of several, if not all, of the ships then at anchor. The only means of warding off the present danger was to veer away more cable, but this could not be instantly given in command, as no night-signal was yet establish- ed, for this purpose; suddenly his lordship call- ed for the boatswain and all his mates, stationed them on the poop, gangway, and forecastle, and told them to pipe together loudly, as when veering cable ; this was heard on board all the surround- ing ships, when the captains, rightly conceiving the admiral was veering cable, directed the same to be done on board their respective commands, and the fleet rode out the gale in safety. GENEROSITY NAVAL ANECDOTES. (UE?s T EROSITY AXp GRATITUDE OF AN ALGfc- RINE PIRATE. AT the time when Monsieur D'Estrees bon> barded Algiers, M. De Choiseul was ordered into the Jiarbour to set fire to one of the enemy's ships. He undertook this dangerous enterprise with the same intrepidity which he had manifested on se- veral other occasions, but being overtaken by pight, he found himself surrounded by several ships, and .finally taken prisoner by the barba/- rians. His youth, rank, and courage, far from pleading in his favour, only irritated his savage enemies in the greater degree, and he was accord? ingly sentenced to be lashed to the mouth of a gun, which, on being fired, would naturally put a speedy and desperate end to the victim's exist- ence. An old pirate, who had formerly been the prisoner of this young gentleman, and had been used by him with the utmost tenderness, inter- ceded, but in vain. Shocked at the unrelenting spirit of his countrymen, he followed Choiseul to. the place of execution, and when they were pre- paring to fire the gun, he ran to the unfortunate victim of their barbarity, and clinging round him, called to the gunner to execute their dreadful pur* pose, "for," said he, "since I cannot save the life of my benefactor, I shall at least enjoy the melancholy comfort of perishing with him." The Dej NAVAL ANECDOTES. 3l7 Dey Ghezzar, with a species of awful admiration, ordered the prisoner to be immediately released. CHARACTERISTIC ANECDOTE OF A DUTCH SAILOR, AT THE ISLAND OF ST. HELENA. BEFORE the wall was built, which now serve* as a safeguard in ascending the promontory, call- ed Ladder-Hill, at the Island of St. Helena, an extraordinary accident happened to a Dutch sailor, the truth of which is attested by many people now living on the island. This man coming out of the country after it was dark, and being in liquor, mistook the path then in use, and turned to the left instead of the right. He conti- nued his journey with great difficulty, till finding the descent no longer practicable, he took up his residence for the night where he was, in a small chink of the rock, and fell fast asleep. It was late in the morning when he awoke, and what were his terror and astonishment, to find himself on the brink of a precipice, one hundred fathoms deep ! He attempted to return back, but found it impossible to climb the crags he had descended. After having passed several hours in this dreadful .situation, he discovered some boys on the beach at the foot of the precipice bathing in the sea ; hope of relief made him exert his voice to the ut- most, but he had the mortification to find that the NAVAL ANECDOTES, the distance prevented his being heard. He then threw one of his shoes towards them, but it un- fortunately fell without being perceived ; he then threw the other, which was more fortunate, for it fell at the feet of one of the boys, who was coming out of the water. The youths looked up, and with astonishment saw the poor Dutchman waving his hat, and making signs of distress. They made haste to the town, and relating what they had seen, great numbers of people ran to the heights, above him, from whence they could see the man, but were all puzzled how to save him, At last, however, a coil of strong rope was procured, and one end being fastened above, the other was veered down over the place where he stood. The sailor instantly laid hold of it, and with an agility peculiar to people of his profession, in a little time gained the summit. As soon as he was safe, he produced an instance of thriftiness truly Dutch, by pulling out of his bosom a china bowl, which, in all his drunkenness and distress, he had taken care to preserve unbroken, choosing rather to part with his shoes than his bowl; though the bowl must have alarmed the children at oncebyits noise, and the shoes might have left him to starve, if they had not fallen in sight. THE NAVAL ANECDOTES. 319 THE BLOCKADE OF CADIZ: A XAUT1CO-THEATRICAL EFFUSION. AT the blockade of Cadiz, previously to the glorious victory of Trafalgar, the officers on board his Majesty's ship Britannia, commanded by the Right Hon. the Earl of Northesk, amused them- selves with theatrical entertainments j at one of which the following very neatly pointed Occasional Address was spoken by Lieutenant L. B. Hallo- ram, of the Royal Marines. The prediction to- wards the conclusion has been happily fulfilled, by the triumph of the British arms, but, unfor- tunately, with the loss of the first of British heroes. My lord,* and gentlemen Alas ! off Cadiz, How hard it is we can't address the ladies ! For, " if the brave alone deserve the fair" BRITANNIA'S sons should surely have their share ! But, since their valour, tho' upon record, Like other merits, is its own reward; 'j'lio' female charms inspire me not again We welcome you my lord, and gentlemen ! You, too, brave fellows! who the back-ground tread, Alike we welcome jackets, blue, or red! And humbly hope, that, while we give our aid, " To cheer the tedium of a dull blockade; * Rear-Admiral the Earl of Northesk, who, with his usual condescension and good-nature, honoured these performances with his presence. " To 320 NAVAL ANKCDOTES. " To banish ennui for a few short hours, *' However feeble our theatric pow'rs, " Our well-meant efforts to amuse awhile, ** Will meet the wish'd reward y our fav' ring smite* For tho', while thro' our parts we swell and pant, We stun your ears with mock-heroic rant, We trust to pay their suff'rings thro' your eyes, By the bright splendors of the gay disguise ; In which our heroes, (nor let critics grin) Bedeck*d iii rohes of " bunting lac'd 'with tin.'' As kings, or Emperors, with mimic rage, Strut their short hour upon this "floating stage." In times of yore, as grave old authors write, Poets possess'd a kind of " second sight !" And could (tho' entre nuns, 'twas all a hum), Inform you clearly of " events to come /" Oh ! could the bard, who, to amuse your time, Has manufactur'd all this " doggrel rhyme j" From mortal mists clear his desiring eyes, And pry into^our future destinies ! He would foretel (nor ask you as a charm, Like other soothsayers " to cross his palm !") What yes ! he sees must on your courage wait, " An happy fortune, and a glorious fate !" Yes, he foresees (confirm his prospects Heav'n), " Yon coop'd up boasters*" to your wishes giv'n ! Sees their proud ensigns from their standards torn, Their vanquish'd navies in glad triumph borne ; , Sees added laurels grace our NELSON'S brow, And VICTORY hov'ringo'er his glowing prow; * The combined fleets, who, though superior to the British blockading fleet, by eight sail of the line, remained under the protection of their batteries in disgraceful security. Hi* NAVAL ANECDOTES. 321 His conquering banner o'er the waves ur.furl'd, j\i,d Britain's thunder rule the wat'ry world] If aught of prescience to the Muse belong, Soon, soon the scenes that animate her song, In glowing colours shall salute your eyes, And Heav'n shall bid th' auspicious morn arise, When France and Spain shall be again subdu'd, And your brave leader's VICTORIES renew'd! Then, to reward your persevering toils, With honours crowa'd enrich'd with hostile spoils, (Her bravest sons her guardian sailors' friend), " Four grateful country" shall her arms extend, To greet your glad return with conscious pride, And in her bosom bid your cares subside \ And, while our fam'd BRITANNIA shall escort, Jn awful grandeur to her wish'd for port, Her loveliest daughters shall with pleasure meet, And bless the Heroes of the British fleet ; Your wives, your children, and your friends shall come With tears of joy, to bid you " welcome home !" Nor storms, nor battle, more your bliss shall mar, But " Peace and Plenty crovn the toils of lfar." SALT WATER, A tREKCH ANECDOTE OF LORD IIERVEY. NOTHING is more common than for men to be blinded to their, own particular failings, and to .censure that vice in others to which they are most addicted themselves. The modern French are Jncessantly declaiming against the insatiable am- y bi'tiou 322 NAVAL ANECDOTES. bition of England. A republican of this descrip- tion, impressed with the most alarming ideas on the subject, recently related the following anec- dote: My Lord Hervey, when in Italy, passing Over a lake near the sea, dippinghis finger into the water, " Oh !" he cried, " this is salt water, this belongs to us !" " You may see," continued the terrified Frenchman, " what a nation these English must be, and that they have got it into their heads that the sea is their domain ! and I am told," he gravely added, " that they have a song, indicating as much, which they sing to the tune of the Marseillois." SPIRITED ENGAGEMENT, BETWEEN AN ALGERINE MAN OF WAR AND TWO ENGLISH FRIGATES. ON the 28th of October, 1677, the Portsmouth frigate gave chace to an Algerine man of war, mounting thirty-eight or forty guns, but could carry fifty. Their firing gave the alarm to the other frigates that were at anchor in Tangier Bay, who immediately put themselves under sail. The Al- gerine was one of the best sailers these people had, she was commanded by a renegado of Lubeck, and, in all probability, would have escaped, had it not been for the diligence and bravery of Cap- tain Canning and Captain Hamilton, command- ers XAVAL ANECDOTES. rs of the Charles and Innes frigates, who coming up with the Turk, laid him both on hoard. Tue Turks being desperate by the encouragement ot their captain, who, as a renegado, could expect no quarter; and by the force of brandy, of which they had as much as they could drink, a cask be- ing lashed to the main-mast, maintained the fight stoutly : but the English soon obliged them to quit the upper deck and betake themselves to their gun-deck, which they maintained about an hour longer ; and when their great guns were dis- mounted, and they could make no more use of their shot, they threw cannon-shot out of their port-holes into the English boats, w;hich hurt some of our men. The Turk being taken, the captain and above .an hundred and sixty men were found slain, and a great many wounded. Of the English, Captain Canning was killed, and about twenty or thirty men killed and wounded. KING CHARLES'S CAP; A SINGULAR TOKEN OF ROYAL FAVOUR. Ox the return of Captain Sir Richard Had- dock, after the battle of Solehay, King Charles the Second bestowed on him a very singular and whimsical mark of his royal favour ; a satin cap, which he took from his own head and placed on Sir Richard's. It i& still preserved in the family, y 2 with NAVAL ANECDOTES. with the following account pinned to it: "This satin cap teas given by King Charles the Second, in the year 1672, to Sir Richard Haddock, after the English battle with the Dutch, when he had been captain of the Royal James, under the com- mand of the Earl of Sandwich, which ship was burnt, and Sir Richard had been wounded, given him on his return to London." LUDICROUS CANNONADE OF AN ADMIRAL'S ELAG-SH1P BY A SMALL SLOOP. AFTER the defeat of the Dutch Admiral, De Ruyter, on the 25th of July, 1666, Captain Ga- ries, commander of a yacht, who was employed as one of the attendants on the English fleet, was sent by Prince Rupert to cannonade him, as he was retiring into water too shallow for the larger ships to pursue him with any regard to prudence. The following extract is taken from the account of the action, published by authority: "The Fanfan, a sloop lately built at Harwich for Prince Rupert, made up with her oars to De Ruyter, and bringing her two little guns on one side, con- tinued for near an hour plying broadside and broadside, to the great laughter of our men, and indignation of the Dutch, to see their admiral so stoutly chaced ; who still shooting her stern guns, in the end gave her two or three shot between wind KAVAL ANECDOTES. 326 wind and water, with which she retired/' This transaction has been much censured by some his^- torians, as an unwarrantable insult* offered by Prince Rupert to a vanquished enemy; while others, less violent in their animosities, have treat- ed it rather as a warlike witticism. Between such a contrariety of opinions it is not our business to interfere, nor does the conduct of the prince, be it held in whatever light it may, at all relate to that of Captain Garies, who acted under his or- ders, and who is at least entitled to the character of a brave man, for having, at so great a personal hazard, carried the orders of his cominander-in- chief so strictly into execution. PORTRAIT AND CHARACTER OP LORD CORNWALLIS. IN respect to person, he is of the middle size, stout and portly, with a certain degre of promi- nence before, which may be supposed to add dig- nity to a commander-in-chief, and must be allow- ed not to be unbecoming in an officer now in the sixty-second or sixty-third yean As to talents, his skill and bravery are un- doubted, his seamanship in particular is in higiji repute ; and a long apprenticeship, of more than forty years, during which he has had fewer inter- vals of relaxation on shore than perhaps any other Y 3 officer. NAVAL ANECDOTES. officer of equal rank in the British navy, has enabled him to acquire a degree of professional capability, which renders no disaster unknown, and no situation unusual to' him. In point of habits he is a reserved man; and is so little de- sirous of bustle when on shore, that, on its being observed, during a temporary residence near Chi- chesier, that " he must be very lonely," he re- plied, " that the cabbage-stocks in his garden were company enough for him." At times he enjoys his glass freely; but is so abstemious when on duty, that he has been known,, for six months together, to drink no more than a couple of glasses of wine at dinner, after which he carefully abstained from any other refreshment during the whole of the succeeding part of the day. It has always been usual for British sailors, with that frankness so conspicuous in their cha- racters, to designate their favourite commanders by means of some lapposite expression, originating in some peculiarity, arising either out of their persons or manners. Accordingly Boscawen was familiarly termed icry-necked Dick ; Pye, so long "port- admiral at Portsmouth, was always called Nosfy ; Earl Howe, whose very name is still adored by the navy, received the appellation of lilack Dick ; while Admiral Cornvvallis, on ac- count of a certain twirl of his linger and thumb, added NAVAL ANECDOTES; 327 added to a sleek and ruddy countenance, and a wig somewhat similar to that seen in front of a nobleman's carriage, is frequently denominated Coac/iee, and Mr. Whip* CHARACTER OF A SAILOR. A SAILOR is a pitched piece of reason caulked and tackled, and only studied to dispute with tempests. He is part of his own provision, for he lives ever pickled ; a fair wind is the substance of his creed, and fresh water the burden of his prayers. He is naturally ambitious, for he is ever climbing out of sight; as naturally he fears, for he is ever flying : time and he are every where, ever contending who shall arrive first - 9 he is well winded, for he tires the day and outruns dark- ness : his life is like a hawk's, the best part mew- ed ; and if he live till three coats, is a master ; he sees God's wonders in the deep, but so as they rather appear his play-fellows than stirrers of his zeal : nothing but hunger and hard rocks can O VJ convert him, and then but his upper decks neither, for he holds neither fears nor hopes ; his sleeps are but reprievals of his dangers, and when he awakes, it is but next stage to.dying : his wisdom is the coldest part about him, for he eyer points to the north, and it lies lowest, which makes his valour NAVAL ANECDOTES. valour every tide- overflow it. In a storm it i$ disputable whether the noise be more his or the elements, and which will first leave scolding; whether his faith be starboard faith or larboard, or the helm, at that time, not all his hopes of heaven ! his keel is the emblem of his conscience ; till it be split, he never repents then no farther than the land allows him. His language is a new confusion, and all his thoughts new notions ; his body and his ship are both one burden, nor is it known who stows mos-t wine, or rolls most, only the ship is guided he has no stern ; a barnacle and he are bred together both of one nature, and, it is feared, one reason : upon any but a wooden horse he cannot ride, and if the wind blows against him dare not ; he swarms up to his seat as a sail- yard, and cannot sit unless he bear a flag-staff: if he be broken to the saddle, it is but a voyage still; for he mistakes the bridle fora bowling, and is ever turning his horse's tail : he can pray, but it is ever by rote, not faith ; and when he would he dares not, for his brackish belief hath made him ominous. A rock, or a quicksand, plucks him before he is ripe, else he is gathered to hi* friends at Wapping. NAVAL ANECDOTES. 329 AND HEROIC CONDUCT OF THE LATE SIR JOHN BERRY. IN the year 1663, on the Swallow, Captain Ensome, proceeding to sea, her commander dis- covered a pirate, of force considerably superior to the Swallow ; and, rather hesitating to attack him, he expressed himself in the following words: " Gentlemen, the blacks we are to attack are men at arms, old buccaneers, and superior to us in number and in the force of their ship, and there- fore I would liar e your opinion? Mr. afterward Sir John Berry, the Tie-u tenant, immediately an- swered, " Sir, we are men at arms too, and, which is more, honest men, and Jight under the king's commission, and, if you have no stomach for Jight- ing be pleased to walk down into your cabin* Mr. Berry immediately took upon himself the command, the crew having unanimously declared in his favour. The pirate lay at anchor to wind- ward, the Swallow was consequently obliged to make two trips ere she could close with her; in doing which she received two broadsides and two volleys of small shot, without making the smallest return. At length having got close alongside, and grappled her, Mr. Berry boarded her on the bow, after having poured in his broadside, which killed the pirate and twenty-two men ! He then, supported by his comrades, fought his way to the 3 main- 330 NAVAL ANECDOTES. main-mast, at which point he called to the doctor (surgeon), and his mate to get overboard and hang by the rudder, which they did. The pirate immediately afterwards surrendered, having only seven men left alive, and all those wounded ! and, what is still more extraordinary, no person was killed on board the Swallow but the boats- wain's mate ! ! BON-MOT OF KING WILLIAM III. AFTER several difficulties had been started, with respect to fixing on a naval officer for some particular service, this monarch is reported to have said : V Well, then, I find we must spare our beaux, and send honest Benbow" On the command being proposed to that officer, he ho- nesly and bluntly replied' " He knew no difference of climates; for his part, he thought no officer had a right to chuse his station, and that he him- self should be, at all times, ready to go to. any part of the world his majesty thought proper to send him." ACCOUNT OF FORTY-TWO PERSONS WHO PERISHED BY SHIPWRECK, NEAR SP1TZBERGEN, I THE YEAR 1746. JOHN CORNELIUS, of Muniken, being ordered to Spitzbergen to catch whales, he set sail in a galliot, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 531 galliot, on the 6th of May, 1646, and arrived on the 3d of June following near Spitsbergen, with an intention to anchor in the bay, but was by the vast floods of ice-shoals forced to keep out at sea. After having in vain cruised up and down among the ice-shoals, they got into the bay, but perceiv- ing two whales farther at sea, they sent out their sloop in pursuit of them. Whilst they were rowing up and down to watch the motions of these creatures, they discovered at a distance a great ice-shoal, with something white upon it, which at first sight they imagined to be bears (they being generally white there), but one Ellert Johnson, who was in the sloop to manage the harpoon, judging by the motion that it was something else, persuaded them to row that way, which being done accordingly, they not long afterwards perceived the same to be a piece of a rope belonging to the sails of a ship, which was held up by a man as a signal of the utmost distress* so they rowed up to it with all the oars they had, and coming near, found to their great surprise four living men, and one dead one, all English- men, upon the ice-shoal, who, upon their bended knees, expressed their joy and thankfulness for so unexpected a deliverance from the jaws of death. They were taken into the sloop, and ca'rried to the bay aboard the ship. These unfortunate wen -kid cut a large hole, in 2 the NAVAL ANECDOTES. the nature Of a subterraneous cave, into the iceV and round the entrance thereof had placed the pieces of ice that were cut out of the concavity, to defend themselves against the violence of the winds and waves. In this hole they had spent fourteen days, it being so long since they had lost their ship. At first there were in all forty-two of them, and they had saved some victuals and tools, with their sloop. The commander, however, perceiving, after a little while, that it was impos- sible for them to hold out long upon the ice-shoaF, res.olved to go ashore in the sloop, with seventeen of his men, and afterwards to send word back how matters stood there. This was done accordingly, o * ' but it blowing very hard, and they not having heard the least tidings of them since, they were afraid that they were drowned before they reached the shore. There were then twenty-four left upon the ice- shoal, but the want of provisions increasing daily amongst them, and they being reduced to a starving condition, and expecting nothing but present death, resolved to divide themselves, and to get upon several other ice-shoals, in hopes, by some chance or other, to come near the shore ; but whether some of them got ashore, or were taken up by some ships, or swallowed up by the waves, they were not able to tell. Certain it is, that four of them, the miserable remnants NAVAL ANECDOTES. 333 remnants of forty-two, were found sitting together upon this ice-shoal, overwhelmed with affliction, without any hopes of being saved from the last extremity, which they were reduced to by frost and hunger, before the Dutch ship came in sight of them, having had nothing to feed upon for some time but a leathern belt, which they had divided and eaten, share and share alike, till it was all consumed. After they were brought to the Dutch ship, the surgeon took all imaginable care for their recovery, notwithstanding which, three of them died in a few days after ; so that of forty-two, wherewith this ship was manned, no more than one escaped with life, who arriving in September, 1746, in the galliot, the Delft, upon the Meuse, from thence he returned to England, his native country. O WHAT A CHARMING THINGS A BATTLE* APMIRAJ, SAVAGE, when a captain, and at the time he 50 gallantly commanded his Majesty's ship Hercules, of 74 guns, on the famous 12th of April, in the West Indies, at the total defeat of the French fleet under Count de Grasse, gave one of those striking proofs of coolness and undaunted bravery for which British naval heroes have ever > been so justly celebrated ; for in the heat of action, and when alongside of the Ville de Paris, of 1 1O guns 5 I S * 534 NAVAL ANECDOTES. guns, he jumped on an arm-chest of the quarter- deck, and cheered up his men by singing a few lines of " O what a charming things a battle /" INGENIOUS PLEA FOR PROMOTION. A VERY tall gentleman was appointed to a small ship, where his cabin was every way incon- venient After applying in vain to his friends to get him promoted, Ke at last wrote up to the Ad- miralty Board, humourously setting forth his grievance, who remitted an order for his imme- diate removal to a larger ship, reciting the words of the petition to the following effect: "Whereas A. B. of his Majesty's ship , has informed us, that having the misfortune to be six feet three inches high, and his cabin being neither in height nor length above four feet six inches, he can neither lie, seeing me- without a candle, brought one to the cabin door; but I held my sword to his breast, and ordered him away : this was the very time that my poor brother was giving his last gasp, for about a mi- nute before I heard him say, " Oh, my poor life !" which were the last words he ever spoke. In a minute or two after the deceased expired, both 346 NAVAL ANECDOTES. both Mahony and White came out of the cabin, and I asked if he was dead. They said he was. I then went into the cabin and felt my brother's corpse. Having afterwards locked the door, I put the key into my pocket, and ordered Mahony and White to attend me in my cabin, where I went and sat down. Mahony came in first, and said, " D n mje, captain, we have done it, boy." Then Mahony gave me my brother's gold watch, and I gave him in return a silver one, which I wore. As to the money which they took out of his pockets, they shared it, each having upwards of fourteen pounds, though White had the most money, be- cause Mahony had the watch. About four o'clock they went into the yaul, and got on shore, I hav- ing promised to send them tickets for three weeks or a month's absence from the ship. As to the disposal of the deceased's body, we intended, to have concealed it till the ship sailed, and fling it overboard sewed up in a hammock ; or, if it had been discovered before, then I in- tended to have proved, by Mahony, that the de- ceased had strangled himself, and thought I could have influenced a jury to have brought him in a lunatic. I cannot help reflecting on my conduct in this unhappy affair; and what makes a general im- pression on me is, when my brother was first brought into the boat, he told me he knew my 4 intent NAVAL ANECDOTES. intent was to murder him ; and, (says he) why dont your men throw me overboard now, and then you may go and hang yourself in the boafs fore-sheet Justice has most deservedly over- taken me ; and what gives me the greatest con- cern is, that the death of these two poor creatures lies at my door. Pray God forgive me, for surely never was any man guilty of such wickedness. As to what the witnesses swore on my trial, I can contradict no part of it. They did their duty, and I forgive them, as I hope, through the merits of my dear Saviour, the Almighty will forgive me. THE DUTY OF A PATRIOT I ILLUSTRATED BY AN ANECDOTE OF THE LATS ADMIRAL HARDY. Ix the reign of Queen Anne, Captain Hardy, whose ship was stationed at Lagos Bay, happened to receive undoubted intelligence of the arrival of the Spanish galleons, under the convoy of seven- teen men of war, in the harbour of Vigo, and without any warrant for so doing, set sail and came up with Sir George Rooke, who was then admiral and commander-in-chief in the Mediter- ranean, and gave him such intelligence as induced him to make the best of his way to Vigo, where all the before-mentioned galleons and men of war were either taken or destroyed. Sir George was sensible 348 NAVAL ANECDOTES. sensible of the importance of the advice, and the successful expedition of the captain; but after the fight was over, the victory obtained, and the proper advantages made of it, the admiral or- dered Captain Hardy on board, and with a stern countenance said, " You have done, Sir, a very important piece of service to the throne : you have added to the honours and the riches of your country by your diligence ; but dont you know, that you are liable at this instant to be shot, for quitting your station?'' "He is unworthy of bearing a commission under her Majesty," replied the captain, " who holds his life as aught when the glory and interest of his queen and country require him to hazard it !" On this heroic an- swer, he was dispatched home with the first news of the victory, and letters of recommendation to the Queen, who instantly knighted him, and after- wards made him a rear-admiral. BRAVE ACTION OF THE LATE ADMIRAL MAC- BRIDE WHEN A LIEUTENANT. LIEUTENANT MACBRIDE, when command- ing the Grace, armed cutter, in August 176*1, being off Dunkirk, and observing a dogger pri- vateer in the road, immediately left his station to join the Maidstone, and proposed cutting off the privateer that night, if Captain Digges would let him NAVAL ANECDOTES. 349 him have four boats manned and armed ; which he very readily complied with, knowing his abi- lities and resolution. The boats left the ships at ten o'clock at night, and when they came near the road, laid all their oars across, except two in each boat, which they muffled with baize, to pre- vent their being heard at a distance. They rowed in this manner till they were within musket-shot of the privateer; when being hailed they made no answer, but in a few minutes boarded on both sides, and took possession of the vessel without the loss of a man killed, two only being wounded. Lieutenant Macbride shot the lieutenant of the privateer through the head with a musket, as he was pointing a gun into the boat: besides this person, one common man was killed, and five wounded, belonging to the enemy. This was done within half-gun shot of a fort on the east side of the harbour, but it did not fire at them ; and when the prisoners were secured, the captors cut the cables and sailed out of the road. WATCHING ANT) PRAYING. WHEN Lord Howe commanded on the Ameri- can station, it was a regulation in the fleet for the marine officers to* keep watch with the lieutenants of the navy. His lordship once remarking at his table, that pursers, surgeons, and even chaplains, might 350 NAVAL ANECDOTES. might occasionally be employed on that duty ; a son of the church, who was present, opposed the doctrine. " What!" cried his lordship, "can ye watch as well as pray ?" MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF LIEUT. O*BRIEN, AT THE BLOWING UP OF THE DARTMOUTH MAX OF WAR. ON the 27th of September, 1747, the Dart- mouth, Captain Hamilton, fell in with a very large Spanish ship of war, which had just before been unsuccessfully engaged by several different ships. After a very spirited, but short action, the Dartmouth unfortunately blew up, and with the exception of Lieutenant O'Brien and sixteen others, all on board perished. The following circumstantial account of this melancholy event is extracted from Commodore Walker's voyage. " The unfortunate ship that was blown up was the Dartmouth man of war. Capt James Ha- milton, who being the night before several leagues to the westward, and hearing the report of the guns in the late engagement, made the best of his way to the point from which he heard the firing. In plying up to windward, he fell in with our chace first, and engaged her before our ships came up ; so that, being the headmost of the fleet, it was imagined by us to be the Prince Frederick. NAVAL ANECDOTES. 351 Frederick. He engaged the enemy in a running fight, very warmly, for about an hour and a half, with his bow chace, which the Spaniard as briskly returned with his from his stern, and had come to a close engagement, when the Prince Fre- derick had brought her bow-chace to bear, and had almost begun to engage. In the beginning of this action the Dartmouth blew up ; lucky it was for many of her people, that the Prince Fre- derick was so near, as she immediately got out; her boats to their assistance, as the Duke did likewise, being also near enough to lend her aid. They took up seventeen of them alive, among whom there was no one of them of any rank ex- cept Mr. O'Brien, who was a young gentleman from Ireland, and then an acting lieutenant. He was taken up, having recovered his senses, floating on the carriage of a gun, on which he had been blown out of the ship into the water. He was a gentleman of great ease in behaviour, and of a happy readiness of wit, which talents he has since improved to gaining the esteem, as he be- fore engaged the favour of mankind. His first salute to Captain Dottin was, " Sir, you must excuse the unfitness of my dress to come aboard a strange ship, but really I left my own in such a hurry, that I had no time to stay for a change.' This easy turn of thought, amidst the melancholy scene, lightened the consideration of the present distress, 352 NAVAL ANECDOTES. distress, and made true the reflection, that good humour is half philosophy. Of all the persons saved, Lieut. O'Brien was the only one who could give an account of the affair, which was this : " Being sent on a message from Capt. Hamilton to the officers who commanded below, as he was down between decks, he was met by the gunner, who attended the magazine, stairing wild, and trembling. He asked Mr. O'Brien where the captain was ? " Where should he be, but upon deck/' says Lieutenant O'Brien. " Oh ! Sir, the magazine !" At which word the explosion hap- pened, and he knew no more, till he found him- self floating upon his new bark in the midst of the sea. His escape was the more extraordinary as he was between decks when the explosion hap- pened ; a circumstance which, it might naturally be imagined, would have occasioned his certain death ; but he was, in all supposition, blown out sideways, in the same direction the carriage was sent, and so alighted on it as it was buoyed up in the water ; for he often assured us, that he did not get upon it by swimming or catching hold of it, as he found himself on it the moment he was sensible." RELIGIOUS NAVAL ANECDOTES. 353 RELIGIOUS OPINIONS. CAPTAIN Charleton, who is now the regulating Captain at Shields, never chose to deliver his opi- nion on religion, whenever that subject happened to be introduced in desultory conversation at mess, justly observing, that the only time to know a man's sentiments was in the hour of danger. At the period to which we particularly allude, he was a lieutenant. Shortly after a conversation of this nature, the ship to which Capt. Charleton belonged, happened to come into action, when he called the gentleman aside, who had particu- larly pressed him for his opinion, saying " We have had many conversations together, Sir, con- cerning religion, when we had no danger to ap- prehend. Whatever your sentiments may be now, mine are the same that they always were. SUPERIORITY OF A BOY TO A MAN. THE late Admiral Campbell is said to have been, when a boy, bound apprentice to the master of a Scotch coaster, and .before he had served his time out, the vessel was boarded by a king's officer, then on the impress service, who, as usual, took out every person, except the master ;and his apprentice. Among those who were 2 A taken 334 NAVAL ANECDOTES. taken was the mate of the vessel, who, besides the aversion every man naturally has to being forced into a service, which, perhaps, he has beer* very unwarrantably taught to dislike, for reasons totally destitute of truth and foundation, hap- pened to have a wife and family : his distress, in consequence, was so great, that he wept like a child. The man's situation affected young Camp- bell to such a decree, that he entreated the officer o to take him instead of the mate ; and the officer was so pleased at the boy's- behaviour, that he re- plied, Aye, my lad, that I will ; I would muck rather have a boy of spirit, than a blubbering man Come along /'' The anecdote was handed to the commander of the ship he was on board of, along with him, in consequence of which, it is said, he was put on the quarter-deck before any interest whatever was made for it by his friends. PROPOSAL TO MAKE A KNIGHT OF A LADY, After the defeat of the Marquis de Conflans, in which Captain Campbell had been engaged, he went with Lord Anson, in that nobleman's coach, to carry the news to the king. " Captain Campbell, said his lordship, " the king will knight you, if you think proper." "Troth, my lord," answe-ed the captain, who retained his Scotch dialect as long as he lived, " I ken nae use that will be to me." " But your lady may like it," re- plied NAVAL ANECDOTES. 355 plied his lordship. " Weell then," rejoined the cap* tain wittily, " his majesty may knight her, if he pleases*" THE DISCOVERY OF MADEIRA. IN the year 1344, in the reign of Peter IV. king of Arragon. the island of Madeira, lying in 22 degrees, was discovered, by an Englishman, named Macham, who, sailing from England to Spain with a lady whom he had carried off, was driven by a tempest to this island, and cast anchor in the harbour or bay, now called Ma- chico, after the name of Macham. His mistress being sea-sick, he took her to land, with some of his com- pany, where she died, and the ship drove out to sea. As he had a tender affection for his mistress, he built a chapel or hermitage, which he called Jesus, and buried her in it, and inscribed on her tomb- stone his and her name, and the occasion of their arrival there. In the island are very large trees, of one of which he and his men made a boat, and went to sea in it, and were cast upon the shore of Africa, without sail or oars. The Moors were infinitely surprized at the sight of them, and pre- sented Macham to their king, who sent him and his companions to the king of Castile, as a pro- digy or miracle. In 1S95, Henry I II. of Castile, by the infor- mation of Macham, persuaded some of his ma- 2 A 2 riners 356 NAVAL ANECDOTES. riners to go in search of this island, and of the Canaries. In 1417, King John II. of Castile, his mother Catherine being then regent, one M. Ruben, of Bracamont, Admiral of France, having demanded and obtained of the Queen the conquest of the Canaries, with the title of king for a kinsman of his, named M. John Betancourt, he departed from Saville with a good army. And it is affirm- ed, that the principle motive that engaged him in this enterprize was, to discover the island of Madeira, which Macham had found. THE TOMB OF MACHAM's ANNA. THE following elegiac stanzas are founded on the preceding historical fact. Macham, having consigned the body of his beloved mistress to the solitary grave, is supposed to have inscribed on it the following pathetic lines : " O'er my poor ANNA'S lowly grave No dirge shall sound, no knell shall ring, But angels, as the high pines wave, Their half-heard ' MISERERK' sing! " No flow'rs of transient bloom at eve, The maidens on the turf shall strew; Nor sigh, as the sad spot they leave, * Sweets to the sveet a long adieu ! ' " But in this wilderness profound, O'er her the dove shall build her nest; And ocean swell with softer sound, A Reyuitm to her dream of rest 1 AM NAVAL ANECDOTES. 55? " Ah ! when shall I as quiet be, When not a friend or human eye Shall mark, beneath the mossy tree, The spot where we forgotten lie ? " To kiss her name on this cold stone, is all that now on earth I crave ; For in this world I am alone Oh ! lay me with her in the grave." THE SATISFACTION OF A GENTLEMAN; A PRACTICAL BULL. AT the close of the American war, as a noble lord of high naval character, was returning home to his family, after various escapes from danger, he was detained at Holyhead by contrary winds. Reading in a summer-house, he heard the well- known sound of bullets whistling near him : he looked about, and found that two balls had just passed through the door close beside him; he looked out of the window and saw two gentlemen, who were just charging their pistols again ; and, as he guessed that they had been shooting at a mark upon the door, he rushed out, and very civilly remonstrated with them on firing at the door of a house, without having previously examined whether any one was withinside. One of them immediately answered, in a tone which proclaimed at once his disposition and his country, " Sir, I 2 A 3 did 358 NAVAL ANECDOTES. did not know you were there, and I do not know who you are now; but if I have given offence, I am willing," said he, holding out the ready charged pistols, " to give you the satisfaction of a gentleman- take your choice." With his usual presence of mind, the noble lord seized hold of both the pistols, and said to his asto- nished countryman, " Do me the justice, Sir, just to step into that summer-house, shut the door, and let me have two shots at you, then we shall be upon equal terms, and I shall be quite at your service to give or receive the satisfaction of a gentleman." There was an air of drollery and superiority in his manner, which at once struck and pleased the Hibernian. " Upon my conscience Sir, I be- lieve you are an honest fellow," said he, looking upon him earnestly in the face, "and I've a great mind to shake hands with you Will you only just tell me who you are ?" The nobleman told his name a name dear to every Briton, and every Irishman ! " I beg your pardon, and that's what no man ever accused me of doing before," cried the gallant Hibernian, " and had I known who you were, I would as soon have shot my own soul as have fired through the door. But how could I tell who was within- side r" " That is the very thing of which I com- plain," said his lordship. The candid op- ponent NAVAL ANECDOTES. 359 ponent admitted the justice of the complaint, as soon as he understood it, and he promised never more to be guilty of such a Practical Bull. MARITIME HISTORY OF THE CYCLOPS. THE description which the ancient poets gave of the Cydoplans was founded on truth : the dread- ful eye that glared in the centre of the forehead, was, in reality, the circular casement that was placed at the top of their light-houses, as a direc- tion to mariners ; but what confirmed the mis- take, into which the Grecians were led, respec- ting this circumstance, proceeded from an eye which the Clyclopian artists represented over the entrance of their sacred temples. The Arimas- pians were Hyperborean Cyclopians, and had temples named Chans or Charisia, on the top of which a perpetual fire was preserved. The great architects Trophonius and Agamedes seem to claim an affinity to this celebrated people, who not only built the cities of Hermione and Argos, but also enjoyed the fame of sending forth a co* lony stiled Academians, who settled in Attica, where they founded the Academia and Ceramicus, There was, however, a savage and terrible cha- racter, which history seems to have assigned, with reason, to those Cyclopians, who possessed the ici}ian province of Leontine, called Zuthia, and ?44 of 360 NAVAL ANECDOTES. of whom Polyphemus is imagined to have been chief. It was their horrid custom to sacrifice all strangers who were driven on their coast ; and, perhaps, the poet is correct, when he makes Sile~- nus declare, that the flesh of the unfortunate sufferers was looked upon as a delicious repast. BRILLIANT SERVICES OF ADMIRAL GRAVES. ON Admiral Graves's arrival off the American coast, in the year 1?62, he learned that a French squadron, under M. de Ternay, with a body of land forces had taken St. John's, and meditated the conquest of the whole island. Upon this in- telligence he pushed through a frozen sea, filled with dreadful floating islands of ice, and, at great risque, for Placentia. He directly sailed into the harbour, and, contrary to the advice of the captain of the man-of-war there, as well as of the lieute- nant-governor and all the officers, landed, and assumed the supreme command. By his spirit he encouraged the military of both services into a resolution to defend the place against the French forces, should they march as was expected to its attack. He instantly set about repairing the old fortification and erecting a new fort, forwarding a detail of his situation to General Amherst and Lord Colville in America, praying their united 5 aid NAVAL ANECDOTES. 361 aid toward the recovery of St John's, and, if pos- sible, the capture of the enemy's squadron. The general and admiral lost no time in supplying a force for this purpose, Lord Colville coming him- self with his squadron, and the general sending his brother with a body of troops. So soon as they arrived off St John's, Colonel Amherst called a council to determine the proper place for landing his soldiery, but followed the advice the commodore gave, although different from that of the other officers, and succeeded in all his opera- tions. The French were defeated, and the town, with its whole garrison, taken : M. de Ternay, under favour of a dark night, and the commence- ment of a north-west breeze, stole out of the har- bour with all his ships, and made the best of his way for France, although they were much supe- rior in force to the English. Admiral Graves ac- quired great credit for his judgment and abilities during these transactions, and had many thanks from Colonel Amherst for his advice. This re- conquest was accomplished with so much alert- ness that it preceded the peace then in treaty between the two nations. When Admiral Graves returned to this country, he proposed several new regulations with respect to the government, and for the security of the island in future, which, be- ing approved, were adopted by the ministry. He had also the satisfaction upon his voyage back to save 302 NAVAL ANECDOTES. save the captain and the crew of the MarlboroUgh of 74 guns, then returning from the siege of the Havannah, just before the ship herself foundered at sea. REMARKABLE COINCIDENCE OF EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN FALKINGHAM. THE following very singular coincidence is re- corded on the testimony of a gentleman very nearly connected with the late Captain Talking- ham : - He was captured in the Shoreham, the vessel he commanded in the merchant-service, on the second of December. He was wrecked in the Fo- go, on the same day of the year. He lost a con- siderable property by fire in Barbadoes, on the se- cond of December. He had frequently mentioned these circumstances to his friends, adding, that he had no doubt, having met with three such dis- asters on the same day of the year, that Provi- flence would, at length, recompense him, by ren- dering it the happiest in his life. He died on the second of December, \777- It is needless to say any thing farther. TUE NAVAL ANECDOTES. 363 THE CHARACTER OF ADMIRAL BLAKE. THE name of this illustrious commander is still dear to his country, and will continue to be held in honour as long as courage, patriotism, and in- tegrity, have their due weight with Britons. The following sketch of his character appears in En- tick's Naval History: " He was," says the histo- rian, " a man but of low stature ; however, of a quick, lively eye, and of a good soldier-like coun- tenance. He was, in his person, brave beyond example, yet cool in action, and shewed a great deal of military conduct in the disposition of those desperate attacks, which men of a cooler compo- sition have judged rather fortunate than expedi- ent. He certainly loved his country with extra- ordinary ardour ; and, as he never meddled with the intrigues of state, so, whatever government he served, he was solicitous to do his duty. He was upright to a supreme degree; for, notwithstand- ing the vast sums which passed through his hands, he scarcely left 5001. behind him of his own ac- quiring. In fine, he was on all occasions for the benefit of the public, and the glory of the nation, and not with any view to his own private profit and fame. In respect to his personal character, he was pious, without affectation, strictly just and liberal to the utmost extent of his fortune. His officers he treated with the familiarity of friends, and 364 NAVAL ANECDOTES. and to his sailors he was truly a parent. The states buried him as it was fit ; at the public expence they gave him a grave, but no tomb ; and though he still wants an epitaph, writers of all parties have shewn an eagerness to do his memory jus- tice. An author (Winstanley), who is cotemporary with Blake, wrote the following verses upon his death : Here lies a man made Spain and Holland shake, Made France to tremble, and the Turks to quake : Thus he tam'd men, but if a lady stood In '& sight, it rais'd a palsy in his blood. Cupid's antagonist, who, in his life, Had fortune as familiar as a wife. A stiff, hard, iron soldier ; for he, It seems, had more of Mars than Mercury; At sea he thunder'd, calm'd each raging wave, 'And now he's dead, sent thundering to the grave. MORTIFICATION OF THE FLESH. ABOUT forty years ago, many of the chief saints at Boston met with a severe mortification. Cap- tain St. Loe, commander of a ship of war, then in Boston harbour, being ashore on a Sunday, was apprehended by the constables for walking on the Lord's day. On Monday he was carried before a justice; he was fined, refused to pay it, and NAVAL ANECDOTES. 365 and for his contumacy and contempt of authority, was sentenced to sit in the stocks one hour. This sentence was put in execution without the least mitigation. While the captain sat in durance, grave magis- trates admonished him to respect in future the wholesome laws of the province ; and reverend divines exhorted him ever after to reverence and keep holy the sabbath day. At length the hour expired, and the captain's legs were set at liberty. As soon as he was freed, he, with great seeming earnestness, thanked the magistrates for their cor- rection, and the clergy for their advice and conso- lation ; and declaring that he was ashamed of his past life, that he was resolved to put off the old man of sin, and to put on the new one of right- eousness ; that he should ever pray for them as instruments in the hands of God of saving his sin- ful soul. This sudden conversion rejoiced the saints : after clasping their hands, and turning up their eyes to heaven, they embraced their new convert, and returned thanks for being made the humble means of snatching a soul from perdition. Proud of their success, they fell to exhorting him afresh, and the most zealous invited him to dinner, that they might have full time to complete their work. The captain sucked in the milk of exhortation as 366 NAVAL ANECDOTES* as a babe does the milk of the breast ; he was as ready to listen as they were to exhort. Never was a convert more assiduous while his station in Boston harbour lasted : he attended every sab- bath-day their most sanctified meeting-house; never missed a weekly lecture ; at every private conventicle he was most fervent and loudest in prayer. He flattered, and made presents to the wives and daughters of the godly. In short, all the time he could spare from the duties of his sta- tion was spent in entertaining them on board his ship, or in visiting and praying at their houses. The saints were delighted with him beyond measure ; they compared their wooden stocks to the voice from heaven, and the sea convert to St. Paul, who, from their enemy had become their doctor. Amidst their mutual happiness the mournful time of parting arrived. The captain received his recal. On this he went round among the godly, and wept and prayed, assuring them he would re- turn, and end his days among his friends in the Lord. Till the day of 'his departure the time was spent in regrets, professions, entertainments, and pray- er. On that day, about a dozen of the principal magistrates, including the select men, accompa- nied the captain to Nantasket Road, where the ship lay, with every thing ready for sailing. An NAVAL ANECDOTES. 367 An elegant dinner was provided for them on board ; after which many bowls and bottles were drained. As the blood of the saints waxed warm, the crust of their hypocrisy melted away : their moral see-saws and scripture texts gave place to double entendres and wanton songs ; the captain encouraged their gaiety, and the whole ship re- sounded with the roar of their merriment Just at that time, into the cabin burst a body of sailors, who, to the inexpressible horror and amazement of the saints, pinioned them fast. Heedless of cries and entreaties, they dragged them upon deck, where they were tied up, strip- ped to the buff, and their breeches laid down ; and the boatswain, with his assistants, armed with dreadful cat-o'-nirie-tails, provided for the occa- sion, administered unto them the law of Moses in the most energetic manner. Vain were all their prayers, roarings, stampings, and curses; the captain, in the meantime assuring them, that it was consonant to their own doctrine, and to scripture ; that the mortification of the flesh tend- ed towards the saving of the soul, and therefore it would be criminal in him to abate a single lash. When they had suffered the whole of their dis- cipline, which had flayed them from the nape of the neck to the hams, the captain took a polite leave, earnestly begging them to remember him in their prayers. They were then let down into the 368 NAVAL ANECDOTES. the boat that was waiting for them ; the crew sa- luted them with three cheers, and Captain St. Loe made sail. NAVAL ARCHITECTURE AND REGULATIONS OF THE GREEKS. THE Grecians, in the construction of their vessels, sought only to form a compact row-gal- ley, and the helmet at the mast-head denoted it to be a ship of war; their merchantmen were called shades? and were usually of a round form. The row-boats, or gallies, were at first without decks, with a moveable mast, and a single lea- thern sail ; and, as hempen cordage was un- known, thongs of leather were employed for the rigging. The Greeks were long strangers to any use of anchors ; nor does that opinion seem cor- rect, which supplies the early navigators with some made of stone; their prevailing custom be- ing to draw each vessel ashore, or to moor them to large stones placed for that purpose on the beach. It is more probable that the first anchors were constructed of hard wood, to which a consi- derable quantity of lead was attached; even af- terwards, when those of iron were introduced, die single-fluked anchor continued to be used : expe- rience necessarily suggested its present form, and gave to each vessel, as its safeguard, one of larger dimensions NAVAL ANECDOTES. 369 dimensions than the rest, which they styled the sacred anchor, and never used but in times of im- minent peril. In a Grecian fleet the principal officers varied but little from the modern list, though naval and military duties were too much blended with each other. The commander of the troops appeared to have preceded the admiral] of which rank the Greeks had usually from one to two or three offi- cers in a squadron : yet such was the prejudice or jealousy of the times, that when an admiral had once discharged the important duties of that illustrious station, he was ever afterwards deemed by the Spartans incapable of enjoying the same rank. His title, as commander of a fleet, was dux Prcefectusque Classis. To the admiral suc- ceeded the captain, Navarchus, and then followed a post of great honour and responsibility; the Pi- lot, Gubernator, to whom the charge of the vessel and discipline of the crew were assigned. Un- der the pilot was appointed a sort of mate called proreus, from his station at the prow ; he had the keeping of stores for the ship's rigging, and was allowed to distribute places to the rowers. Commanders of gallies, in addition to the above title of navarchus, or captain, were styled trier' archs ; and when two were on board, each com- manded for six months. This appellation of trierarchs, was also given to tho.se cities that in 2 B time 370 ' tfAVAL ANECDOTES, time of war were appointed to fit out gallics. The modern boatswain is discovered in those duties which the keleutes of the Greeks per- formed ; he passed the "vror J of command throughout the vessel, and also assisted in distri- buting the ship's allowance of provisions. The appointments of purser and secretary were al- ways united, as they sometimes are at present; and the sprightly notes of the drum and rife, by c? / which the labour of the capstan-bars is at pre- sent so much abated, was a delightful task as- signed to the Grecian trierantcs, who stood be- fore the mast and cheered his weary shipmates with the exhilarating music of the Car>aanite& Against the mast the tuneful Orpheus stands, Plays to the wearied rowers, and commands The thought of toil away. STATJUS. TIIEB. V. V. 345. Whilst on board, the hardships which the Gre-- erans endured must have been considerable, from the stnallness of their vessel, and the badness of its accommodation. The rowers had only a vrooden bench to repose on, and even the situa- tion of their officers differed but little from the rest of the crew, since it was objected against Aiciliades, as a mark of great effeminacy, that he was the first Greek who had ordered his bed to be slung in order to break the motion of the vessel NAVAL ANECDOTES, 371 vessel. The crew was divided into rowers remi* ges, mariners (nautee), and soldiers or marines, who were styled classiarii. A ship's comple- ment rarely exceeded 200; the usual pay of their seamen was three oboli a day ; and, if we add the fourth, which was given by Cyrus at Lysander's request, it would amount on the whole to nearly sixpence-halfpenny, though some authors make it less ; as when the Athenians fitted out a fleet against Sicily. AN EXCESS OF BRAVERY ; ILLUSTRATED fN THE CONDUCT OF THE LATE CAPTAIN" WATSON. THE following account of an unsuccessful en- gagement, between the Northumberland of 70 guns, and three French ships, is taken from a short narrative of the action, written by an intelligent person who was himself on board, and published it immediately after his return from captivity: May the 8th, being in latitude 39 and 40, at five A. M. the admiral made a signal for the Nor- O thumberland to chase a sail to the northward, We crowded all the sail we could, but could gain nothing on the chase, having little wind and hazy weather. At two the admiral made a signal for us to leave off chasing and come into the fleet. The captain was acquainted with it but would not 2 B 2 obey. 372 NAVAL ANECDOTES. obey. I know not his reason for it. About three J _ we had a hard shower of rain, with a brisk gale, and very hazy Weather. At four, the weather j j > clearing away, we lost sight 'of the chase, and dis- covered three ships steering to westward, two of them appearing to be large ships of equal force with us, the other a ship of about twenty guns, 'at about a league distance. On viewing them the O o master said they were strangers ; that two of them were warm-sided ships, and that the other had a whole tier of guns. He persuaded the captain to tack and stand for the fleet, but he refused, saying, he was resolved to see what those fellows were made of. He ordered the men to unlash the guns and clear the ship, which he had not time to do. On our bearing down to them they immedi- ately brought to under their top-sails, and hoisted English colours, but on our' nearer approach these were changed to French ; the headmost ship hoisted a broad white pendant, and run her guns out. We bore down upon her so precipitately that our small sails were not stowed, nor our top- gallant-sails furled, before the enemy began to fire on us : at the same time we had the cabin v cleared; nor Were the hammocks stowed as they ought to have been : in short, we had nothing iu o a order. At five o'clock we came up with the Content. the commodore's ship of sixty-tvvo gans. " She 2 threw NAVAL ANECDOTES. 373. . threw her^vhole fire, small and great, into us, without doing us any damage, 'Our captain would not stop here, nor take anv notice of it ; but 1 ' " qrdered us to bear for the Mars, of sixty-four ' guns, which ship was somewhat to leeward of us. This was a sreat miscarriage in the action, for had o 1 we kept close to the first ship, in all probability we should have disabled her before her consort cpuld have got to her relief, and at the same time' keen as prepared for the other. Thus leaving' lier, and bearing for the other, gave them the op-' jxortunity of supporting each other in the attack they made on us ? and also enabled the small snip to lie under our stern. On receiving the fire from the Content, our people gave three cheers, and we ourselves began the action by firing on the Mars. The fire was continued by our people on the different ships as' we could bring our guns to bear on them. After the action had continued some time, the men were shot at the helm ; the proper officer that -. ' . :'\ \ .. l v should have been on the quarter-deck to assist the captain not appearing, the helm was neglected, and the ship for a time thrown into the wind, so that she lay exposed to the enemy to act by her as they pleased, we not being able to bring a gun to bear on them. They ranged up to pour their whole fire into us towards night, and the Mars '- i bearing for us, it was thought she intended to j ...>.. v .. . . 2 B 3 board, 374 NAVAL ANECDOTES. board us, we therefore endeavoured (o set our rriain-sail, but were prevented, our lee-sheet be- ing cut by a shot. Being prepared, by having a whole broadside ready, it was discharged at once into her. She being much wounded bore away, and troubled us no more ; we then prepared to receive the other ship, who now began to attack us on the starboard-quarter : this being the first time they had attacked us on that side, their fire seemed only intended to favour the retreat of their consort. The night came on. We returned their fire, which had now continued upwards of three hours, and all judged we had the best of it, when there was a sudden calling from the quar- ter-deck of leave firing, we have struck. This occasioned a great consternation ; no one would believe but that the French had struck, as we saw no apparent reason on our side for doing so. The French still firing, the same was returned, and a whole broadside was preparing, when there was a second consternation of " damn the rascals, leave firing, and house your guns, we have struck;'* I believe by the master. The captain was brought just at that time mor- tally wounded from the quarter deck, and leaning against the mixen-rnast, the master said, " Sir, v\hat will you do r for God's sake consider your men, they are all killed or wounded ; we have not R nian left to do any thing; we have none but 4 dead NAVAL ANECDOTES. 375 dead and wounded men ; we can do nothing ; we lie here to be shot at ;" with many such like words. The gunner begged in like manner, adding we shall al) be killed, they are going to rake us fore and aft. Dear Captain Watson strike; let us cut away the mast, we shall be retaken to-mor- row ; let us disable the ship which would have been put in execution, had they not been pre- vented by the people. The carpenter at this came and reported, that the ship was as sound as ever in her hull, and that she had not made an inch of water. The captain would not hearken to any thing ; bidding the crew put the ship be- fore the wind, and to keep to their defence. He was carried down to the purser's cabin to have his wounds dressed ; and knew not that the ship was given up till he saw the Frenchmen on board. It must appear very plain to any one that hears the true statement of the action, that the captain never once thought of a surrender of the ship ; for, had he known when the colours had been struck, and agreed thereto, there would have been no occasion for the master or gunner to beg him to do what he had consented to before. The Captain was not in his proper senses when the action began, in consequence of a fall, in which he had fractured his skull some time before. His mouth was drawn aside in a strange manner.; and. a small 376 NAVAL ANECDOTES. a small quantity of liquor rendered him quite in- capable of duty, as 'was his unhappy fate that day. Exposing himself too publicly, on the arms-chest, he became an easy mark to be shot at, and after-' wards growing faint from his wounds, he could not exert himself as he would have done, having no assistance from those whose duty required it : he too late saw his error. Thus was given up to the French one of the best ships in the navy of England, when there was no real necessity for doing so. It is true the mate was wounded, the sails and rigging torn to pieces, and about seventy men killed and wounded ; that Avas the worst state. On the other hand we had a strong brave ship ; no leaks to stop ; no damage done to our hull : we had men left that were able and willing to fight our guns ; and would have held it out to the last, if there had been one offi- cer in his post that would have taken the com- mand. Added to this it was night, and the ene- my knew not that the colours were struck : the people did, and would have continued the action longer, had they not been forced to leave off. The enemy being called to for quarter, and desired ta come on board with their boats, I believe by the' master. The foregoing account is too explicit relative to this unhappy transaction, to render much expla- nation, or addition to it, on our part necessary. Captain NAVAL ANECDOTES. 377 Captain Watson appears to have sacrificed every consideration in the hope of signalizing; himself, by at least the discomfiture of two ships, each of: which were in force nearly equal to his own. Her; was unhappily deceived in his attempt, which certainly would have been considered as an act of consummate bravery, had it been supposed^ within the bounds of possibility for fortune to have favoured- his attempt. That not- being the case, those who would have rejoiced in the former in^- stance when bestowing on him that tribute of'ap- plause justly due to ar gallant act^ were compelled- to be content with the silent tear of compassion? for the unhappy fate of a rash and desperate mam. Though grievously wounded, his fall was rendered still more melancholy by his having lingered ia extreme- misery for some days after the action, and then lived to be carried into an enemy's port. The master of the ship, who is so much, and,; apparently, so justly reflected on in the foregoing account, was tried for having surrendered the, ship unnecessarily, and was sentenced to be iwh prisoned for life in t!he marshalsea. A BOATSWAIN FULL-DRESSED. AT the conclusion of the American war, the boatswain of a seventy-four that was paid off, on his arrival in London, repaired to Monmouth- 578 NAVAL ANECDOTES. street, and there purchased a second-hand court- dress of a knight of the garter. His hair was dressed by a skilful operator ; and thus equipped, lie went to Drury-lane theatre, and seated himself in one of the stage-boxes. There was nothing in his behaviour to betray that his dress was supe- rior to his condition, and our honest seaman might have remained undiscovered in his court- disguise, but for the following incident : It hap- pened during the evening that two jolly tars be- longing to the same vessel were seated in the front of t^e two-shilling gallery, and soon thought they recognized in the well-dressed personage in the stage-box, the face of an old acquaintance. They both insisted that it could be no other than their boatswain, and their attention was entirely drawn from the play to contemplate the metamorphosis of their old shipmate. So astonishing a change, the more fully they considered it, begat some doubts in their minds ; and they determined to hail him, as the only means of solving their doubts. One of them cried out, Ho, the boatswain of the Achilles, a hoe ! To this well-known salutation the boatswain, forgetting his fine clothes, answer* *d Holloo ! A SEA NAVAL ANECDOTES. 379 A SEA LIFE. CAPTAIN Thomas Barwise, of the ship Cum- berland, of Whitehaven (a native of Lousoy in Abby Holm), in the course of twenty-six years has made five voyages to Waterford, three to France, one to Gibraltar, two to Greenland, one to the East Indies, five to America, and fifteen to Jamaica. Captain B. is only forty-two years of age, eighteen of which (and since he was of the age of sixteen years) he has lived at sea: it is further worthy of remark, that he never lost an apprentice, nor one man in nine voyages to Ja- maica, and that of the twenty-six years of his sea, faring life, he was three years in the king's service, and has been twenty years in the employ of the house to which he was an apprentice. JACK IN THE PLAYHOUSE. ONE evening, a few weeks after the lamented c3* death of Lord Nelson, the theatre at Covent-Gar- den being exceedingly crowded, an interesting scene took place during the performance : A sailor, apparently about thirty years of age, and of very healthy appearance, with the blunt and honest manner of a real tar, at an early part of the evening, occasioned some mirth to the indi- viduals in the pit, where Jack was also situated, bawling ANECDOTES; bawling for those aloft (meaning the galleries) to stow their jabber, or cease^ their noise), in- abasing -thereby the confusion which prevailed; JTftckj at length,, raising, himself on one of .the se.ats, e&<&q:)Vtydi^--Me$smates aloft - three hearty cheers for Nelson a-nd-the Nile,; Jack was obeyed ; nor were the-shouts confined to the galleries only. Jack, from the attention paid to him, was now : inclined- to- indulge- himself further; and, pro- ducing a. medal, to which he fastened a black. ribbon, he gave the. audience to understand that i- was a medal which had been struck to comme- morate the battle of tlie Nile, and which, as the. brave Nelson w-as no> more, as it bore his head, he offered it to their notice, (pointing to the black ribbon) in mourning. Much applause followed, and the medal in mourning was contiguously, waved by the sailor many times during the re- mainder of the nidit, O Jack having repeatedly called to the musicians between the acts of the tragedy for " Rule Bri- tannia^ without being attended to, at the con- clusion of the play forced his way, through all impediments in the pit, to the orchestra, when he again waved his black ribbon with the medal affixed to it, and insisted upon his favourite tune, and with which at that time he was indulged. Much approbation followed ; and Jack, a,s Ji.fc twirled round his black rihbon, lost the meda.], whicfe NAVAL ANECDOTES. 7T81 which found its way to the stage ; a gentleman in the boxes beckoned to one of the performers, whom he observed standing against one of the wings at the side of the stage, to take up and bring to him the medal which the sailor had lost, which was accordingly done, and- Jack was soon after in possession of his prize. The honest sailor then, until the close of the entertainment,- con- tinued tranquil ; when he suddenly clambered over the orchestra, and succeeded in taking pos- 1 session of the stage. Shouts, accompanied with : much laughter, now predominated in the house, and Jack made several ineffectual attempts to -speechify; the audience, however, at length be - "came silent, -to listen to what he had to say, wfcea ire addressed them in the following words " Ladies and gentlemen, "Shall I give you a handspike (meaning a hornpipe) or a song." " A song, a song," was exclaimed by in any at the same time in the gallery; but Ja<:k being "beckoned to by a performer from the right-hand ' stage- door, he retired before he had performed the vocal part of the task he had voluntarily un- dertaken to attempt. Nothing more was heard of the sailor until the final piece, Nelsons Glory, was nearly concluded : when Mr. Incledon stepped forward to the front of 382 NAVAL ANECDOTES. of the stage, and delivered the following ac^ dress u Gentlemen and ladies, 11 One of the brave crew of the Victory begs your permission to appear before you on this oc- casion, that he may join in the chorus of Rule Britannia" This extraordinary request was instantly grant- ed, with very loud reiterated applause ; when the honest sailor, of whom we have been speaking, again appeared, and, sans ceremonie, seized the British flag which one of the performers support- ed, and exultingly continued to wave it above the head of Incledon, till the song of Rule Britannia was concluded. This made a wonderful impres- sion on the mind of the spectators : and the final curtain at length dropped, amidst the loudest plaudits, in which the ladies in the boxes> and, in fact, every individual, most heartily joined. When the honest tar indicated a resolution not to part with the flag, although importuned by the performer whose office it was to bear it, the thea- tre resounded with the highest acclamations of spontaneous approbation. NARRATIVE ANECDOTES. 385 NARRATIVE OF CAPT. KENNEDY'S LOSING HIS VESSEL AT SEA, AND HIS DISTRESSES AFTER- WARDS, COMMUNICATED TO HIS OWNERS. WE sailed from Port Royal, in Jamaica, on the 21st day of December last (1768) bound for Whitehaven, but the twenty-third day having met with a hard gale at north, we were obliged to lay to under a fore-sail, for the space of ten hours, which occasioned the vessel to make more water than she could free with both pumps- Under this situation we set sail, in hopes of being able to make the island of Jamaica again, which from our reckoning we judged lay about ten leagues to the eastward. But in less than an hour's time the water overflowed the lower deck, and we could scarcely get into the yaul (being thirteen in number) before the vessel sunk; having only, with much difficulty, been able to take out a keg, containing about sixteen pounds of biscuit, ten pounds of cheese, and two bottles of wine, with which small pittance we endeavoured to make the land. But the wind continuing to blow hard from the north, and the sea running high, we were obliged, after an unsuccessful attempt of three days, to bear away for Honduras, as the wind seemed to favour us for that course, and it being the only visible means we had of preserving our lives. On the seventh day we made Swan's island ; 384 .K;AVAL ANECDOTES. island; but being destitute of a quadrant, and other needful helps, we were uncertain what land it was. However, we went on shore, under the flattering hopes of finding some refreshments ; but, to our unspeakable regret and heavy disap- pointment,, we only found a few quarts of brackish , water .in the hollow of a rock, and a few wilks. , Notwithstanding there was no human nor visible prospect of finding water, or any other of the necessaries of life, it was with the utmost reluc- tance the people quitted the island: but being at length prevailed upon, with much difficulty, and through persuasive means, we embarked in the evening, with only six quarts of water, for the Bay of Honduras. Between the seventh and four- teenth days of our being in the boat, we were most .miraculously supported, and at a time when na- ture was almost exhausted, having nothing to eat or drink. Yet the Almighty Author of our being furnished us with supplies, which, when seriously considered, not only served to display his benefi- cence, but fill the mind with admiration and , wonder. Well may we cry out with the royal wise man "Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him ? or the son of man, that thou visitest him ?" In the evening the wild sea-fowls hovered over our heads, and lighted on our hands when held out to receive them. Of these our people ate the flesh NAVAL ANECDOTES. flesh and drank the blood, declaring it to be as palatable as new milk. I ate twice of the flesh, and thought it very good. It may appear very remarkable, that, though I neither tasted food, nor drank for eight days, I did not feel the sensations of hunger and thirst; but on the fourteenth my drought often required me to gargle my throat with salt M 7 ater, and on the fifteenth it increased ; when, happily for us, \ve made land, which proved to be an island, called Ambergris, lying at a small distance from the main land, and about four leagues 'to the northward of St. George's Quay, (where the white people reside), in the Bay of Honduras ; though the want of a quadrant, and other neces- saries, left us still in suspense. We slept four nights on this island, and every evening picked up wilks and couchs for next day's provision, em- barking every morning, and towing along the shore to the southward. On the first evening of our arrival here we found a lake of fresh water, by which we lay all night, and near it buried one of our people. On walking along the shore we found a few cocoa-nuts, which were full of milk. The sub- stance of the nuts we ate with the wilks, instead of bread, thinking it a delicious repast, although eaten raw having no implements whereby to 2 c kindle 386 NAVAL ANECDOTES. kindle a fire. From the great support received by this shell-fish, I shall ever revere the name. On the third day after our arrival at thi* island, we buried another of our people, which, with four who died on the passage, made six who perished through hunger and thirst. On the fifth day after our arrival at Ambergris we happily discovered a small vessel at some dis- tance, under sail, which we made for. In the even- ing got on board her; and in a few hours, being the 10th of January, we arrived at St. George's Quay, in a very languid state. I cannot conclude, without making mention of the great advantage I received from soaking my clothes twice a day in salt water, and putting them on without wringing. It was a considerable time before I could make the people comply with this measure, though, from seeing the good effect it produced, they afterwards of their own accord practised it twice a day. To this discovery I may with justice impute the pre- servation of my own life, and that of six other persons, who must have perished but for its being put in use. The hint was first communicated to me from a perusal of a treatise written by Dr. Lind, and which, I think, ought to be commonly understood and recommended to all sea-faring people. 2 There NAVAL ANECDOTES. 387 There is one very remarkable circumstance, and worthy of notice, which is, that we daily made the same urine as if we had drunk moderately of any liquid ; which must be owing to a body of water being absorbed through the skin. The saline par- ticles remaining in our clothing became encrusted by the heat of our bodies and that of the sun, which cut and wounded our posteriors, and from the intense pain rendered sitting very disagreeable. But we found, upon washing out the saline par- ticles, and frequently wetting our clothes without wringing, (which we practised twice a day,) the skin became well in a short time : and so very great advantage did we derive from this practice, that the violent drought went off, the parched tongue was cured in a few minutes after bathing and washing our clothes; at the same time we found ourselves as much refreshed as if we had received some actual nourishment. A SAILOR'S NONCHALANCE. A CURIOUS circumstance was lately witnessed by a gentleman while on his tour through the west of England : A sailor had repaired to Plymouth church with his lass, for the purpose of being mar- ried, when arriving at the place appointed, the usual questions were put to him, and, amongst the rest, the name of his fair one : " As for that, 2 c 2 (says 388 NAVAL ANECDOTES. (says Jack) all I know of her is, that I took her in tow yesterday afternoon, and that her name is Bet." NARRATIVE OF THE IMPRISONMENT AND SUF- FERINGS OF CAPTAIN D'AUVERGNE, IN THE TEMPLE, AT PARIS. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. " I am denied to sue my living here, And yet my letters patent give me leave. My father's goods are all distrained and sold, And these, and all, are all amiss employed What would you have me do r" FOR restitution, or indemnity, for the alienated domains, for his feudal rights, and his other pro- perty in the succession of the Dukes of Bouillon, Captain D'Auvergne, their legitimately designed successor, was counselled by some of the most distinguished and learned lawyers, to apply to the government of that country: advised also by his friends on this side, to assert rights, the more im- portant to him, as he can declare it, without a blush, that after the last eight years of an uninter- rupted service of his country, in a situation of trust, in which considerable sums of the public money have been administered, although not rich at his entrance upon that service, he is consider- ably poorer now ; it does not become him to say with NAVAL ANECDOTES. 389 witn what success he has executed the services committed to him, but he may acknowledge, that he has repeatedly been honoured in general terms with the approbation of the ministers in whose department he served. Accordingly, urged by his friends, after the definitive treaty of Amiens was ratified, he solicited, and obtained permission to go to Paris, to consult proper persons respecting the prosecution of his claims, and endeavour to recover some of that property, the inheritance of which had been so solemnly entailed upon him. He accordingly provided himself with the usual passports from the secretary of state for the fo- reign department, which he got, as a further pre- caution, counter signed by M. Otto, the charge des affaires of the republic here. Thus provided, with the addition of a letter of introduction to Mr. Merry, from Lord Hawkesbury's office, he landed in Normandy, accompanied by a friend, Major Durnaresq, of the 3d regiment of the mi- litia of Jersey, and two servants, and proceeded directly to Paris ; acting with great circumspec- tion, (and having recommended the same to those with him) which prudence seemed more particu- larly to prescribe to an officer, whose services perhaps might not have escaped the notice of a crovernment from whom he was about to claim C 1 justice, with respect to his rights. He reached Paris on the 27th of August, 1802, and immedi- 2 c 3 ately 390 NAVAL ANECDOTES. ately occupied himself in putting his claims in a train to be submitted to the decision of the French government. His leisure hours were employed in visiting the Louvre, and the rich collections it has lately received. He had visited the Thuilleries, to view the parade of Quintidi (the 2d of Sep- tember), but had declined presentation, from mo- tives for which his friends will, he trusts, do him justice. He mentions this the more particularly, as he has since been given to understand, that visiting the Thuilleries, indeed Paris, without the ceremonial of presentation and humiliation before the consul, is interpreted as a disrespect, which certainly was far from being intended. He had a leisure hour, and a curiosity to satisfy himself re- specting their much spoken of military exhibition, the parade of Quintidi ; and he was told from Mr. Merry, that he might innocently satisfy his curiosity, by presenting himself as an English of- ficer in his uniform, and retiring when he was gratified, which was all that he did. He was, how- ever, on the 7th of September, about seven o'clock, surprised in his bed at the hotel de Rome, (Faux* bourgSt. Germain,) where he lodged, by a num- ber of ferocious-looking men, whom, upon ex^ planation, he found to be sbires, or persons of the police, headed by a commissary and two ex- empts, who set about rifling his room, sedulously collecting every scrap of paper, and prying into the NAVAL ANECDOTES. 391 most private corners, rudely summoning him to attend them to the minister of the police, (the ex-priest Fouche,) who desired to see him im- mediately, scarcely allowing him to put on his cloaths, or the horses to be put to the job car- riage he used. He, however, hurried himself, and after sending his servant to announce this un- pleasant event to Mr. Merry, whose hotel was within two doors, he proceeded, with an exempt of the police in the carriage with him, and eight or ten shires, or officers, attending on foot, with the commissary, who had made notes of the ar- rest, and who carried the private papers. Ar- rived at the Bureau de la Police General, he was escorted up to the very top of the house, into a sort of anti-room, or garret, in which were five or six employes, or runners, of the vilest appear- ance, who kept going in and out every moment. About an hour after his first introduction to this place, he was shewn into an office in another part of the building, where sat a M. Desmarets, secre- tary to the Minister Fouche, who said he was charged by his principal to ask him a few ques- tions; which were answered by asking a leading one, as to what motive might be ascribed the vio- lation of the laws of hospitality, he at that mo- ment experienced, and had suffered in the hotel where he lodged? The secretary's reply was, that the minister had a "prevention," (prejudice) g c 4. a great 392 NAVAL ANECDOTES. a great " prevention" against him, for his services during the war; and sought to prevail upon him that Mr. Pitt had determined to wage a war of extermination in the bosom of France ; that Mr. Windham had planned it; and that the captain, by the influence of his name, as Duke of Bouil- lon, and his connections in the western provinces, had directed its execution, to the utmost of his power, and the great detriment of the interests of the republic. To this he replied, that he con- ceived the treaty of Amiens terminated all discus- sions of the kind ; he had no explanations to give of any part of his conduct antecedent to that epoch ; but disdained to answer to such unquali- fied accusations, as were made with the most odious and insulting epithet against Messrs. Pitt and "VVindham, whose confidential agent they accused him of being. He professed his readiness to an- swer to facts, but declined combating "preven- tions" (prejudices), which he could not think to be seriously the cause of the cruel insult he had experienced. After about an hour's discussion with this M. Desmarets, he was remanded to the same vile place he had quitted, still more vilely attended than in the morning. He obtained leave to address a letter to Mr. Merry, stating the painful situation, wj^ich, notwithstanding M. Des- marets promise, he since found was never deli- vered. M. Desmarets informed him he would be called NAVAL ANECDOTES. 393 called before the " Magistral du quartier," to an- swer to these " preventions" of M. Fouche, for whom he patiently waited till two o'clock. When called before him, who was also an ex-priest, of the name of Faridel, he was ushered through the public hall of the building, where two emigres, who had been under his orders in Jersey, were waiting to see and identify him, if necessary, as the person who had commanded the naval depart- ment in that island during the war, and had been the means of much mischief, as they pretended, to the republic. To M. Faridel's questions, which he observed were written, and of the same ten- dency as those of M. Desmarets, he answered in monosyllables, conceiving it to be the only way " prejudices" were to be treated. M. Faridel kept him near an hour, but let it escape him, that he did not see the motive or " bur of the detention ; and the captain was conducted in the midst of the same vile assemblage he had before been amongst o o Here one, a little more decent than the rest, got a superior to come in, a sort of commissary, who told him the Minister Fouche was going to Mal- maison, to take the consul's commands upon the detention ; such importance did they pretend to attach to what the magistrate appeared not to comprehend. The tedious long day was drawing to a close, when Mr. Merry sent a message by a servant, desiring to be informed where the pri- soner 394 NAVAL ANECDOTES. soner was to be conveyed, if removed from his then situation ; a circumstance which he had been in hopes he would have been informed of by Mr. Merry; but seeing no prospect of immediate re- lease, he obtained, by means of his servant, who was allowed to wait without, a cup of coffee, the first refreshment he had had that day. M. Fouche was in and out of the hotel several times in the course of the day, but did not deign to occupy himself an instant with the situation of the subject of this memoir. An English officer's liberty unjustly violated, was not of sufficient moment to command a mi- nute of the attention of an ex-monk indulging in luxury and pride. He did not, as his commissary (who, perhaps, was employed to deceive), had said, go to Malmaison, but went to dine with the Consul Cambaceres; and, at ten o'clock, the same person who had mentioned at first, his go- ing to the first consul, came in and told the pri- soner that from Cambaceres' dinner the minister was gone to the opera, he must therefore quietly go to the Temple for the pight. The captain offered to pay for a room in the police till morning, which was refused him ; and an exempt entered, who, with two sbires, conducted their prisoner down to the court-yard, where a fiacre was waiting, into which they entered," and pro- ceeded to the Temple, within whose blood-stained gates NAVAL ANECDOTES. . gates he was received about eleven o'clock, and ushered through three or four heavily-ironed wickets to the Greflfe, where his appearance was minutely detailed and registered ; after which he was conducted to the keep, or tower of the Tem- ple, through as many more iron doors as he had already passed, to the apartments that had been occupied by the late unfortunate royal family ; in the anti-room of which he was shocked by the appearance of a rude, ferocious, half naked figure, partly rolled in a blanket, and lying on a straw It reared itself half up, as if disturbed by the grating of the iron doors on their hinges, and muttered, in a low and hollow tone of voice, " 2uoi done une autre victims ! est se gue cala nejinirajamais" The hideous aspect of his pale and wan figure excited horror, and may partly be conceived, by those who have minutely examined the late Sir Joshua Reynolds's famous picture of Ugolini. The captain hastened through this dis- mal dungeon to an inner room, to which he was shewn, and which had been occupied by the vir- tuous and beautiful Princess Elizabeth. He stifled his complaints, which perhaps might have been just, as he is persuaded that all that a prison has of horrors, were found here ; but the recollection of what virtue and grandeur these melancholy walls had within the few last fleeting years con- tained, silenced every selfish reflection. Here he Avas 396 NAVAL ANECDOTES. was deposited by his rough guide, who invited him to pay for the candle he left him, and prof- fered him his services. He bribed this gargon to procure him some simple refreshments from with- out. Simple he required it to be, for he had been cautioned as he came down the stairs of the police to proceed to the Temple, to beware of what he ate and drank in the abode he was going to; " Le sage entend a demi mot. On y debit e des ragouts Italiens? was added, and it was un- derstood as a friendly hint Tempted by the liberality of his new guest, the turnkey returned with bread and a cold fowl, and an uncorked bottle of wine, from without; which refreshment had become necessary to na- ture, now almost exhausted : and, after signifi- cantly pointing to a straw bag and filthy blanket, add^d, " voila ou vous pouvez reposer" and was retiring, when, upon enquiry who the wretch ap- parently suffering in the anti-room was, he re- plied, by shrugging his shoulders, and added in a whisper, " cest un mouton fermez bien votre porle," and left the prisoner to his reflections. Imagination soon presented him with the scenes, the melancholy scenes those silent walls had compassed. How, therefore, could he complain? He passed the night leaning on a peele, or stove, that had been placed in the centre of the room, musing on the extraordinary cruelty of his situa- tion, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 397 tion, patiently and calmly waiting the official in? terference of his Majesty's minister plenipoten- tiary, who, he had no doubt, would, with the dignity becoming his Majesty's representative, claim and rescue from the jaws of despotic ty- ranny an English officer, who could not on any ground be accused of crime, unless that of being an Englishman was allowed to be one. As he had not been ordered " en secret" that is, under close confinement, he was in the mornining per- mitted to take the air in a sort of court, called the garden, that surrounded the keep. In this walk he met a person he had some knowledge of before, M. Fauche, the celebrated bookseller at .Neufchatel, who was confined for having been connected with a Bareuth correspondence, and who explained to him what was meant by a " mouton? who is a villain disguised, put in the way of those who are detained upon slight pre- tences, to endeavour, by exciting commiseration for apparent ill-treatment, to betray the innocent into some strong expressions of indignation against the supposed authors of the cruelty, and thereby give a hold for further persecution. This universal usage, in all the houses of detention, .will convey an idea of the equitable practice of the consular government. When the sub- ject of this memoir expressed his indignation to the concierge, or keeper of the. Temple, for this 398 NAVAL ANECDOTES. this cruel illiberality, he ingenuously pleaded the obligations he was under by his instructions ; and at the intervention of the confidential lawyer who had undertaken the care of his private concerns, the " montoif was removed to another part of the keep ; and, by the firmness of the same friend, decent bedding and refreshments were allowed to be brought to the prisoner from without. He was also allowed, on the third day, to be attended by his servant, upon condition, however, of the latter being considered as a prisoner likewise. At the moment, on the morning of the 9th of September, when the wickets were opened, he hoped for his release they were only unbolted for the admission of the friend who had accom- panied him to Paris, and who came there as igno- rant as himself, of even the probable cause of the detention of either of them, It appeared that Mr. Merry's representations and remonstrance to the minister for foreign affairs, Citizen Talley- rand, remained without answer a disrespect to the representative of his Majesty and country, that the subject of this memoir freely confesses, gave him more pain than even his own cruel situa- tion did, as he was confident that would be of short duration, although he had not the satisfac- tion to obtain intimation of even the probable cause for his detention, other than the idle pretext suggested in M. Desmaret's conversation. This state NAVAL ANECDOTES. 399 state of uncertainty continued until the 12th in the morning, when the keeper of the Temple brought the glad tidings of liberation, with direc- tions to M. at the Bureau de la Police, the next day, for their papers. This they did as prescrib- ed, and had an interview with M. Desmarets, who much urged the subject of this memoir to write to the minister, and to state that Mr. Pitt and Wind- ham had engaged him to employ a unjustifiable means of destruction against the republic in short, to avow all the infernal plots their black minds presented to their troubled imaginations. This he indignantly spurned at, and absolutely declined entering into any sort of correspondence with M. Fouche. The following day they were called, by a note from the Prefect Dubois, to the Bureau de la Prefecture Generale de la Police, and had each a passport delivered to them, very equivocally worded, tending to expose them to every sort of embarrassment in their progress through the country, which they were commanded to depart from, and to leave the territory of the republic in twenty-four hours ; which all who know Paris, the roads, and rate of posting, will readily agree to be a physical impossibility. On the day of their departure, they were provided with proper passports from his Majesty's pleni- potentiary, that of Lord Hawkesbury having been taken away. Those of Mr. Merry were counter- sisned 400 NAVAL ANECDOTES. signed by the Minister Talleyrand. The captain, with great satisfaction, ordered post-horses, and left his interests and fortune to be pursued by agents, to whom he was obliged 10 confide them ; having thus unjustifiably been expelled, like an outcast, from a country which he had respected, as at peace with his own, after the publication of the treaty concluded at Amiens, under which he had conceived himself entitled to protection, as- every other Englishman. And he perhaps would not have complained of the insult he had expe. rienced, if idle curiosity, or pleasure, had been the motive of his excursion : but his personal em- barrassments, after having exhausted his very li- mited resources in the service of his country, drove him to seek to recover some of that property which he confidently believed the treaty of peace would restore and secure to him. He has re- spectfully submitted his case to the consideration of his Majesty's ministers and the government, whose generous liberality to the American loyal- ists, leads him to hope they will not abandon an officer, merely because his case is extraordinary, and perhaps singular. " Longa est injuria, longa Ambages ." VIRGIL. INDEPENDENT NAVAL ANECDOTES. 401 INDEPENDENT CONDUCT OF.AN ENGLISH OFFICER. WHEN the Dutch governor-general of the In- dies, whose residence is at Batavia, rides out, he is always accompanied by some of his horse- guards. An officer and two trumpeters precede his approach, and every person who meets him, and happens to be in a carriage, must stop, and step out till he has rode by. This humiliating ho- mage was strictly required from foreigners, and generally complied with by the captains of India- men and others; " but," says Captain Carteret, who was at Batavia in 1768^ " having the honour to bear his Majesty's commission, I did not think myself at liberty to pay to a Dutch Governor any homage that is not paid to my own sovereign ; it is, however, constantly required of the king's officers : and two or three days after my arrival, the landlord of the hotel where I lodged told me, he had been ordered by the shebander to let me know that my carriage, as well as others, must stop, if I should meet the governor, or any of the council ; but I desired him to acquaint the shebander, that I could not consent to perform any such ceremony; and, upon his intimating some- thing about the black men with sticks, who pre- cede the approach of these great men, I told him, that if any insult should be offered to me I knew 2 D how* 402 NAVAL ANECDOTES. how to defend myself, and would take care to be upon my guard ; at the same time, pointing to my pistols, which happened to lie upon the table; upon this he went away, and about three hours after- wards returned, and told me he had orders from the governor to acquaint rne, that I might do as I pleased." Since that time the English officers have never been required to comply with this de- grading custom ; yet, when they have been in a hired carriage, nothing has deterred the coach- man from stopping and alighting in honour of the Dutch grandee, but the most peremptory menace of immediate death. PHILANTHROPY OF SIR SIDNEY SMITH. ON the anniversary of the Naval Asylum, cele- brated at the London Tavern, some short time ago, Sir Sidney Smith recommended to the notice of the society the relatives of several of those brave men who had fallen during the late war, and said he would tell the company where the dead body of Major Oldfield, of the marines, was contended for, and they would judge where and how he died. " It was," said the gallant narrator, " in a sortie of the garrison of St. John D'Acre, when attacked by General Buonaparte, that Major Oldfield, who commanded the sortie, was missing. On our troops advancing, his body was found at the NAVAL ANECDOTES. 403 the mouth of one of the enemy's mines, at the foot of their works. Our brave men hooked him by the neckcloth, as he lay dead, to draw him off, the enemy at the same time pierced him in the side with a halbert, and each party struggled for the body: the neckcloth gave way and the enemy succeeded in dragging to their works this brave man. And here we must do them that justice which such gallant enemies are fully entitled to : they next day buried the remains of Major Old- field with all the honours of war!" NAUTICAL DEFINITION. IN the course of an examination a short time since, in Bow-street, a sailor declared that he came up from Plymouth in company with three sky-larks ; and on being interrogated as to the meaning of the expression, replied, "Why, please your worship, sky-larks are people who sit on, the outside of a stage coach, and play at pushing one another off. THE LOSS OF THE PANDORA FRIGATE. THE Pandora frigate, Captain Edwards, was sent out after the mutineers of the Bounty sloop, Lieutenant Bligh. At Otaheite ten of these men were found ; and the ship, in the pursuit of her 2 D 2 voyage, 404 NAVAL ANECDOTES, voyage, struck on a reef of rocks,* on the 28th of August, 17.91- Ninety-nine men were saved out of the wreck, including the ten prisoners. The whole number embarked in four boats belonging to the ship, viz. a pinnace of eight oars, two six- oared yauls, and one launch. The ship got off the reef a few hours after she struck, and was brought to an anchor, but filling with water, sunk about sun-rise on the 29th. The boats were directed to rendezvous at Coupang, in the island of Timor. The two yauls separated from Captain Edwards- in the pinnace, who arrived at that place on the 16th of September by their account, or the 17th by the account of time at that place. Each man's allowance was about three ounces- of biscuit per day, for the first three days ; it was afterwards reduced to two ounces per day, and three small glasses of water or wine. There was no meat saved from the wreck at least not enough to admit of a mouthful to each person. With this scanty proportion of sustenance, it was remarked, their great sufferings arose more from a deficiency of drink than the want of food. This difference might have arisen in part from the excessive heat of the climate. A very few of the young persons on board, on the contrary, suffered * Near to the coast of New Guinea, about 1 100 miles from the island of Timor. 2 most NAVAL ANECDOTES. 405 most from the want of food. Before Captain Edwards drank any liquid, he made a constant practice of washing his mouth with salt-water, but was very careful of not swallowing any of it, as it was well known it would increase the thirst, and that it would be in other respects injurious. He thought he perceived refreshment from wrap- ping himself up in a cloak dipped in salt water. Every person embarked in the boats arrived alive at Timor; and in tolerable good health, except as to bodily strength, which was considerably re- duced. CHARACTER OF SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. SIR FRAXCIS DRAKE was of low stature, but well-set, had a broad open chest, a very round head, his hair of a fine brown, his beard full and comely, his eyes large and clear, of a fair com- plexion, with a fresh, chearful, and very engag- ing countenance. As navigation had been his whole study, so he understood it thoroughly, and was a perfect master in every branch, especially in astronomy, and in the application thereof to the art of sailing. He had the happiness to live under the reign of a princess who never failed to distinguish merit ; and, what is more, to reward it. He was always her favourite ; and she gave an uncommon proof of it, in regard to a quarrel 2 D 3 he 406 NAVAL ANECDOTES. he had with his countryman, Sir Bernard Drake, whose arms Sir Francis assuming, the other was so provoked at it, that he gave him a box on the ear. Upon this the queen took up the quarrel, and gave Sir Francis a new coat, which is thus emblazoned : Sable, a fess wavy between two pole stars, argent; and for his crest, a ship on a globe under ruff, held by a cable, with a hand out of the clouds ; over it this motto, auxilio dvoino ; underneath, sic parvis magna; in the rigging whereof is hung up by the heels a wivern, gules, which was the arms of Sir Bernard Drake. THE GREEK, OR MARITIME FIRE. IN the year of Christ 716, and about ninety- six years after the appearance of Mahomet, hordes of his disciples, issuing from Arabia, laid siege, for the second time, to Constantinople, the capital of the Greek empire. These barbarians, better known by the name of Saracens, were twice foiled in their attempts ; and their defeats were chiefly owing to the use of what was called the Greek Jire, or, by the oldest French writers, feu Gregeois. All that can be collected, respecting that sub- gtance, from the historians of the times is, that it was a compound of naptha, or liquid bitumen, a light, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 407 light, tenacious, imflammable oil rising from the earth, with sulphur and pitch. This compound pro- duced a thick smoke and loud explosion, with a fierce and obstinate flame, which burnt with great violence in every direction. Instead of being extin- guished, the flame was quickened by the applica- tion of water ; and the most powerful agents in damping its fury are said to have been sand or vinegar. The Greeks, therefore, called it the li- quid, or maritime jire. It was often discharged from the ramparts on the besiegers, in large boil- ers, or inclosed in hollow balls of stone, or iron. At other times flax or tow was wrapped round ar- rows and darts, and when soaked in this inflam- mable oil, and set on fire, the arrows were so thrown amongst the enemy. At sea, it was usual to blow a quantity of it through long tubes, on an enemy's vessel, which could hardly ever escape destruction from it. The secret of its composition was carefully pre- served by the Greeks for above four centuries ; but at last it came to be known to the Mahomet- ans, who frequently, in the course of the wars in Syria and the Holy Land, employed it against the Christians. Joinville says it came flying through the air in a great thickness, with the report of thunder and the swiftness of lightning, so as to O O' dispel the darkness of night. 3 D 4 The 408 NAVAL ANECDOTES. The use of this Greek, or as it might now be termed, Saracen fire, was continued to the middle of the fourteenth century, when the accidental, or perhaps intentional, assemblage of s'alt-petre, charcoal, and sulphur, produced another revolu- tion in the art of war, and the history of man- kind. MATERNAL AFFECTION IN" A BEAR. THE following very extraordinary instance of maternal affection in a savage animal, was wit- nessed by several persons belonging to the Car- case frigate, while on her voyage of discovery to- wards the north pole, in the year 1773. While the Carcase was locked in the ice, early one morn- ing, the man at the mast head gave notice that three bears were making their way very fast over the frozen ocean, and were directing their course tov\ardsthe ship. They had, no doubt, been in- vited by the scent of some blubber of a sea-horse the crew had killed a few days before, which had been set on fire, and was burning on the ice at the time of their approach. They proved to be a she- bear and two of her cubs ; the cubs were nearly as large .as the dam. They ran eagerly to the fire and drew out from the flames part of the flesh of the sea-horse that remained unconsumed, and at$ it voraciously. The crew from the ships threw great NAVAL ANECDOTES. 409 great lumps of the sea-horse, which they had still left upon the ice, which the old bear fetched away singly, laid every lump before her cubs as she brought it, and dividing it, gave each a share, re- serving a small portion for herself- As she was fetching away the last piece, they levelled their muskets at the cubs, and shot them both dead, and in her retreat they wounded the dam, but not mortally, which would have drawn tears of pity from any but unfeeling minds, to have marked the affectionate concern expressed by this poor beast in the dying moments of her expiring young. Though she was sorely wounded, and could but just crawl to the place where they lay, she carried the lump of flesh she had fetched away, as she had done others before, tore it in pieces, and laid' it before them ; and when she saw that they re- fused to eat, she laid her paws first upon one and then upon the other, and endeavoured to raise them up : all this while it was pitiful to hear her moan. When she found she could not stir them she went off, and when she had got at some dis- tance, looked back and moaned ; and that not availing her to entice them away, she returned, and smelling round them, began to lick their wounds. She went off a second time, as before j and having crawled a few paces, looked again be- hind her, and tor some time stood moaning. Find- ing at last that they were cold and lifeless, she raised 410 NAVAL ANECDOTES. raised her head towards the ship, and growled a curse upon the murderers, which they returned with a volley of musket balls. She fell between her cubs, and died licking their wounds. BRAVERY OF CAPTAIN FULLARTON. THE bravery of Captain David Fullarton, com- mander of an English merchant ship, in 1733, de- serves to be particularly remembered. On his voyage home from the Mediterranean, he was met by a Sallee rover, and obliged to bring to. The corsair sent his boat on board with twenty men, to take possession of his prize. Captain Fullarton observing their number, bravely resolv- ed, with his crew, which consisted only of four- teen men, to attack and make himself master of them as soon as they came on board. This they executed with the most undaunted courage; and, from their intrepidity, the Moors apprehending their strength to be much more formidable than it really was, threw down their arms, and surren- dered. On this Captain Fullarton made all the sail he could ; and by good fortune got clear of his antagonist, and brought his prisoners to Middle* burgh in Zealand. SUFFERINGS NAVAL ANECDOTES. 411 SUFFERINGS OF SOME DESERTERS. Extracted from the Supplement to the Calcutta Gazette, July 8, 1802. LETTERS lately received from St Helena, give a most singular and affecting narrative respecting six deserters from the artillery of the Island. Their extraordinary adventures produced a court of inquiry on the 12th of December last, when John Brown, one of the survivors, delivered the following account upon oath, before Captain Des- fontaine, president, Lieutenant B. Hodson, and Ensign Young. In June, 1 79.9, I belonged to the first company of artillery, in the service of this garrison, and on the 10th of that month, about half an hour before parade time, M'Kinnon, gunner and orderly of the 2d company, asked me if I was willing to go with him on board an American ship, called the Columbia, Captain Henry Lelar, the only ship then in the Roads. After some conversation I agreed, and met him about seven o'clock at the play-house, where I found one M'Quinn, of Ma- jor Searle's company another man called Brig- house another called Parr and the sixth. Ma- thew Conway. Parr was a good seaman, and said he would take us to the island of Ascension, or lay off the harbour till the Columbia could weigh anchor and come 412 .NAVAL ANECDOTES. come out. We went down about ei^ht o'clock O v to the West Rocks, where the American boat was \vaiting for us, manned with three American sea- men, which took us alongside the Columbia. We went on board. Parr went down into the cabin ; and we changed our clothes after having been on board half an hour. Brighouse aird Conway proposed to cut out a whale-boat from out of the harbour, to prevent the Columbia from being suspected ; which they effected, having therein a coil of rope and five oars, with a large stone she was moored by. This happened about eleven o'clock at night. We observed lanterns passing on the line to- wards the Sea-gate, and hearing a great noise, thought we were missed, and searched for. We immediately embarked in the whale-boat, with twenty-five pounds of bread in a bag, and a small keg of water, supposed to contain about thirteen gallons, one compass, and one quadrant, given to Us by the commanding officer of the Columbia ; but in our great hurry the quadrant was either left behind or dropped overboard. We then left the ship, pulling with two oars only, to get a head of her. The boat was half full of water, and nothing to bale her out. In this condition we rowed out to sea, and lay off the island a great distance, expecting the Ameri- can ship hourly. About NAVAL ANECDOTES. 413 About twelve o'clock the second day, no ship appearing, by Parr's advice, we bore away steer- ing N. by W. and then N. N.W. for the island of Ascension, using our handkerchiefs as substitutes for sails. We met with a gale of wind, which continued two days. The weather then became very fine, and we supposed we had run ten miles an hour. M'Kiunon kept a reckoning, with pen, ink, and paper, supplied by the Columbia, as also charts and maps. We continued our course till about the 18th in the morning, when we saw a number of birds, but no land. About twelve that day Parr said he was sure we must be past the island, accounting it to be eight hundred miles from St. Helena. We then each of us took our shirt, and with them made a small sprit-sail, and laced our jackets and trowsers together at the waistband, to keep us warm; and then altered our course to W. byN. thinking to make Rio de Janeiro, on the Ameri- can coast. Provisions running very short, we al- lowanced ourselves only one ounce of bread for twenty-four hours, and tico mouthfuls of water. We continued until the 20th, when all our pro- visions were expended. On the 27th, M'Quinn took a piece of bamboo in his mouth to chew, and we all followed his example. On that night, it being my turn to steer the boat, and remembering to have read of persons in our situation eating their 4 1 4 NAVAL ANECDOTES. their shoes, I cut a piece off one of mine ; but it being soaked with salt-water, I was obliged to spit it out, and take the inside sole, which I ate part of, and distributed to the rest, but found n@ benefit from it. On the 1st of July Parr caught a 'dolphin with a graff, that had been left in the boat. We all fell on our knees, and thanked God for his goodness to us. J We tore up the fish, and hung it to dry : about four we ate part of it, which agreed with us pretty well. On this fish we subsisted till the 4th, about eleven o'clock, when, finding the whole expended, bones and all, Parr, myself, Brighouse, and Conway, proposed to scuttle the boat and let her go down, to put us out of her misery. The other two objected, observing, that God who had made man, always found him something to eat. On the 5th, about eleven, M'Kinnon propos- ed, that it would be better to cast lots for one of us to die, in order to save the rest ; to which we consented. William Parr, being sick two days before -with the spotted fever, was excluded. He wrote the numbers out, and put them in a hat, which we drew out blindfolded, and put them in our pockets. Parr then asked whose lot it was to die none of us knowing what numbers we had in our pockets each one praying to God that jt might be his lot. It was agre jd that No, 5 should die, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 415 die, and the lots being unfolded, M'Kinnon's was No. 5. We had agreed, that he whose lot it was should bleed himself to death ; for which purpose we had provided ourselves with nails sharpened, which we got from the boat. M'Kiunon with one of them cut himself in three places, in his hand, foot, and wrist, and praying God to forgive him, died in about a quarter of an hour. Before he was quite cold, Brighouse, with one of those nails, cut a piece of flesh off his thigh, and hung it up, leaving the body in the boat. About three hours after we ate of it only a very small bit. This piece lasted us until the 7th. We dipped the body every two hours into the sea, to preserve it. Parr having found a piece of slate in the bottom of the boat, he sharpened it on the other large stone, and with it cut another piece of the thigh, which lasted us until the 8th ; when, it being my watch, and observing the water about break of day to change colour, I called the rest, thinking we were near shore ; but saw no land, it not being quite day-light. As soon as day appeared we discovered land right a-head, and steered towards it. About eight in the morning we were close to the shore. There being a very heavy surf, we endeavoured to turn the boat's head to it ; but being very weak, we were unable. Soon after the boat upset ! Myself, Con way, 416 NAVAL AKECDOTES. Convvay, and Parr, got on shore, M'Quinn and Brighouse were drowned. We discovered a small hut on the beach, in which were an Indian and his mother, who spoke Portuguese; and I understanding that language, learnt that there was a village about three miles distant, called Belmont. This Indian went to the village, and gave information that the French had landed, and in about two hours the governor of the village (a clergyman), with several armed men, took Conway and Parr prisoners, tying them by their hands and feet, and slinging them on a bamboo stick ; and in this manner took them to the village. I being very weak, remained in the hut some time, but was afterwards taken. On our telling them we were English, we were immediately released, and three hammocks pro- vided. We were taken in them to the governor's house, who let us lie on his own bed, and gave us milk and rice to eat, but not having eaten any thing for a considerable time, we were lock-jaw- ed, and continued so till the 25d, during which time the governor wrote to the Governor of St. Salvador, who sent a small schooner to a place called Porto Seguro, to take us to St. Salvador. We were then conducted to Porto Segura on horseback,, passing through Santa Croix, where we remained about ten days. Afterwards we em- amj^ on our arrival at St. Salvador, Parr, on NAVAL ANECDOTES. 417 on being questioned by the governor, answered, " that our ship had foundered at sea, and we had saved ourselves in the boat ; that the ship's name was the Sally, of Liverpool, and belonged to his father, and was last from Cape Coast Castle, on the coast of Africa, to touch at the Ascension for turtle, and then bound for Jamaica." Parr said he was the captain. We continued at St. Salvador about thirteen days, during which time the inhabitants made up a subscription of 2001. each man. We then em- barked in the Maria, a Portuguese ship, for Lis- bon; Parr, as mate ; Conway, boatswain's-mate ; myself, being sickly, as passenger. In thirteen days we arrived at Rio de Janeiro. Parr and Conway sailed for Lisbon, and I was left in the hospital. In about three months Captain Elphin- stone, of the Diomede, pressed me into his ma- jesty's service, giving me the choice of remaining on that station or to proceed to the admiral at the Cape. I chose the latter, and was put, with se- ven suspected deserters, on board the Ann, a Bo- tany Bay ship, in irons, with the convicts. When I arrived at the Cape I was put on board the Lan- caster, of sixty-four guns. I never entered. 1 at length received my discharge ; since which I engaged in the Duke of Clarence, as a seaman. I was determined to give myself up the first op- portunity, in order to relate my sufferings to the 2 E men 418 NAVAL ANECDOTES. men at this garrison, to deter them from attempt- ing so mad a scheme again. In attending to the above narrative, as simple as it is affecting, we cannot help noticing the jus- tice of Providence, so strikingly exemplified in the melancholy fate of M'Kinnon, the deluder of these unhappy men, and the victim of his own il- legal and disgraceful scheme. May his fate prove a memento to soldiers and sailors, and a useful though awful, lesson to the encouragers and abet- tors of desertion. DESTRUCTION OF HIS MAJESTY S SHIP TIL- BURY, BY FIRE. THE Tilbury, of sixty guns, commanded by Captain Laurence, being on a cruize off the island of Hispaniola, on the 22d of September, 1 742, was unfortunately consumed by fire, by the fol- lowing accident : A marine snatching a bottle of rum, which the purser's boy had in his hand in the cockpit, together with a lighted candle, swore he would have a dram out of it; the boy refus- ing, a struggle ensued, in which the bottle fell and broke, and the lighted candle falling into the rum, set it on fire, which communicating to other rum in the purser's cabin, the conflagration soon became formidable, and baffled all attempts to ex- tinguish NAVAL ANECDOTES. 419 tinguish it. The gunpowder was all thrown over- board, and every means used to save the ship, but in vain. The captain, and the greatest part of the officers and crew were saved by the Defiance ship of war. Captain Hoare, and a boatswain, gun- ner, an officer of marines, and upwards of one hundred men, were lost with the ship. CHEST OF CHATHAM. IN the year 1 588, famous for the defeat of the Spanish Armada, what is called the Chest of Cha- tham was first erected, being a contribution for the benefit and relief of maimed and superannuat- ed English mariners, out of which pensions are paid to such for their lives, by the advice and in- fluence of Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Hawkins, &c. It was, at first, only a voluntary monthly con- tribution of the mariners, out of their pay, for the succour of their then wounded brethren ; but was afterwards made perpetual by Queen Elizabeth. SUFFERINGS OF CAPTAIN ENGLEFIELD AND HIS CREW. THE Centaur, Captain Englefield, and four ships of the line, part of a large convoy from Ja- maica to England, foundered at sea, in a dreadful hurricane, in September 1782. 2 E 2 Captain 420 NAVAL ANECDOTES. Captain Englefield, the officers and crew, did every thing possible for the preservation of their lives and ship, from the 16th to the 25d of Sep- tember ; when the Centaur, by repeated storms, became a wreck, and was in a sinking state. Some of the men appeared perfectly resigned to their fate, and requested to be lashed to their ham- mocks; others lashed themselves to gratings and small rafts ; but the most prominent idea was y that of putting on their best and cleanest clothes. The booms were cleared, and the cutter, pinnace, and yaul, were got over the ship's side. Captain Englefield and eleven others made their escape in the pinnace ; but their condition was nearly the same with that of those who remained in the ship, and at best appeared to be only a prolongation of a miserable existence. " They were in a leaky boat, with one of the gunwales stove, in nearly the middle of the ocean, without compass, quadrant, sail, great coat, or cloak; all very thinly covered, in a gale of wind, with a great sea running." In half an hour they lost sight of the ship ; but be- fore dark a blanket was discovered in the boat, of which they made a sail, and scudded under it all night, expecting to be swallowed up by every wave. They were two hundred and fifty, or two hundred and sixty leagues from Fayal. Their stock consisted of " a bag of bread, a -small ham, a single piece of pork, two quart bottles NAVAL ANECDOTES. 421 bottles of water, and a few French cordials." Their situation became truly miserable, from cold and hunger. On the fifth day their bread was nearly all spoiled with salt water, and it was ne- cessary to go to allowance one biscuit divided into twelve morsels for breakfast; the same for dinner. The neck of a bottle broke off, with a cork in it, served for a glass; and this filled with water, was the allowance for twenty-four hours for each man ! This was done without partiality, or distinction. But we must have perished ere this, had we not caught six quarts of rain water: and this we could not have been blessed with, had \ve not found in the boat a pair of sheets, which by accident had been put there." On the fifteenth day that they had been in the boat, they had only one day's bread and one bottle of water remaining, of a second supply of rain. Captain Englefield states, " our sufferings were now as great as human strength could bear, but we were convinced that good spirits were a better support than great bodily strength ; for on this day Thomas Mathews, quarter-master, the stoutest man in the boat, perished from cold and hunger. On the day before he had complained of want of strength in his throat, as he expressed it, to swallow his morsel, and in the night drank salt water, grew delirious, and died without a groan. 2 E 3 " As 422 NAVAL ANECDOTES. " As it became next to a certainty that we should all perish in a day or two, in the same man- ner, it was somewhat comfortable to reflect, that dying of hunger was not so dreadful as our ima- gination had represented. Others had complain- ed of the symptoms in their throats; some had drank their own urine; and all but myself had drank salt water." Despair and gloom had been hitherto success- fully prohibited ; and the men, as the evenings closed in, had been encouraged by turns to give a song, or relate a story, instead of supper. This evening it was found impossible to do either. At night they were becalmed, but at midnight a breeze sprung up ; but being afraid of running out of their course, they waited impatiently for the rising sun to be their compass. On the sixteenth day their last bread and water had been served for breakfast, when John Gre- gory, the quarter-master, declared, with much confidence, he saw land in the south-east, at a great distance. They made for it, and reached Tayal at about midnight, having been conducted into the road by a fishing-boat ; but were not, by the regulation of the port, permitted to land till examined by the health officers. They got some refreshments of bread, wine, and water, in the boat, and in the morning of the seventeenth day landed ; where they experienced every NAVAL ANECDOTES. 423 every friendly attention from the English consul, \vhose whole employment, for many days, was contriving the best means of restoring them to health and strength. Some of the stoutest men were obliged to be supported through the street; and for several days, with the best and most com- fortable provisions, they rather grew worse than better. A court-martial was held at Portsmouth, on the 21st of January, 1783, on the loss of the Centaur, when the court honourably acquitted Captain Englefield, as a cool, resolute, and expe- rienced officer; and that he was well supported by his officers and ship's company; and their united exertions appeared to have been so great and manly, as to reflect the highest honour on the whole, and to leave the deepest impression on the minds of the court; that more could not have possibly been done to preserve the Centaur from her melancholy fate. THE TAYLOR THAT WANTED TO SEE THE WORLD. MR. SMEATOX, to whom the science of civil architecture is indebted for systematic improve- ments, which place him upon a level with its ori- ginal inventor, once in conversation stated, that '. E 4 when, 424 NAVAL ANECDOTES, when, in spite of the various difficulties he had to encounter, the Eddystone light-house was finish- ed, notwithstanding the fate that had attended the former building, a number of persons applied to be appointed residents in the new erection, where, it is to be understood, two were to be constantly pn duty, immured or cased in stone, in a situation where, probably, for many months in every year, it was impossible to have any communication with them from the main land. Among the rest that, upon this occasion, attended his levee in Arundel- street, was a young man, one of the journeymen to his taylor. As this youth had frequently brought home, and tried on, clothes for him, Mr. Smeaton knew him perfectly well ; but as at this time he had given no orders respecting apparel, he was astonished at his appearance, and still more so when he un- derstood the nature of the application. He asked him if he was married ? " No," he said, " he was a single man.'' "What then," said Mr. Smeaton, "can induce you to become an inhabitant of the Eddystone light-house?"- " Why, to confess the truth," re- plied the taylor, " I have a vast inclination to see a little more of the world ; I was always fond of liberty, and have for many years disliked the con- finement of business and my master's shop." Mr, Smeaton knowing the person to be perfectly sober, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 425 sober, and of an unexceptionable character, he no longer pressed his objections, but accordingly sent him to reside at the light-house. As he was fond of reading, his patron directed that whenso- ever an opportunity offered, files of newspapers, with magazines, and other books, should be sent to him; and the taylor, by his care and diligence, repaid his attention. He continued in this peril- ous situation for a long period, and declared that he never was so happy in his life. Fishing, in fine weather, was one of his favourite amusements. But what was very extraordinary, he made such good use of the abundant leisure which winter af- forded, in reading, writing, and studying, that he exceedingly improved his mind, and became so capable of business, that his patron, when the term of his last engagement (I think seven years) had expired, employed him more advantageously, though, probably, not more agreeably to himself. JACK ON THE QUARTER-DECK/ SOME time ago, an honest Jack tar, just dis- charged, and rolling in money, on awaking out of a sound sleep, called out, " What ship a-hoy !" On which he was told he was at an inn at Pres- ton. He then asked how many leagues it was to Liverpool, and whether any packet sailed soon ? He 426 NAVAL ANECDOTES. He was told it was eight miles'to Liverpool, and that no stage coach passed that way for several hours; on which he told the landlord to rig him a sloop immediately, and to steer for Liverpool. After some consideration, the landlord ordered one of his chaises out, and Jack was told the sloop was ready. Jack instantly stepped forward, and seeing the driver holding the chaise-door open, swore pretty roundly, and asked him, had he a mind to cram him in the hold. No; he swore but he'd keep the deck ! Accordingly, he sprang on the top, and told the driver to weigh anchor, and hoist all the sail he could carry. They had not proceeded far before a sore-footed pedestrian, seeing no one in the chaise, called out to the driver to give him a lift for a few miles. The driver asked his employer if he might take him up on the top ? To which Jack replied, " No, he sha'nt come upon the deck, douse him below into the hold !" The weary passenger, of course, got into the chaise, and Jack, on the quarter-deck (as he called it), rode triumphantly into Liver- pool. MELANCHOLY FATE OF CAPTAIN YOUL, MR* FLOWER, &C. OF THE FLY CRUISER. WHEN the Fly cruizer, belonging to the East India company, with dispatches, was captured by the NAVAL ANECDOTES. 427 the French privateer La Fortune, in the Gulph of Persia, at the latter end of 1804, the packets were thrown overboard, to prevent falling into the hands of the enemy. It appears that Mr. Flower, who was a passen- ger on board the Fly, had taken very correct bear, ings of the ship's situation, at the time the letters were thrown overboard. When landed soon after, at Bushire, he communicated his observations to Captain Youl and Mr. Loane ; and they being all strongly impressed with the idea of the possibility of recovering the packet, purchased a vessel, and having provided creepers, and other necessary ap- paratus, set sail towards the spot where the packet had been dropped, near the isle of Khen. At the end of three days their labours were crowned with success : they instantly weighed anchor, and were proceeding down the gulph, on their way to Bombay, with the recovered packet, when they were unexpectedly attacked by two pirate boats belonging to Jochassum, and full of armed Arabs, who, boarding the vessel, and cutting and stab- bing all whom they met, forced the whole crew overboard. Nine, out of sixteen, were wound- ed; and all must have perished miserably, had not a long- boat, which they accidentally picked up at sea, been in tow at the time. In it they took refuge, and the Arabs finally took them into of their boats, and landed them at Ejmaum, a small 428 NAVAL ANECDOTES. a smalltown on the Arab side, about thirty miles from Noselkeim : it has a good harbour, and ap- pears to be their place of rendezvous. There they were detained thirty-three days, subject to every hardship ; and, at the end of that time, to complete their misery, were about to be sold as slaves, when a Wahabee chief, who heard that they were English, and who had known the British resident at Bussora, interfered, and procured them a passage to Khen. They were landed at that island, after having been stripped of every thing, except their shirts and trowsers, and the packet, the great source of their labours and sufferings. Two days were now devoted to drying the letters, which had been about five weeks in the sea ; and their purpose was not yet effected, when ten Jochassum boats appeared in sight. The unhappy men, instantly carrying off the packet, sought shelter among the rocks, where they remained hid for two days and nights, ex- posed to every hardship, and nearly perishing with hunger and thirst. Meanwhile, the pirates burned and laid waste the villages on the island, which forced the wretched inhabitants to pass over to the main land ; so that on the departure of the pirates, our sufferers were left the undis* turbed and solitary possessors of the island. After waiting four days longer for an opportunity of crossing the continent, they obtained a passage to the NAVAL ANECDOTES. 429 the neighbourhood of Ararack ; on their arrival at which place, they learned, that the pirate boats had anchored there, and were committing the same havoc as at Khen. Thus pursued by mis- fortune, they were forced to walk to Cheroo, a distance of nearly forty miles. This town is un- der the government of Sheik Aga Mahomed, who, at first, received them in a friendly manner ; but finding them without money, and stripped of every thing valuable, he drove them from the house which he had provided for them, and treat- ed them with the most unfeeling cruelty and con- tempt For some nights, in excessive bad wea- ther, they had no covering but an inverted boat, under which they took refuge. Finding at length no probability of being enabled to proceed on their voyage by sea, they determined to walk on foot to Bushire. After two days march from Cheroo, they reached Nochyloo, without shoes or stockings; where, to their great surprise and joy, they found that Sheik Rama had invited them to his island of Busheab, and supplied them with every thing that his house afforded with the kind- est hospitality. Nevertheless, in consequence of their past sufferings, they were all seized with a fever and ague. The extreme state of debility to which, from their long hardships, they were all reduced, joined with the want of medicines and medical advice, made their illness extremely se- vere 430 NAVAL ANECDOTES. vere; and though Sheik Rama gave them a boat, in which they arrived at Bushire, on the 4th of January, 1805, Captain Youl, worn out with sickness and fatigue, died on the 5th, and was followed to the grave by Mr. Flower, on the 7th. Some of the seamen likewise died ; but Mr. Loane recovered. The Bombay government ordered a very liberal allowance to be paid to the parties concerned, and to the families of such of them as died. DARING ATTEMPT OF FALL, A SCOTCH PIRATE. IN the year 1801, a daring attempt was made to lay the town of Arbroath under contribution^ by a person of the name of Fall, a native of Scot- land, who then commanded a French privateer, and committed great depredations on the north- ern trading vessels. His vessel he had named the Fearnought ; and wishing, doubtless, to persuade the world that he also meritted that appellation, he conceived the design of extorting a sum of money from the terrors of the people. With this view he boldly anchored before the town. In an ill-written letter, impudently sent on shore with a flag of truce, he demanded that the principal magistrates should be delivered up as hostages, 6 till NAVAL ANECDOTES. 431 till a certain sum which he required should be paid, on pain of having the town destroyed, and the inhabitants put to death. Plis threats were bold, and the fears of many were great ; for at that time they were almost totally defenceless, having no guns to protect their harbour, nor any military force stationed nearer to them than Mon- trose. An evasive answer was, however, sent to his first and second letters, which enabled them to gain a little time to collect a few old rusty arms; and, in the interim, a detachment of troops arriving to their relief from Montrose, the doughty hero was informed that they neither feared his menaces, nor would comply with his demands. This so enraged him, that he began to fire upon the town ; but little damage ensued in conse- quence. Finding a third epistle treated with the same contempt, his courage began to fail ; and, after some further feeble efforts to obtain his ends, he thought proper to sheer of and leave the good people of Arbroath in peaceable enjoy- ment of their property. The harbour is now de- fended by a battery, erected at the expence of the town, sufficient to protect it in future from the at- tempt of such piratical invaders. A SAILORS 432 NAVAL ANKCDOTES, A SAILOR'S MISTAKE. Two sailors went into a church at Plymouth, on the thanksgiving-day, both of whom belonged to the Temeraire, in the ever memorable battle off Trafalgar. The clergyman, in the course of his sermon, mentioned the words " glorious victory,'* on which one of the tars observed to the other, " Hear, Jack, there's the Victory." The clergy- man pronounced the word " victory" a second time; on which the tar observed, " Mind, Jack, there's the Victory again." The clergyman not long after mentioned the word "victory" a third time; on which the irritated tar observed to his companion, " D n my eyes, Jack, if we stay here any longer that fellow has mentioned the Victory three times, and never mentioned the Te- meraire, that was in the hottest part of the en- gagement, and took, two ships ;" when they im- mediately left the church. SUFFERINGS AND PERSEVERANCE OF LIEUT. BLIGH AND HIS COMPANIONS. THIS narrative is too remarkable for sufferings and successful perseverance, under the most try- ing circumstances, ever to be forgotten holding out to navigators, in the strongest colours, a line of conduct truly worthy of imitation, " We have seen NAVAL ANECDOTES. 433 seen courage and enterprise braving all danger? but in the story of Bligh and his companions, we see nineteen men basely left to their fate, to strug- gle for life and existence in an open boat, twenty- three feet long ; without arms, and almost with" out food, at near four thousand miles from a friendly port, and of eighteen of them surviving to reach the island of Timor, after encountering mi- raculously the severest hardships and trials. A short account is given of it, without entering too much into details, as a warning and an ex- ample, in cases of abstinence, perseverance, and obedience. The Bounty sloop, Lieutenant Bligh, had been sent out to Otaheite, to carry the bread-fruit tree to the West Indies. Having procured their plants, the ship left that island on the 4th of April, 1789, navigated with forty-live hands ; and on the 28th of that month a mutiny broke out, headed by Christian and others, who forced Captain Bligh and eighteen men into an open boat, and there left them to their fate. Their stock of provisions consisted of " one Hundred and fifty pounds of bread, thirty-two pounds of pork, six quarts of rum, six bottles of wine, twenty-eight gallons of water, and four empty barricoes." They first stopped at Tofoa, one of the Friendly Islands, lat. 10 41' S. long. 2 F 30, 434 &AVAL ANECDOTES. 30o, for water and provisions, to carry them to the East Indies. The natives proving hostile, they made their escape from thence with the loss of one man, who was killed. They next resolved to go to the island of Timor, twelve hundred leagues off, without a hope of relief beyond what they might collect at New Holland. Their stock, on leaving Tofoa, was now re- duced, for eighteen men, to about one hundred and fifty pounds of bread, twenty-eight gallons of water, twenty pounds of pork, three bottles of wine, and five quarts of rum. They all accord- ingly agreed to live upon one ounce of bread and a quarter of a pint of water per day. A few co- coa-nuts and some bread fruit were on board, but the latter was trampled to pieces. The men were divided into watches, and they returned thanks to God for their miraculous escape. The second day was stormy; and, to lighten the boat, every thing was thrown overboard that could be spared, except two suits of clothes to each. A tea-spoonful of rum, and a quarter of a bread fruit, was served out for dinner, with a determi- nation to make their provisions last out eight weeks. The sixth day their allowances were delivered out by a pair of scales, made of two cocoa-nut shells, and the weight of a pistol-ball of bread was 6 NAVAL ANECDOTES. 435 was served out, making one twenty-fifth of a pound of sixteen ounces, or two hundred and seventy- two grains, at a meal. The ninth day they were served regularly with one twenty-fifth of a pound of bread, and a quar- ter of a pint of water, at morning, noon, and sun- set; and this day with half an ounce of pork for dinner to each, which was divided into three or fourmouthfuls. The eleventh day it rained, and was cold ; and the men began to be dejected, full of wants, and without the means of relief. Their clothes were wet through, which they stripped off and wrung in salt water ; by which means they felt a warmth which they could not have had while wet with rain.* The fourteenth day they passed by islands they dared not touch at, for fear of the natives, hav- ing been in other places pursued ; which rather increased their misery. A general run of cloudy wet weather was considered as a great blessing of * Lieutenant Bligh afterwards frequently practised it with great success, and states, that the preservation of their health during sixteen days of continued heavy rains, was owing to this practice of wringing their clothes out as often as they be- came filled with rain ; and that the men felt a change more like that of dry clothes, than could have been imagined ; that they often repeated it, and it gave great refreshment and vrarmth, 2 F 2 Providence, NAVAL ANECDOTES. Providence, as hot weather would have caused them to have died of thirst. Being so constantly covered with rain, or sea, they conceived it pro- tected them from that dreadful calamity. The nineteenth day the men seemed half dead, and their .appearances were horrible. Extreme hunger was now very great. No one suffered from thirst, nor had they much inclination for drink, that desire being satisfied through the skin ; and the little sleep they got was in the midst of water. Two spoonfuls of rum were served out this morning, with their usual allowance of bread and water. At noon the sun broke out, which rejoiced every one. In the afternoon they were covered with rain and salt water the cold was extreme and every one dreaded the approach of night. Sleep, though longed for, gave but little comfort. Lieutenant Bligh himself almost lived without it. The next morning the weather abat- ed, and a larger allowance of rum was given out. The twenty-second day the weather was bad, and the men in great distress, and in expectation that such another night as their last would put an end to their lives. Several seemed to be no longer O able to support their sufferings. Two tea-spoon- fuls of rum were served out; after which, with the wringing their clothes, and their breakfast of bread and water, they became a little refreshed. The weather abated, all hands were rejoiced, and .3 they NAVAL ANECDOTES. 437 they ate their other scanty meals with more satis- faction than for some time past. The twenty-third day. The fineness of the morning produced chearful countenances, and they experienced for the first time, for fifteen, days past, comfort from the warmth of the sun. They stripped, and hung up their clothes to dry; which were so threadbare as to keep neither cold nor wet out. They saw many birds, a sure sign of being near land. The state of their provisions this day, at their usual rate of allowance, would have lasted for nineteen days longer, when they hoped to reach the island of Timor. But as it was possible they might be obliged to go to Java, they reduced their allowance, to make their stock hold out for six weeks. The necessity of the case was stated, and every one cheerfully agreed to receive one twenty- fifth of a pound of bread for breakfast, the same for dinner; and, by omitting supper, they had forty-three days allowance. The twenty-fourth day. A bird, the size of a pigeon, was caught, and divided into eighteen parts. They caught a booby, which was killed for supper, and the blood given to three.of those who were most distressed for want of food ; and, as a favour, an allowance of bread was given out for supper; and they made a good supper, com- pared with their usual fare. 2 F 3 Tbe 438 NAVAL ANECDOTES. The tzcenty-Jifth day they caught another boo- by. The weather was fine, and they thought Pro- vidence appeared to be relieving their wants. The men were overjoyed at this addition to their din- ner. The blood was given to those who most wanted food. To make their bread a little sa- voury, many dipped it frequently in salt water* while others broke theirs into small pieces, and ate it in their allowance of water, out of a cocoa- nut shell, with a spoon ceconomically avoiding to take too large a piece at a time ; so that they were as long at dinner as if they had been at a more plentiful meal. The serenity of the weather was not without its inconveniences, and distress now came of another kind. The sun was so powerful, that the men were seized with languor and faintness, which made life to some indifferent. The ftventy-bixth day they passed by much drifted wood, and caught two boobies, whose stomachs contained many flying n'oh and small cuttle-fish. They were considered as valuable prizes, and were divided, with their mans, into eighteen shares, in addition to their common al- lowance. Lieutenant Bligh was happy to see that with this every person thought he had feasted. In the evening they saw a gannet, and, as the clouds remained fixed in the west, they had no doubt of being near land; and they all amused them- NAVAL ANECDOTES. 4>9 themselves by conversing on the probability of what they should find. The twenty-eighth clay they made an island, in lab 12 deg. 39 min. S. long, (by account) 40 deg. 35 min. W. of Tofoa, which they called Restora- tion Island, where they found plenty of water and oysters, which were so fast to the rock, that they were obliged to open their shells. They made some excellent stews of them, mixed with bread and a bit of pork, by means of a copper pot which they found on board, and a tinder-box that had been thrown into the boat on turning off. Each person received a full pint. The men, though weak, appeared much refreshed, and in spirits, with a hope of being able to surmount the diffi- culties they had to encounter. The diseases of the people were, a dizziness in the head ; a weakness of joints, and violent tenes- mus few of the men having had an evacuation by stool since they had left the ship but the complaints of none were alarming* Every one retained marks of strength that, with a mind pos-. sessed of a tolerable share of fortitude, seemed able to bear more fatigue than they imagined they should have in their voyage to Timor. The men were not permitted to expose them- selves to the heat of the sun, but to take their short sleep in the shade: they were cautioned about taking berries, or fruit, which, unless eaten 2 F 4 by 440 NAVAL ANECDOTES. by birds, were not deemed wholesome. Some suf- fered by neglecting this caution. The twenty-ninth day, finding themselves dis- covered by the natives, they said prayers and em- barked. Their stock of bread, according to their last mode of allowance, was a twenty-fifth of a pound at breakfast and at dinner. The thirtieth day they landed on another island, and parties were sent out for supplies. But a spi- rit of discontent began to discover itself amongst some, and from one man in particular ; but it was instantly checked, and every thing became quiet again. Each person got this day a full pint and a half of stewed oysters and clams, thickened with small beans, which the botanist called a species of dolichos. The thirty -jirst day Mr. Nelson, the botanist, was taken very ill with violent pains in his bowels, loss of sight, much drought, and an inability to walk. This was partly owing to heat and fatigue, and not retiring to sleep in the shade; or impro- per food. The little wine that remained was of real Use. With a few pieces of bread soaked in half a glass of wine occasionally, he continued to mend; and it was found at last not necessary to continue the wine. For six days they coasted along New Holland, and, on landing, got occasional supplies of oy- eters, birds, and water. These, though small, with .NAVAL ANECDOTES. 441 with rest, and being relieved from many fatigues, J o preserved their lives ; but, even in their present state, they were deplorable objects. The thirty-third day from their leaving Tofoa, which was the 3d of June, they again launched into the open ocean, for the island of Timor. Lieutenant Bligh was happy to find that no one was so much affected with their miserable situa- tion as himself, but that the men seemed as if they were embarked on a voyage to Timor in a vessel sufficiently calculated for safety and conve- nience. This confidence gave him pleasure ; and to this cause did he attribute their preservation. Every one was encouraged to believe that eight or ten days would bring them to Tinidr : and, after prayers, their allowance of water was served out for supper. The thirty-sixth day, the state of the stores on hand, at their former rate of serving, was equal to nineteen days allowance, at three times a day ; and there being now every prospect of a quick passage, their suppers were again granted. The thirty-seventh day the sea was high, with much rain, and the night cold. The surgeon and an old hardy seaman appeared to be giving way very fast. They were assisted by a tea-spoonful or two of the wine at a time, which had been care- fully saved, expecting such a melancholy neces- sity. The 442 NAVAL ANECDOTES. The thirty-eighth day they caught a dolphin, which was their first relief of this kind. Two ounces were delivered out to each man 4his day, and the remainder was reserved for the next day. The thirty-ninth day the men were beginning to complain generally ; and, by the feelings of all, they were convinced they were but too well found- ed* The surgeon and old seaman had a little wine given to them ; and encouraged with the hopes of reaching Timor in a very few days, on their present fine rate of sailing. Thejbrtieth day, in the morning, after a com- fortless night, there was such a visible alteration in many of the people, as to occasion many ap- prehensions. Extreme weakness, swelled legs, hollow ghastly countenances, a more than com-* mon inclination to sleep, and an apparent debi- lity of understanding, seemed to indicate an ap- proaching dissolution. The surgeon and the sea- man were the most miserable objects. A few tea-spoonfuls of the little wine that remained, greatly assisted them : hope was their principal support; and birds and rock-weed shewed they were not far from land. On the forty-first day every one received his -accustomed allowance, and an extra supply of water to those who wanted it. By observation, they NAVAL ANECDOTES. 443 they found they had not passed the meridian of the eastern part of Timor ; which gave great joy. On the forty-second day, the 12th of June, at three o'clock in the morning, they discovered Ti- mor, at two leagues distance. It was impossi- ble to describe the joy it diffused. It appeared scarcely credible to themselves, that, in an open boat, so poorly provided, they should have been enabled to reach Timor in forty-one days after leaving the island of .Tofoa ; having in that time run the distance 3618 miles; and that notwith- standing their extreme distress, no one should have perished on the voyage. Some of the natives brought them some India'n corn, and pilots to conduct them to Coupang. They were becalmed, and the men were obliged to try at the oars, which they used with some ef- fect. On the 14th of June they reached Cou- pang, where they received every attention, huma- nity and kindness could dictate. Nothing but the strictest observance to the 02- conomy of their provisions, the sacredly keeping to their agreements, and due subordination and perseverance could have saved Lieutenant Bligh and his men. Such had been their attention to these points, that, when they arrived at Timor, there remained on hand eleven days' provisions to have carried them on to Java, if they had missed this island. The 444 NAVAL ANECDOTES. The quantity of provision with which they left the ship was not more than would have been con- sumed in five days, without such precaution. ANECDOTE OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. IT is well known, that after the discovery of America, the Spaniards arrogated to themselves the sole right of navigating in the seas adjoining to that continent. In answer to the complaints of Mendoza, the Spanish ambassador, in the year 1580, upon Sir Francis Drake's return from his navigation round the globe, Queen Elizabeth is said to have replied, " That, as to Drake's sail- ing on the Indian Seas, it was as lawful for her subjects to do so, as for the Spaniards ; since the sea and air are common to all men." THE LADY'S ROCK. THE following historical anecdote is extracted from the Hon. Mrs. Murray's Companion and Guide to the Highlands of Scotland : At the south end of the Island of Lismore, we sailed near a small rocky isle, over which the sea rolls at high tides ; at other times it raises its rough head somewhat above the surface of the water. It is called the Lady's Rock, for the fol- lowing reason : In NAVAL ANECDOTES. 445 In former times, one of the M 'Leans, of Du- art, whose castle (now in ruins) stands on a pro- montory in Mull, in nearly an opposite direction to the Lady's Rock, married a sister of Argyle. The lady was handsome and amiable, but, unhap- pily, she was barren. In that time it was a crime in the eyes of the husband if the wife bore him no children. Duart hated his hapless lady for that cause, and determined on her destruction. To accomplish it with ease, and, as lie imagined, safe from detection, he ordered ruffians to convey her secretly to the bare rock near Lismore, and there leave her to perish at high tide. The deed was executed to Duart's wish, and the lady left on the rock, watching the rolling tide rising to overwhelm her. When she had given herself up as a lost being, and expected in a very short time to be washed from the rock by the waves, she fortu- nately perceived a vessel sailing down the Sound of Mull, in the direction of the rock on which she was sitting. Every effort in her power was exerted, and every signal in her possession was displayed, to attract the notice of the people in the vessel. At length they perceived her, and drew near the rock. She made herself known, and related that it was by order of her barbarous husband she was left on the rock, and thus re- duced to the wretched state in which they found he,r. The mariners, ever a generous race, took compassion 446 NAVAL ANECDOTES. compassion on her, received her on board their vessel, and conveyed her safely to her brother at Inverary. M'Lean Duart made a grand mock funeral for his much-lamented lady, whom he announced to have died suddenly. He wrote disconsolate letters to his relations, particularly to Argyle, and after a decent time went to Inverary j n deep- mourning; where, with the greatest show of grief, he lamented to his brother-in-law the irre- parable loss he had sustained. Argyle said little, but sent for his sister, whose unexpected appear- ance in life and health proved an electric shock to the tender husband. Argyle was a mild and amiable man, and took no other revenge on M'Lean, but commanded him to depart instantly, at the same time advising him to be cautious not to meet his brother Donald, who would certainly take away his life for having intended to destroy that of his sister. Sir Donald Campbell did meet him many years afterwards in a street at Edin- burgh, and there stabbed him for his crime to- wards his sister, when M'Lean was eighty years of age. LOSS OF THE LADY HOBART PACKET. THIS packet, on her voyage from Halifax for England, struck against an island of ice, and foundered on the morning of Tuesday, the 28th NAVAL ANECDOTES. 447 of June, 1803, ia lat. 46 deg. 33 min. long. 44 cleg, being then three hundred and fifty leagues distant from Newfoundland. The captain, with twenty-eight passengers and crew had just time to save themselves in the jolly-boat before she went down. During this calamity the men be- haved with a coolness, composure, and obedience to orders, that could not be surpassed ; and one of the men, while the boats were hoisting out, emptied a demi-jean, (or bottle) of rum of five gallons for the purpose of filling it with water, and which afterwards proved their greatest sup- Captain Fellowes, three ladies, Captain Tho- mas, of the navy, and fourteen others, embarked in the cutter, twenty feet long, and two feet six inches deep, and brought her gunwales to within six or seven inches of the water. The master, JLieut. Col. Cooke of the guards, and nine others, took to the jolly-boat, fourteen feet long, fiv^ feet three inches wide. Their provisions, &c. consisted of between for- ty and fifty pounds of biscuit, the demi-jean with five gallons of water, a small jug of the same, part of a small barrel of spruce-beer, a demi-jean of rum, a few bottles of port-wine ; two compas- ges, a quadrant, and spy-glass ; a small tinder- box and deck-lantuorn and candles, and SOIIJQ matches kept in a bladder, (by which they were enabled 448 foAVAL ANECDOTES. enabled to steer by night), and a few nails and tools. No one was permitted to take more than a great coat or a blanket, with the clothes on his back. It was agreed that their allowance should be served out with the strictest oeconomy, at the rate of half a biscuit and a glass of wine per twenty- four hours ; and that the water should be kept in reserve. The tarpaulin of the main-hatchway, which had been thrown into the boat, was cut in- to lengths to form a bulwark against the waves, and proved of great service to them. Prayers were regularly said by one of the la- dies. Their bag of biscuit got damaged by the salt- water, which made it necessary to curtail their al- lowance, and which was cheerfully agreed to. Part of a cold ham was found on board ; but? after a taste of it had been given, it was thrown overboard, lest it should increase their thirst with- out the means of allaying it. The weather was at times cold, wet, and with fog and sleet. The cutter would sail, but had o only two oars. The jolly-boat, which had three oars and a small sail, &c. was obliged to be taken frequently in tow. The third day they were much benumbed with the cold ; and the ladies were then prevailed upon to take the stated allowance of spirits, which they NAVAL ANECDOTES. 449 they had before refused. It afforded them imme- diate relief. The fourth day was stormy, foggy, and with heavy seas, and the spray of the sea freezing as it flew over the boats. All felt a depression of spirits. In the commencement of the storm, the cutter having shipped a heavy sea, was obliged to cast off the jolly-boafs tow-rope ; when she was soon lost in a fog, which occasioned much dis- tress, and particularly as she had on board a con- siderable part of her stores, the quadrant, and spy-glass. The men began to be dejected, but were roused to duty and to exertion. The ladies behaved with great heroism, and afforded the best examples of patience and fortitude. All joined in prayer, which tranquillised their minds, and af- forded them the most consolatory hopes of bet- tering their condition. The fifth day it rained, and was so cold, that those in the boat could scarcely move : their hands and feet became swelled and black, from their confined state and exposure to the weather. At day-break one third of a wine-glass of rum and a quarter of a biscuit were servedjout ; and tit noon some spruce beer, which afforded great relief. This day they discovered a sail; and, by means of one of the ladies' shawls, they made a signal ; and, on nearing it was found with great joy to be 2 G their 450 NAVAL ANECDOTES. their jolly-boat. The sensations of joy and dis* appointment were beyond expression. The dis- tresses in each boat during the separation of two- nights had been nearly equal. The jolly-boat was again taken in tow, and a more equal distribu- tion of provisions made. Those hopes which had been buoyed up to the highest pitch now began to lose their effect, and despondency succeeded to a state of artificial strength, to such a degree, that neither entreaties nor arguments could rouse some of the men to- the common exertion of rowing. Many who drank salt-water, contrary to advice, became de- lirious, and were seized with cramps and twitch- ings of the stomach and bowels. A French cap- tain on board seemed to have suffered the most. The sixth day, cold, wet, hunger, and thirst, rendered their situation truly deplorable. The French captain, in a fit of despondency and deli- rium, jumped overboard, and instantly sunk. Another man in the jolly-boat, who was deli- rious, was obliged to be lashed to the bottom of the boat. This event deeply affected them ' all, and the most trifling accident was sufficient to render their irritable state more painful. Cap- tain Fellowes himself was seized with such me- lancholy, that he lost all consideration of his situation for many hours ; a violent shivering seized him, which returned at intervals, and ren- dered NAVAL ANECDOTES. 451 tiered his state very alarming. He now enjoyed for the first time three or four hours sound sleep ; a perspiration came on ; and, when he awoke, it was as from a dream, free from delirium, but painfully alive to all the horrors that surrounded him. The sea continued to break over the boat so much, that those who had force enough, were o- bliged to bail without intermission. The boat was too much crouded ; and the greater part of the crew were in water upon the boat's bottom; the dawn of day brought no relief but its light; they had as yet never seen the sun but once, and those who had had a few hours uninterrupted sleep, awoke, alive to the wretchedness of their si- tuation. In the evening rock-weeds and birds, such as are frequently eaten by the fishermen on the banks of Newfoundland, were seen, which afford- ed great hopes ; and the few who were able to move, were now called upon, and roused to make their last efforts to save themselves by rowing, and to take every advantage of the little breeze they then had. They had been six days and six nights con* stantly wet and cold, without any other suste- nance than a quarter of a biscuit and one glass of fluid for twenty-four hours ; and their stock Mould not, with the greatest geconomy, have last- 2 G 2 ed 452 NAVAL ANECBOTES. ed two days longer; and their water, which had been touched but once, could not hold out much longer. In the night, they had been under the neces- sity of casting off the jolly-boat's tow-rope, to in- duce her crew to exert themselves by rowing. Seventh day. Their separation in the night gave great uneasiness. The sun rose in view for the second time since they quitted the ship. Du- ring the seven days they had been in their boats, they could take no observation of sun, moon, or stars, and could not dry their clothes. When the fog dispersed, they saw land at a mile distance, and at the same moment their jolly-boat and a schooner in shore standing off towards them. Their sensations were at that moment interest- ing and affecting, and joy discovered itself in va- rious ways. All joined with great devotion in thanks to heaven for their miraculous escape. The schooner being now within hail, took both the boats in tow, and landed their crews in the evening at Island Cove, in Conception. Bay. The men could with great difficulty be re- strained at first from taking large and repeated draughts of waiter ; in consequence of which se- veral felt great inconvenience : but being after- wards more cautious, no other bad effects fol- lowed. Every attention and kindness were paid to those twenty-nine miserable objects. GODWIN NAVAL ANECDOTES. 453 GODWIN SANDS. THE following account of the Godwin Sands, with which sailors are well acquainted, and of which every inhabitant of this country has heard, is given in Pennant's Journey to the Isle of Wight, and is both entertaining and instructive. In treating of the formation of these sands, he ad- verts to the theories upon this subject: " But," says he, " perhaps a natural solution may be as credible ; we may ascribe it to the vast inunda- tion which A. D. 1 100, overflowed a part of Holland, so that the water being carried from this part of the sea rendered it so shallow, that places which might have been safely passed over before, now became full of dangerous shoals. Such was the case here: the Godwin Sands were two sub-marine hills, in ancient times unno- ticed by reason of the depth. At this drainage their heads, at the ebb-tides, appeared above wa- ter, and became most dangerous to mariners; yet they have their utility ships anchor or moor be- neath their shelter, and the little they receive from the North and South Forelands, and find protec- tion from the winds, unless in very extraordina- ry tempests ; such was the fatal one of November, 1703. It began five hundred leagues from the English coast, and hurried the homeward-bound ships, which happened to be in the Atlantic, with amazng 454 NAVAL ANECDOTES. amazing impetuosity up the Channel, and, as it were, swept the ocean, and filled every port : no ship that did not go direct before the wind could live. It passed over England, France, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and part of Tartary, and spent itself amidst the islands of ice in the Frozen Sea. I refer to a real ample relation of its dire effects by sea and land, given in the City Remembrancer, Vol. II. from p. 43 to 187 ; its height was in the night of November the 26th, but it lasted with incredible fury for fourteen days. That dreadful night was uncommonly dark, and made more hideous in many places by the quick coruscations of lightning, and the singular glare of meteors and imaginary symptoms of earthquakes, while the rolling of the thunder, and the howling of the winds formed the terrific diapason. It is said in various parts not fewer than eight thousand persons perished. Rear-Admiral Beau- mont, in the Mary, a fourth-rate, together with the Northumberland, Sterling Castle, and Resto- ration, three third-rates, and one fifth were beaten to pieces against the sands, and near 1200 gal- lant sailors lost to their country in the midst of a most important war. The Godwin Sands consist of two parts, di- vided in the middle by four narrow channels, a- bout two fathoms deep ; the middle, called the Swath, navigable by boats, and that only in fine weather. NAVAL ANECDOTES. 455 weather. The sands extend ten miles ^along the coast north and south, verging towards the east, and from three and a half to six miles distant from the main land. They have over them at all times so little water as not to be any where passable, unless by very small vessels ; but at the are in many parts dry. ANECDOTES OF M. BAUD1N, COMMODORE OF A FRENCH EXPEDITION OF DISCOVERY. ST. VINCENT, a French writer, in the Narra- tive of his Voyage through the African Seas, re - lates the following ludicrous anecdotes of the commodore, M. Baudin : The commodore, since our departure from Teneriffe, did not wish our vessels to approach too near to each other, from an idea that in those seas, where there is much danger of being be : - calmed, it was necessary to remain at about a league from one another, lest the attraction of the two ships might occasion them to run foul of each other. An intelligent astronomer belonging to the ex- pedition, related to me one day, when we were conversing respecting the commodore's terror, on account of the supposed attraction of the two ships, a very curious fact, the truth of which was 2 G 4 afterwards 456 NAVAL ANECDOTES. afterwards confirmed by one of the officers. Be- ing in want of a magnetic needle to replace that of a compass which had been injured, he applied to the commodore, who had several in the drawer of his secretaire. M. Baudin, who happened to be in a very good humour, invited him into the state-room, whilst he searched for the box that contained the needles. The steel being some- o what rusted by the humidity of the air, the mag- netic property of the needles was considerably diminished. As the astronomer was lamenting this unlucky accident : What would you wish ? said the commodore, in order to console him, every thing furnished by the government has been done in the most niggardly manner : if they had followed my advice, we should have been provided with silver instead of steel ones ! REMARKABLE ESCAPE OF MESSRS. CARTER, SHAW, AND HASKETT. ON the 29th of June, 1793, the ship Shaw Hermozier, of Calcutta, in company with the Chesterfield Whaler, sailed from Norfolk Island bound to Batavia, with a resolution to explore a passage between New Holland and New Guinea, in which they succeeded ; and discovered an island in lat. 9 deg. 39 min. 30 sec. long. 142 deg. 39 min. which they called Tate Island. Two boats NAVAL ANECDOTES. 457 boats were dispatched to make a survey. They found it inhabited, and the natives making very friendly signs for the seamen to come on shore; but, as they were not armed, they did not then land. The natives afterwards came themselves on board, and bartered bows, arrows, and spears, for pen-knives, beads, &c. ; and, from their be- haviour while on board, seemed hospitable and humane. In their visit they stole a hatchet, which eventually proved nearly fatal to Mr. Shaw, the chief officer of the Chesterfield, who was sent on shore, on the 2d of July, with a boat, with Cap- tain Hill, Mr. Carter, Mr. Haskett, and four sea- men, to make observations on the soil, products, and inhabitants of this island ; and also carry arms for protection. The natives showed much apparent kindness and hospitality, assisting them in landing, and kissing their hands frequently, but with a view, as it afterwards proved, of getting them in their power to rob and kill them. The natives treacherously surrounded these gentle- men on shore, and the people in the boat, and attacked them. Mr. Carter, without provoca- tion, received a blow on the head, and was felled to the ground, with the hatchet that had been stolen. Mr. Shaw got also wounded. Mr. Has- kett discharged his musket and the natives fled. The party reached their boat, calling out to thoss on board to fire ; but the natives had killed Cap- tain 458 NAVAL ANECDOTES. tain Hill and one seaman, and soon after two others were found floating on the water with their O throats cut. With difficulty Mr. Shaw, Mr. Car- ter, and Mr. Haskett got on board their boat, which they found had been plundered of all their provisions, boat-cloak, and their water all start- ed ; and that the fourth sailor was lying dead in the boat, mangled in a most shocking manner. Fortunately these gentlemen got off with the boat with much difficulty, after keeping off the na- tives with their muskets ; and by means of a sail they had not been plundered of, they made the best of their way. Mr. Carter, from the loss of blood, was obliged to lie at the bottom of the boat after his wounds had been bound up by handkerchiefs. The body of the murdered sea- man was committed to the deep; and they re- turned thanks to the Almighty, for their deliver- ance. They found that they had that night drifted out to sea, and that their boat had been plundered of their compass as well as supplies, and that no- thing had been left but a great coat and some knives and scissars. Mr. Shaw, who was the only navigator, stated, as the wind was fair, they might reach the island of Timor in about ten days. They therefore committed themselves to Providence. Orf the third day of their escape from the can- nibals NAVAL ANECDOTES. 45Q nibals ofTate Island, Mr. Carter's wound was so painful that he wished it examined. On cutting away his hat and hair, which were clotted toge- ther, it was found to be in the back of his head, and appeared to have been done by means of the hatchet. After the wound had been washed with salt water, it was tied up with a piece of a shirt, and Mr. Carter found himself much relieved. They discovered an island and natives, but, as the fate of their companions was too fresh in their minds, they declined any intercourse with them, or the offer of a fish from one of the negroes, though they had been fifty-two hours without breaking their fast. Mr. Shaw and Mr. Haskett relieved each other every two hours at the steer- oars. On ihejifth day they caught two small birds : one was divided into three parts, and eaten with the utmost avidity : the other bird was reserved for another meal. Even with this small share of subsistence their spirits were considerably raised. They still continued to steer to the westward ; the sun being their guide by day, and the stars by night. On this night they resolved, being rear shoal water, with breakers, to come-to, and rest themselves for the night, in five fathoms wa- ter. On the sixth day, in the morning, they disco- vered land on both sides of them, which at first greatly 460 NAVAL ANECDOTES. greatly discouraged them ; but perceiving a cur* rent, they found a passage between those islands, "but no inhabitants. Mr. Shaw and Mr. Haskett landed in search of water ; and finding a hole full, they drank plentifully, but when they had filled their keg, they found it as brackish as the water alongside. Mr. Carter's wound becoming very painful, it was again dressed with salt-water ; and three pieces of the skull were found to have worked out : they did not relate this circumstance to him, but gave him every assurance of his doing well. The throat of the remaining bird was cut, and applied to Mr. Carter's mouth ; and, it yielding a few drops of blood, it gave him great relief. The body was afterwards divided. On the seventh day, they were so much re- duced as to be under the necessity of drinking their own urine. Though disagreeable, they found relief from it. About nine o'clock at night, Mr. Shaw and Mr. Haskett, found themselves so weak, and so overcome with fatigue, that they lashed their oars, and found the boat went along very steadily. After joining in prayer to the Al- mighty, to whose protection they committed them* selves, they laid down and had a refreshing sleep. Occasionally, however, they could not refrain from starting up to look out for land or day. The eighth day they resumed the labour of the oar, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 46 1 oar, which was increased by a heavy swell ; and Mr. Shaw held out hopes of seeing land in a day or two. They discovered shoal-water, with break- ers, and the sea frequently broke over them : this rendered Mr. Carter's case truly deplorable, as he could not from extreme weakness and inabi- lity, move from the bottom of the boat, whicli was so full of water, that it was with the utmost difficulty he could keep his head above it. To add to their distress, Mr. Haskett was knocked out of the boat, but he was fortunately saved, with the utmost exertions of Mr. Shaw, by put- ting an oar under his arm, and lifting him up, as 'by a lever, until taken on board again. On the ninth day they got clear of the shoals, and launched once more into the ocean ; on which occasion they again relied on Providence for their deliverance. Mr. Carter's wound was again dressed and washed, and four pieces more of the bone taken from the skull, and assurances given that it was looking well. They were in greater distress than ever for water. They were growing disconsolate, and were making up their minds to meet death with fortitude, having given up every hope of surviving another day, when Mr. Haskett eagerly exclaimed, that he saw " land." This revived their hopes, and they made for it, conceiving it to be the island of Timor.. They saw natives, who beckoned them to come on shore ; 462 NAVAL ANECDOTES. shore ; but they were fearful of landing from past experience, until Mr. Shaw, telling them they might as well trust to being well received on shore as perish at sea, (which they must have done by the next day), they agreed to run in for the bay, and that Mr. Haskett should remain in the boat, and Mr. Carter and Mr. Shaw should go on shore in search of water. Mr. Carter, on being helped out not being able to stand, was helped in again, and the other two advanced to the natives one with the water-keg, the other with a musket. They were overjoyed when they heard the natives call out " Bligh ! Bligh P' re- collecting that Captain Bligh was v?ry humanely treated at Timor, they had no doubt left but that they had the good fortune to touch at the same place. The natives gave Mr. Shaw a baked yam, which he found it impossible to eat on account of his throat being so exceedingly parched, until he had quenched his thirst at a spring to which they carried him. They then filled their keg, and ran to Mr. Carter, who was calling out for water with the greatest eagerness. The natives looked upon them the whole time with the greatest astonish- ment. On the word Timor, which the natives repeat- ed, they pointed to the southward, and then to a prow OQ the beach, intimating that they would convey them thither. In consequence of which two NAVAL ANECDOTES. 463 two muskets, and a number of knives and scissars that remained in the boat, were given them. In their passage to Timor they were chased by a prow ; on which they hoisted sail, and steered over the reef with their boat, and escaped from her. Night approaching, and the party finding themselves much fatigued, they hauled their sheet aft, and lashed their oars, as customary with them, when their boat went along shore very steadily. They then lay down to sleep, and were in the morning refreshed with the smell of spices con- veyed by the land-wind. Mr. Carter was so much revived, that he several times exclaimed, " Keep up your hearts, my boys, we shall dine with the governor of Coupang to-day." But from shoals and points they were disappointed. The water they had drunk tended likewise to increase their appetites. They were forced at night, notwith- standing, to pursue the same method they had formerly done, in order to obtain sufficient rest to enable them to go through the fatigues of the day. On the eleventh day, Mr. Shaw, from ihe force of the sea on the steer-oar, in his weak state, un- luckily fell overboard ; but, by holding the gun- wale until Mr. Haskettcame to his assistance, he was with great exertion got into the boat again. As they were unable to weather the point which they saw a-head, they determined to run into a 2 small, 464 NAVAL ANECDOTES* small bay, with an intention to land, when the natives came running towards them, and beckon- ed them on shore, calling out " Bligh ! Bligh!"* They were helped out of their boat by the natives, and made to sit down. Cocoa-nuts, yams, and Indian corn were given them, which were re- ceived with gratitude ; while the natives were gazing on the famished sufferers with silent asto- nishment, and inviting them by signs to eat. Mr. Carter begged his wound might be dressed. co o ' which was now done with fresh water ; and when Mr. Shaw unbound the wound, he found it near- ly healed. By assistance the party were led up to the town, jat the top of a steep hill, accessible only k by two perpendicular ladders, up which they were lifted by guides. They were taken to the chief's house amidst an immense concourse of people, who came to view these strangers, when they were again presented with corn, yams, and toddy to drink ; after which the chief persuaded them to take rest. They were a little alarmed at seeing two men watching at the door, notwithstanding the chief had placed himself between them and * It is supposed that this consolatory word was, probably, bye, or good; but, whatever was the interpretation of the word, the conduct of the natives proved humane and hospi- tfcble. the NAVAL ANECDOTES, 465 and the men, and had a spear by his side. Mr. Shaw got up at night and went out at the door, to see if they would prevent him going further, but was agreeably surprised to find they only waited lest any thing should be wanted. On the morning of the 7th of July, being the twelfth day, they were again presented with In- dian-corn, yams, and toddy; and on enquiry found they were in the island of Sarrett, which was se- parated from Timor-land, and that they had been upon that island when they first refreshed them- selves ; that Tanabor was to the northward of it ; and that a prow came yearly to trade there. This information greatly relieved them ; and they found, with pleasure, the natives humane and hospitable. For one fortnight no occurrence of moment happened, except the loss of a pair of scissars, stolen by one of the children. As they were very serviceable in cutting the hair round Mr. Carter's wound, the chief was informed of the circumstance, and immediately called a coun- cil, consisting of the elders of the community, when, after an hour's debate, they withdrew, and the next day the scissars were returned. On the 13th of July, Mr. Carter's wound was entirely healed, after having thirteen pieces of the fractured skull taken out. They remained in perfect health until the 2oth of November, when Mr. Carter caught a fever, 2 H and 466 NAVAL ANECDOTES. and died December 10, 1793, much regretted by his friends, Shaw and Haskett, as well as by the natives of Timor-land. The survivors waited for the annual trading prow from Banda, which arrived, to their great joy, on the 12th of March, 1794. They sailed from Timor Island on the 10th of April, and ar- rived at Banda the 1st of May, where the gover- nor received them with the utmost hospitality, and procured them a passage to Batavia, where they arrived the 10th of October, 1794. It appears, that the two ships, after waiting six days for their boat, making signals and firing guns, sent two armed boats on shore after their compa- nions. The natives came down, but indicated a different disposition from that which they dis- played on their first interview, and gave the peo- ple in the boats to understand that the other boat had gone to westward ; at the same time endea- vouring to decoy the present party to come on shore. One of the savage leaders wielded an axe, the handle of which being painted red, identified it as the property of Mr. Shaw, and left little doubt as to the fate of him and his compa- nions. . The two boats rowed round the island, which is about eight miles long and five broad, but with- out making any discovery. On their wishing to get one of the natives in order to gain intelli- gence, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 467 gence, they were attacked by a shower of arrows, which was returned by the discharge of a blun- derbuss, which killed one man, and dispersed the remainder. Night coming on, they returned to the ship. In order to punish treachery, and to deter these savages for the future, it was resolved to detach three boats from the ship on the 10th of July, with forty-two men including Lascars, when the natives retired. In their searches on shore, they found the great-coats, lantern, and pieces of linen of their friends and several hu- man skulls, and strings of dried human hands ; which left them no doubt of the fate of their com- panions. The men in the boats, as a punishment for their conduct, destroyed their houses and huts, and burnt sixteen large canoes. THE ORLOP. AID me kind Muse ! so whimsical a theme, No poet ever yet pursued for fame ; Boldly I venture on a naval scene, Nor fear the critic's frown, the pedant's spleep. Sons of the ocean, we their rules disdain, Our bosom's honest, and our style is plain. Let Homer's heroes, and his gods, delight, Let Milton, with infernal legions fight ; 2 H 2 His 468 NAVAL ANECDOTES. His fav'rite warrior polish'd Virgil show ; With love and wine luxurious Horace glow : Be such their subjects ; I another choose, As yet neglected by the laughing Muse. Deep in that fabric, where Britannia boasts j O'er seas to waft her thunder, and her hosts, A cavern lies, unknown to cheering day, Where one small taper lends a feeble ray ; Where wild disorder holds her wanton reign, And careless mortals frolic in her train, Bending beneath a hammock's friendly shade, See Jisculapius all in arms display'd : In his right hand th' impending steel he holds, The other round the trembling victim folds ; His gaping myrmidon, the deed attends, Whilst in the pot the crimson stream descends : Unaw'd young Galen bears the hostile brunt, pills in his rear, and Cullen in his front : While mustered round the medicinal pile, Death's grim militia stand in rank and file. In neighbouring mansions, lo ! what clouds arise t It half-conceals its owner from our eyes; One heavy light with feeble lustre shines To prove, the Mid in high Olympus dines : Let us approach the preparation view, A cockpit-beau is surely something new : To him japan her varnish'd joys denies ; Nor bloom for him the sweets of eastern skies : His rugged limbs no lofty mirror shows, Nor tender couch invites him to repose. A pigmy glass upon his toilet stands, Crack'd o'er and o'er by awkward clumsy hands : Chesterfield'* NAVAL ANECDOTES. 46P Chesterfield's page polite, the Seaman's Guide, An half-ate biscuit, Congreve's Mourning Bride, Bestrew'd with powder, in confusion lie, And form a chaos to th' intruding eye : At length this meteor of an hour is drest, And rises an Adonis from his chest ; Cautious he treads, lest some unlucky slip, Defile his clothes with burgou or with flip : The rocks escap'd, arrives in statu quo ; Bows, dines, and bows, then sinks again below. Not far from hence a joyous group are met, For social mirth and sportive pastime set; In cheering grog the rapid course goes round, And not a care in all the circle's found. Promotion, mess-debts, absent friends, and love, Inspir'd by Hope, in turn their topics prove : To proud superiors then they each look up, And curse all discipline in ample cup. Hark '. yonder voice in hollow murmur swells ; Hark ! yonder voice, the Mid to duty calls ! Thus summon'd by the gods, he deigns to go, But first makes known his consequence below : At slav'ry rails, scorns lawless sway to h 11, And d ns the power allow'd a white lapell : Vows that he's free to stoop to cringe disdains, Ascends the ladder, and resumes his chains. In canvass'd birth, profoundly deep in thought, His busy mind with lines, and tangents fraught, A Mid reclines in calculation lost ! His efforts still by some intruder crost. Now to the longitude's vast height he soars. And now formation of lapscous explores : 2 H 3 Now 470 NAVAL ANECDOTES. Now o'er a field of logarithms bends ; And now to make a pudding he pretends. At once the sage, the hero, and the cook, He weilds the sword, the saucepan, and the book. Oppos'd to him a sprightly messmate lolls ; Declaims with Garrick,or with Shuter drolls; Sometimes his breast great Gate's virtue warms, And then his task the gay Lothario charms ; Cleone's grief his tragic feelings wake, With Richard's pangs th' orlopian cavern shake : No more the mess for others' joys repine ; When pea-soup entering shews 'tis time to dine. But think not meanly of this humble seat, Whence sprung the guardians of the British Fleet ; Revere the sacred spot, however low, Which form'd to martial acts a Hawke, a Howe. ESCAPE FROM FRANCE. THE captain of the Fame, of Hull, and a sai- lor, made their escape from prison at Verdun in France, on the night of the 30th of April, 1 805, having first provided a stock of provisions. Proceeding by bye roads, they reached a wood on the third day, in which they made themselves a small hut with some timber which they found ; and while reposing in it for a few hours, were attacked by a wolf, which made several attempts to get at them, but without effect. On the fourth day their provisions being expended, they were obliged NAVAL ANECDOTE?. 471 obliged to attempt procuring a supply at a small village, where they were taken into custody, and marched back on the road towards Verdun by four men, from whom, however, finding their muskets not charged, they escaped, after travel- ling about a mile. Arriving on the banks of the Sarr, near Sarr Libre, they swam down the river, and travelled onward toward the Rhine, on the banks of which, near Biberack, they arrived on the 9th of May; and partly by force, and partly by money, obtained a pas- sage over. From thence they passed by way of Hesse-Cassel, through Germany to Embden, which they reached on the 22d, and taking ship- ping there, with four other British sailors who had effected their escape, arrived safely in Eng- land. LUDICROUS ALARM OF INVASION. EARLY in July, 1759, a report was spread in London, that in many places in Kent, the French were actually landed. The report was occasioned by the following circumstances : Commodore Bays, from Deal, seeing two vessels in the offing, rigged in an unusual way, and much in the same manner in which the new French boats were said to be, made signal for his cruizers, then at anchor in the Downs, to slip and chase 2 H 4 them, 472 NAVAL ANECDOTES. them, and soon after went on board his own ship, to give such further orders as might appear to be necessary, A subaltern officer, quartered at Deal, did not much relish these dispositions, and sent away in great haste to General Boscawen, who commanded in Dover Castle, to know what he was to do with his little regiment of thirty men, for that the French boats were in sight, the cruiz- ers were in chase, and the commodore was gone on board. The general, on receiving this seemingly posi- tive advice from one of his own officers then on the spot, unfortunately did not stay to make any farther enquiry, but instantly forwarded the letter which he had received to the secretary of war by an express, who spread the alarm in every place through which he passed, and reached London time enough to occasion unspeakable confusion before his news could be contradicted. The commodore knew nothing of all this, though he was so unfortunate as to bear the blame of it. He was, as indeed he well might be, very angry when he heard of it, and immedi- ately sent off other expresses to contradict, and, as far as possible, to remedy the inconveniences occasioned by the over-haste of the former one. The vessels proved to be two small Dutch hoys, going quietly about their own business, FRENCH NAVAL ANECDOTES. 473 FRENCH MOCK-OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OFF TRAFALGAR. Head Quarters, Cadiz, Oct. 25, 1805. THE operations of the grand naval army, se- cond in the Atlantic, those oY the grand imperial army in Germany. The English fleet is annihi- lated ! Nelson is no more ! Indignant at beincr o 31 inactive in port, whilst our brave brethren in arms were gaining laurels in Germany, Admirals Villeneuve and Gravina resolved to put to sea, and give the English battle. They were superior in number, forty-rive to our thirty-three; but what is superiority of numbers to men determined to conquer ? Admiral Nelson did every thing to avoid a battle ; he attempted to get into the Me- diterranean, but we pursued and came up with him off Trafalgar. The French and Spaniards vied with each other which should first get into action. Admirals Villeneuve and Gravina were both anxious to lay their ships alongside the Vic- tory, the English admiral's ship. Fortune, so con- stant always to the emperor, did not favour either of them the Santissima Trinidada was the fortu- nate ship. In vain did the English admiral tiy to evade an action : the Spanish admiral, Oliva, prevented his escape, and lashed his vessel to the British admiral. The English ship was of 136 guns ; the Santissimu Trinidada was but a 74 Lord 474 NAVAL ANECDOTES. Lord Nelson adopted a new system ; afraid of combating us in the old way, in which he knows we have a superiority of skill, as was proved by our victory over Sir Robert Calder, he attempted a new mode of fighting. For a short time they disconcerted us ; but what can long disconcert his imperial majesty's arms? We fought yard- arm to yard-arm, gun to gun. Three hours did we fight in this manner : the English began to be dismayed they found it impossible to resist us ; but our brave sailors were tired of these slow means of gaining a victory ; they wished to board ; the cry was a la bordage. Their impetuosity was irresistible. At that moment two ships, one French and one Spanish, boarded the Temeraire : the English fell back in astonishment and affright we rushed to the flag-staff struck the colours and all were so anxious to bear the intelligence to their own ship, that they jumped overboard, and the English ships, by this unfortunate impe- tuosity of our brave sailors and allies, was able, by the assistance of two more ships that came to her assistance, to make her escape, in a sinking state. Meanwhile Nelson still resisted us. It was now who should first board, and have the ho- nour of taking him, French or Spaniard two ad- mirals on each side disputed the honour ; they boarded his ship at the same moment ; Ville- neuve flew to the quarter-deck ; with the usual 6 generosity NAVAL ANECDOTES. 475 generosity of the French, he carried a brace of pistols in his hands, for he knew the admiral had lost an arm, and could not use his sword he of- fered one to Nelson : they fought, and, at the se- cond fire, Nelson fell ; he was immediately car- ried below, Oliva, Gravina, and Villeneuve at- tended him with the accustomed French humanity. Meanwhile, fifteen of the English ships of the line had struck four more were obliged to follow O their example another blew up. Our victory was now complete, and we prepared to take pos- session of their prizes ; but the elements were at this time unfavourable to us ; a dreadful storm, came on; Gravina made his escape to his own ship at the beginning of it ; the commander-in- chief, Villeneuve, and a Spanish admiral, were unable, and remained on board the Victory ; the storm was long and dreadful ; our ships being so well manoeuvred, rode out the gale ; the English being so much more damaged, were driven on O *-* * shore, and many of them wrecked. At length, when the gale abated, thirteen sail of the French and Spanish line got safe to Cadiz ; the other twenty have, no doubt, gone to some other port, find mil soon be heard of. We shall repair our damages as speedily as possible, go again in pur- suit of the enemy, and afford them another proof of our determination, to wrest from them the empire of the seas, and to comply yith his impe- rial 476 NAVAL ANECDOTES. rial Majesty's demand of ships, colonies, and com- merce. Our loss was trifling, that of the English was immense. We have, however, to lament the absence of Admiral Villeneuve, whose ardour car- ried him beyond the strict bounds of prudence, and, by compelling him to board the English ad- miral's ship, prevented him from returning to his own. After having acquired so decisive a victory, we wait with impatience the emperor's order to sail to the enemy's shore, annihilate the rest of bis navy, and thus complete the triumphant work we have so brilliantly begun. CARING ACTION OF THE SECOND LIEUTENANT AND PART OF THE CREW OF THE WRANGLER GUN-VESSEL. IN addition to the number of daring actions \ executed by British bravery, the following was performed by the second lieutenant and part of the crew of the Wrangler gun-vessel, commanded by Lieutenant John Pollit: During the summer of 1803, while cruizing off Boulogne, the Wrangler perceived a sloop lying under the batteries, ready to sail on the first con- venient opportunity. The commander of the Wrangler 'proposed to cut her out, and was im- mediately seconded in his project by his second in command, and a set of jolly fellows, sufficient to NAVAL ANECDOTES; 477 to man the long-boat: they pushed off almost as soon as the scheme was formed, and in a short time reached their object. They were challenged by the sloop's sentinels, to whom they paid no at- tention, but running the boat alongside, imme- diately boarded. The Frenchmen, when they saw our gallant countrymen on the deck, took directly to a boat lying alongside the sloop, and made the best of their way towards shore, leaving only the captain on board. The sloop was brought off safely, without the slightest injury to any one, though a very heavy fire was kept up from the batteries, and carried into Ramssjate. O LOSS OF THE ABERGAVENNY EAST-IXDIAMAX. ON Friday, the 1st of February, the Aberga- venny, Captain Wordsworth, sailed 'from Ports- mouth, in company with the Royal George, Henry Addington, Wexford, and Bombay Castle, for the East Indies, under convoy of the Wey mouth fri- gate. The weather proved very unfavourable after their sailing, and the wind being strangely adverse, induced them to make the best of their tvay for Portland Roads. After encountering a severe gale on Friday night (during which they parted convoy), the five Indiamen reached the entrance of the Roads on Tuesday about nooiv 2 when 478 NAVAL ANECDOTES. when the Wexford having been appointed com- modore, made signal for those ships who had pi- lots on board to run for port. At this period the Abergavenny had not been supplied with a pilot, and therefore was compelled to wait a few hours for this purpose. About three P. M. hav- ing obtained one; she bore up for Portland Pcoads. The weather had become tolerably moderate, and notwithstanding a strong ebb-tide had been setting in, no disaster was at this time apprehended, it being conceived that the pilot knew the coast well. In a few minutes, however, the ship's company learned their dangerous situation, the ship having struck on the shambles of the Bill of Portland, about two miles from the shore. Captain Words- worth and his officers were notwithstanding of opinion, that the ship might be got off without sustaining any material damage, and accordingly no signal guns of distress were ordered to be fired for upwards of an hour and a half afterwards, when twenty were discharged. All this time the people were free from alarm, and no idea pre- vailed that it would be necessary to hoist out the boats, to be ready to take the crew on board in case of necessity. About five P. M. things bore a more unfavourable aspect: the carpenter an- nounced that a considerable leak was discovered near the bottom of the chain-pumps, which it was not in his power to stop, the water gushed in so fast. NAVAL ANECDOTES. 479 fast. The pumps being all in readiness, were set a-going, and a part of the crew endeavoured to bail her at the fore-hatch, but all their attempts to keep the water were vain. At six P. M. the inevitable loss of the ship be- came more and more apparent; other leaks were discovered, the wind had increased to a gale, and the severe beating of the vessel upon the rocks threatened immediate destruction. The captain and officers were far from shrinking from the pe- rils around them. They gave their orders with the greatest firmness and coolness, and by their proper conduct were enabled to preserve subor- dination. As the night advanced, the situation of all on board became the more terrible ; the Misses Evans, and several other passengers, en- treated to be sent on shore; but this was impos" sible. It was as much as all the ship's company could do to keep the vessel afloat. In order to induce the men to exert their utmost powers at the pumps, the officers stood by cheering and en- couraging them, by giving them allowances of li- quor. At seven P. M. the ships' company being almost exhausted, it was thought adviseable to fire fresh signal guns, in hopes of obtaining boats from the shore, to save as many of the people on board as possible. In the mean time the purser, Mr. Mortimer, was dispatched in one of the ship's boats with papers and dispatches, in order to save them. 480 NAVAL ANECDOTES," them. The third mate, a cousin of the captain, and of the same name, accompanied the purser, with about six seamen. One boat came off from the shore, which took on board the Misses Evans, Miss Jackson, Mr. Rutledge, and Mr. Taylor, a cadet, all passen- gers. Mrs. Blair, companion to the Misses Evans, chose, in spite of all entreaties, to remain on board : indeed there were many who would have made the same choice, so little hopes were there of the boat contending successfully with the high sea in so dark a night. It was now about nine o'clock, and several boats were heard a short distance from the ship, but they rendered no assistance to the distressed on board. Whether this was owing to their being employed in the humane purpose of saving those who had clung to pieces of wreck (upon which many ventured from the vessel) or whether they were engaged in plunder, is not known. The dreadful crisis was now approaching - every one seemed assured of his fate ; some gave themselves up to despair, whilst others endea- voured to collect themselves, and employed the few minutes they had left in the best of purposes that of imploring the mercy of their Creator. At ten o'clock the ship was nearly full of water, and, as she began gradually to sink, confusion commenced on board. A number of the sailors beg- ged NAVAL ANECDOTES. 481 ged ardently for more liquor, and when it was refused, they attacked the spirit-room, but were repulsed by their officers, who never once lost sight of their character, and continued to con- duct themselves with the utmost fortitude. One of them was stationed at the spirit-room door, with a brace of pistols, to guard against surprise, and there remained even while the ship was sink- ing. A sailor was extremely solicitous to obtain some liquor from him, saying, " It will be all one an hour hence. " "Be that as it may," replied the officer, "let us die like men." It is a cir- cumstance hardly to be accounted for, that, in the midst of all this distress, the boats were never attempted to be hoisted out. About two minutes before the ship went down, Mr. Baggot, the chief mate, went to' Captain Wordsworth, and said, " We have done all we can, sir; she will sink in a moment." The captain replied, " It cannot be helped God's will be done " When the passengers and crew were acquaint- ed with their situation, they made several efforts to save their lives ; some laid hold of pieces of the wreck, and committed themselves to the mercy of the waves. A Mr. Forbes stripped off his clothes, and being an excellent swimmer, plung- ed into the sea, and was one of those who were picked up by a boat from the shore. A great jnany ran up the shrouds. At about eleven o'clock 2 i a heavy 482 NAVAL ANECDOTES. a heavy sea gave the vessel a sudden shock, and in an instant .she sunk to the bottom, in twelve fathom water. Many of these unfortunate per- sons who had run up the shrouds for safety, were unable to sustain the motion of the vessel in go- ing down, and suffered with their unfortunate companions below. Between eighty and ninety persons, however, were still able to maintain their situation, and were ultimately saved. For some time after the vessel had gone down, she kept gradually sinking deeper in the sand, insomuch that several persons were under the necessity of climbing higher up the masts. The highest mast was estimated to be above the water about twenty- five feet, and the persons aloft could plainly dis- cover the bowsprit. When the ship sunk, she did not go down in the usual way that vessels do, by falling first upon .her beam ends ; this deviation was supposed to have arisen from her being laden with treasure and porcelain ware. She had 70,0001. in specie on board, and nearly four hundred persons. The crew consisted of one hundred and sixty men, and there were between fifty and sixty passengers ; the rest were recruits for his majesty's and the company's service ; about thirty-six Chinamen were also on board. The total number of the drowned is estimated at three hundred. Several boats were heard paddling about the wreck, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 483 \vreck, at half past eleven o'clock; and although they were hailed by the unfortunate persons on the shrouds and masts, they could not be prevail- ed upon to take them on shore. The reason, which was afterwards assigned for this apparently inhuman conduct, was, that they were fearful that every person on board being eager to save himself, the whole would attempt to jump in, overload the boats, and sink them. About twelve o'clock a sloop, that had been at- tracted to the spot by the signal guns, came to anchor close to the ship, sent a boat and took off all the persons we have mentioned as being above water, about twenty at a time, and conveyed them to Weymouth. So far were the people from crouding improperly into the boat, that they got oil the shrouds one by one, and then only as they were called by the officers who were with them. When it was supposed that every person was brought off, and the boat was about to depart for the last time, a person was observed nearly at the top of a mast in the shrouds : he was called to, but did not answer; one of the officers, much to his credit, returned, and there found a man in an inanimate state, arising from the piercing cold weather. The officer brought him down on his back, and took him ashore; the person proved to be a surgeon ; every possible care was taken of him, but his recovery was long doubtful. 2 i 2 The 484 NAVAL ANECDOTES. The whole value of the cargo is estimated at 200,0001. Nothing was saved except the dis- patches and some valuable prints, which had been sent out for General Lake. Captain Words- worth, at the moment the ship was going down, was seen clinging to the ropes. Mr. Gilpin, one of the mates, used every persuasion to induce him to save his life, but in vain ; he did not seem de- sirous to survive his ship. The exertions of Cor- net Bourgoyne and the mates were most exem- plary ; they did all that human means could ef- fect/ The Abergavenny was about 1200 tons bur- then, and was destined to Bengal and China. She was to have laden at Bengal with cotton, for the China market. The passengers were unusu- ally numerous. Forty sat down daily to the cap- tain's table, and about thirteen at the third mate's. The first and third mates were on shore when the Abergavenny left Portsmouth, and paid forty gui- neas for a boat, which enabled them to join the ill fated ship. Captain Wordsworth was a man of remarkably mild manners, and of a cool and temperate disposition. Mr. Baggot, the chief mate, possessed a similar character; he made no attempt to save his life, but met the fete of hit captain with the same composure. JACK NAVAL ANECDOTES. 485 JACK AT AN AUCTION. A TAR, half seas over, swaggered into an auc- tion-room, and hearing the auctioneer bawling out two or three times, " who bids more than nine-pence halfpenny?'' asked, " may we bid what we please r" " O yes," replied the seller, " any thing you please, sir."" Well then," said Jack, " I bid you a good night, and be d d to you." HORRIBLE INSTANCE OF FRENCH CRUELTY. THE following statement, relative to the cap- ture of the Esther, Captain Irving, is copied from a Charlestown newspaper . On the evening of Sunday, November the 3d, 1805, the British ships Esther and Minorca, were seen in company with a French privateer, off Charlestown, by which it was expected that one or both of them would be taken. On the Mon- day morning, about seven o'clock, the privateer bore down on the Esther, but was kept off by the gallant and well directed fire of the brave Captain Irving and his crew, for nearly an hour; the wind, however, becoming so light that the ship could not answer her helm, the privateer, taking the advantage with her sweeps, got alongside and grappled. In this situation the contest was con- 3i2 tiuued 486 NAVAL ANECDOTES. tinued for three quarters of an hour, when the Frenchmen succeeded in getting on board the ship; there they were kept at bay, for nearly twenty minutes, by the ship's crew; but Captain Irving being severely wounded in the thigh, and having five of his men killed, ordered the colours to be struck, and retired to his cabin. Mr. Low- den, the third mate, after having hauled down the colours, was coming forward, when he was shot, and thrown overboard. Four of the pri- vateer's men then followed Captain Irving into his cabin, where he was shot, and most cruelly mangled, and his body thrown over the side, be- fore life was extinct. Mr. Edwards, a fine young man, while in the act of supporting his dying cap- tain in his arms, was stabbed in several places with the small sword, and otherwise so severely cut in the head, that no hopes are entertained of his recovery. By this time the residue of the crew were driven below, when the Frenchmen, having complete possession of the ship, the inhuman monster, Ross, ordered the prisoners to be brought on deck, and put to death. This being remon. strated against by some of the privateer's men, he ordered them to fire upon them, when several muskets were discharged into the hatchway, which killed the carpenter, and mortally wound- ed two seamen, who have since died. The privateer is called the Creole, mounts six guns, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 487 guns, of different calibre ; is commanded by one Pierre Burgman ; and had on board, at the com- mencement of the action, 1 1 1 men. They state their loss to be six killed, seven severely wounded, and a number missing, supposed to have been knocked overboard and drowned. The wounded Englishmen were yesterday put on board one of our pilot boats. Two of the sea- men died before she reached town ; Mr. Ashton, the first mate, died on board at the wharf; one poor fellow died while they were conveying him to the hospital. Two seamen at the hospital, and thirteen others, are so dreadfully cut up, that it is supposed only two out of the number can pos- sibly recover. The captain of the privateer was wounded in the fleshy part of the arm by a musket ball, and Ross slightly in the wrist ; they were both knock- ed overboard, but succeeded in regaining the pri- vateer. MATILDA AND MARIA. JFROM CAREY'S REIGN OF FANCY. TRIM was the bark, and gaily mann'd, that bore The young Montaldo from his native shore; By wayward destiny impell'd to rove, Far from the haunts of innocence and love, And doom'd no more Maria's smiles to share, A fetter's love, a father's tender care; 14 NAVAL ANECDOTES. By noontide visions fir'd, for bloody gain, To brave the billows of the foaming main : Yet oft would rush upon his yielding mind The unstain'd pleasures that he left behind. Oft as the moon her mellow radiance threw, Prone to the wal'ry waste they rose to view, When all the elements forgot to rave, And holy silence slept upon the wave. When Tritons taught the love-lorn lyre to weep, Borne on the beryl coursers of the deep Hark! from their sparry groves and pearly caves, The sea-nymphs come to charm the list'ning waves : O ! were Maria here to share their song, Far sweeter were the music they prolong! Ye who in coral caves abide, Ye who leave your bowers of spar, When the leaving ocean tide Trembles to the evening star: Sea nymphs ! &ea nymphs ! come away ! To swell the merry roundelay; Blue ey'd daughters of the wave, Ye who in the floating streams Love your floating limbs to lave, When the pale moon sheds her beams j Sea-green sisters come away, To swell the merry roundelay. But who is she to love-lorn grief resign'd, With shadowy locks that wander on the wind ; Who bends her course along the shelving strand, And marks each foaming surge that rolls to land : Who lifts th' imploring eye in pensive mood, And sings her sorrows to the dashing flood ? Beloved ! why dost thou thy course delay ? Ye winds, to waft a lover on his way ; Ye \ NAVAL ANECDOTES. 489 Ye Nerid nymphs, who sooth the sailor's ear With sea-born harmony, your songs forbear ! Roll on, ye billows of the surgy main, And waft the vessels o'er the liquid plain. Is it a sail my straining eyes survey ? , Ah, no ! 'twas but the ocean's whitening spray. That bark, Maria, tbou shalt hail no more ! Montaldo sleeps upon rich Afric's shore ! Thence sauntering sad and slow, to moonlight groves And glimmering shades, the lonely mourner roves, That oft in song, the vow of plighted truth, "Breath'd melting sweets in the fair morn of youth ; Where still, 'tis said, the fond Maria sees Her lover's spirit gliding on the breeze. " Com'st thou, Montaldo, from the roaring deep, " But to behold thy lov'd Maria weep? " I see thee riding on the passing gale: " But, O Montaldo! why art thou so pale ? " Why are thy shadowy garments of the flood, " Why stain'd thy visionary form with blood ? " I see thee borne along the twilight grove, " But thou art sad and silent, O my love !'* No misery mingles with the lover's tears, When conscious innocence the pang endears : 'Tis sweet to plant, where the belov'd repose, The weeping willow, and ephemeral rose ; 'Tis sweet to tread those walks they lov'd to tread, While fond remembrance calntls the tear they shed. There while their breasts with mixt emotions swell, The charms of those they lov'd on earth so well, Assimilate with all they hear and see, And banish every thought of misery ; Pear is the pledge they gave when forc'd to part, And dear their memory to the kindred heart. GALLANT 490 NAVAL ANECDOTES. GALLAXT CONDUCT OF CAPTAIN PURCELLJ Exemplified in defence of the Pulteney Privateer. ON the 2?th of December, 1742, the Pulteney privateer, a large brigantine of sixteen carriage guns, twenty-six swivels, and one hundred and forty-two men, commanded by Captain James Purcell, was returning to Gibraltar from a cruize in the mouth of the Straits. As she was standing in for the bay from the west, with little or no wind, she was seen from Old Gibraltar, from "whence two large Spanish xebeques, each carry- ing twelve carriage guns, a great number of pat- teraroes, and mugquetoons, and one hundred and twenty men, were sent out to make prize of her. Considering the Pulteney as an easy prey, they made all possible expedition with their oars, and soon came up with her, a little to the east of Eu- ropa Point, and almost within the reach of com- mon cannon. The garrison of Gibraltar looked on with regret, as from the great superiority of the enemy, they thought the Pulteney could not escape being taken ; but the brave Captain Pur- cell resolved to defend himself to the last extre- mity ; and he prepared for an obstinate resistance. After a few single guns, the Spaniards came near, and having hailed the vessel and her commander by name, entreated the captain to strike, and by that NAVAL ANECDOTES. 491 that means preserve the lives of his men, other- wise to expect no quarter. These threats were answered from the mouths of his guns ; on which the Spaniards attempted to board the Pulteney, but were repulsed with considerable loss, They made two more attempts of the same sort ; but Captain Purcell reserving the fire of half his broadside till they came quite close, they durst not venture to board him ; yet, as they exposed themselves so very much in this last attempt, their loss was so very great, that they were obliged to take to their oars, and make off towards Malaga. The vessel was greatly damaged ; and they had one hundred men killed. The engagement lasted one hour and three-quarters. The Pulteney had but one man killed, and five dangerously wound- ed. So trifling a loss is very extraordinary, con- sidering the sails and rigging were cut to pieces, and every man on board had his -clothes cut through, several of the enemy's nine-pounders went through the masts and hull. Boats were O sent off from Gibraltar, which towed the Pulte- ney safe into the Mole : and the garrison had such a hmh sense of the merit of this action, that O the governor, officers, and principal inhabitants of the place, contributed together and bought a handsome piece of plate, on which they had a proper inscription engraved, and presented it to Captain 492 NAVAL ANECDOTES. Captain Purcell ; giving, at the same time, an ap- propriate reward to the sailors for their bravery. PERSON AND CHARACTER OF COLUMBUS, As described by bis son Don Ferdinand Columbus. THE admiral was well shaped, and of a more than middling stature, long visaged, his cheeks somewhat full, yet neither fat nor lean ; he had a hawke nose, his eyes light, his complexion white, with a lovely red : in his youth his hair was fair, but when he came to thirty years of age, it all turned grey. He was always modest and sparing in his eating and drinking, and his dress. Among strangers be was affable, and pleasant among his domestics, yet with modesty and easy gravity. He was so strict in religious matters, that, for fasting, and saying all the divine office, he might be thought professed in some religious order. So great was his aversion to cursing and swearing, that I protest I never heard him swear by any other oath than by St. Ferdinand; and, when in the greatest passion with any body, he would vent his spleen by saying, God take you for doing or saying so. When he was to write, his way of trying his pen was by writing these words, Je- sus cum Maria sit nobis in via, and that in such a character, NAVAL ANECDOTES. 493 a character, as might well serve to get his bread. In his tender years he applied himself so much to study at Pavia, as was sufficient to understand cosmography, to which sort of reading he was much addicted ; for which reason he also applied himself to astrology and geometry, because these sciences are so linked together, that the one can- not subsist without the other. And because Pto- lemy, in the beginning of bis cosmography, says, that no man can be a good cosmographer unless he be a painter too : therefore he learned to draw in order to describe lands, and set down cosmographical bodies, plains, and rounds. DREADFUL INSTANCES OF CRUELTY AND REVENGE IN THE MALAY SLAVES. CAPTAIN Percival, in his account of the Cap* of Good Hope, presents the following statement respecting the Malay slaves, and the dreadful vindictiveness of their disposition : The slaves of the Malay race are tolerably nu- merous. They are employed in many kinds of laborious works, such as gardening, and attend- ing the grounds belonging to the pleasure-houses round the town ; and in the kitchens, and in the drudgery- work belonging to them. They are al- so often employed in fishing and procuring fuel. This last class of people are extremely vindictive, treacherous 494 NAVAL ANECUOTES. treacherous, and ferocious ; implacable in their revenge, and on the slightest provocation, or ima- ginary insult, will commit murder. They are in- deed a scourge to the people they come amongst When bent on revenge, or irritated at some sup- posed insult, they scarcely ever fail of wreathing their vengeance. Many shocking murders have been committed by the Ma)ay slaves on their masters and mistresses -, not for the purpose of robbing, but merely to gratify their thirst of re- venge, which nothing but the blood of their ob- ject will satisfy, though at the certain loss of their own lives. When the Malay has determined on revenge, he takes a quantity of opium to work himself up to a state of madness, when he rushes out with a knife or dagger, which is called a kreese, and after putting to death the original object of his infernal passion, he next rushes at every one he meets, till he is at length overpowered and taken, which perhaps is not the case, till se- veral victims fall before him. Nothing but a lucky shot or blow that stuns him to the earth, will ensure the safety of his opponent, as he pro- ceeds with such a savage fierceness and impetuo- sity, that it is reckoned a most arduous and dan- gerous service to encounter him in this state, This is what is called running a muck ; on the slightest alarm of which, every one flies before him, and escapes the best way he can. Whoever kills NAVAL ANECDOTES. 495 kills a Malay, in the act of running amuck, is en- titled to a very high reward from government; and he certainly deserves it, for the most cool and in- trepid are scarcely a match for the Malay when worked to this pitch of desperate madness. The two following instances occurred whilst I was at Cape Town : A Malay, for some insult or necessary chastisement received from his mas- ter, drew a knife and stabbed him to the heart, and immediately ran out into the streets with the weapon reeking with the blood of his unfortu- nate victim. The first person he met was a very fine slave girl, about seventeen years old, into whose face he darted the weapon. Fortunately a country farmer was at the moment passing by Strand-street, where it happened, and having a gun loaded in the waggon he was driving, fired, and killed the Malay on the spot. If this shot had not succeeded in bringing him down, I, and a brother officer, who came to the spot a few moments after, would in all probability have been the next victims. The poor slave girl died in a few hours after. This was the second time that a slave of the Malay race, running a muck, was prevented from falling in with me. Once, in- deed, at Ponamola, in the East Indies, I very narrowly escaped, having been slightly wounded in the arm by a Malay who had attacked some Sepoys; and if I had not ben fortunate enough 2 to 496 NAVAL ANECDOTES, to give him at the first cut so severe a wound as to disable him, he \vould certainly have put me to death. The kreese he struck me with was poi- soned, and my arm in consequence swelled to a very great degree, and for some time it was thought I must have lost it, if not my life. I must here remark that I received the greatest benefit from the eau de luce, which I have every reason to believe is a valuable antidote against poison ; it has been found to prevent fatal effects from the most venomous bites of snakes. Dr. Anderson, of Madras, was the first who adminis- tered it in those cases, and found out its benefi- cial effects. Another instance of the barbarity of this race of slaves, which happened at the Cape whilst I was there, occurred in a Malay who, on being refused leave by his master to go out to a festival, or'merry-making with his fellows, took a knife and stabbed him to the heart, then went to his mis- tress in an adjoining room, and committed on her the same barbarous and inhuman act. An old Malabar slave, who was cutting wood before the door, having observed him perpetrate these hor- rid murders, watched the opportunity as he was rushing out at the door, and striking him on the head with the axe with which he was cleaving the wood, killed him 4 on the spot. The government was 5 NAVAL ANECDOTES. 497 was generous enough to reward the Malabar with his liberty, and one hundred dollars. SOME PARTICULARS OF CAPTAIN ROTHERAtf, OXE OF THE HEROES OF TRAFALGAR. ' As it has been justly said that every Briton concerned in the memorable Battle of Trafalgar was a hero, there can be nothing uninteresting that relates to any character conspicuous amon^ such heroes ; we have therefore much pleasure in giving the following particulars respecting Cap- tain Rotheram, who commanded the Royal So- vereign on that glorious occasion, as some mis- takes have appeared in several of the public prints. Captain Rotheram is a Northumbrian by birth, and was born at Hexham. His father, more than forty years ago, removed from Hex- ham to Newcastle, where he lived many years se- nior physician of the infirmary, and of high esti- mation, both as a medical practitioner and a man of general science. Captain Rotheram's elder brother, Dr. John Rotheram, was educated at the High School in Newcastle, and studied physic and natural philosophy under Linnaeus, at Upsal. He attended that illustrious man in his last ill- ness. Dr. Rotheram resided at Turnham Green, about fifteen years ago, and wrote for the Month- Si K ly 498 NAVAL ANECDOTES. ly Review, of which the late Dr. Griffiths was the proprietor and editor; and he died in 1805, pro- fessor of Natural Philosophy in the University of St. Andrew's in North Britain. Captain Rother- am was early instructed in mathematical learning by his father and Dr. Huttori, then of Newcas- tle, now an ornament of his country in the royal military academy at Woolwich. He acquired practical navigation in the same school which bred Captain Cook, the circumnavigator the Coal Trade ; and, entering the navy, he served the whole of the American War, chiefly in the squa- dron'commanded by Admiral Barrington. Many of our first-rate officers were Barring-tomans in O early life, and are, to a man, skilful in naval tac- tics. Capt. Rotherain was first-lieutenant of the Culloden in the memorable battle won by Lord Howe ; and commanded the French ship, Le Ven- geur, as long as she could swim, saving the lives of many poor fellows when she sunk. So far from her crew having gone down crying, " Vvct la Republic" as was falsely asserted in France, they laboured under the deepest depression of spirits, and clung round the knees of Capt. Ro- theram, after their own commander had quitted the ship, which he knew could not be loiig kept above water, and which, there is every reason in the world to believe, he expected and hoped would carry Captain Rotherain and the party who NAVAL ANECDOTES. 499 who had taken possession of her to the bottom. In the moment of the ship's sinking, Rotheram's self-possession and intrepidity were remarkably displayed. He was made post-captain in 1800. During the latter part of the last war, he com- manded the Lapwing, of 28 guns. In the Roy- al Sovereign he had a glorious opportunity of evincing both his seamanship and bravery, and he. acted a part worthy of himself. BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE HONOURABLE CAP- TAIN BLACKWOOD, ANOTHER OF THE HE- ROES OF TRAFALGAR. THE Hon. Capt. Henry Blackwood, the gal- lant commander of the Euryalus, of whom such favourable mention is made in Admiral Colling- wood's dispatches, is the sixth and youngest son of a noble Irish family, and one of the most dis- tinguished officers in the service. He first ac- quired the rudiments of his profession under Admiral Mac bride, and was present in some of the most brilliant actions of the war before last. At different periods, and in various quarters of the globe, he has served under all the great ad- mirals of the present reign. He served under Lord Howe in the Royal Charlotte, as his signal- midshipman, during the period of the Spanish 2 K 2 armament. 500 NAVAL ANECDOTES. armament. From this ship his lordship promoted him to be a lieutenant. In the memorable ac- tion of the 2d of June, 1794, last war, (again under his lordship's command) he was first-lieu- tenant of the Invincible, of 74 guns, when she captured the Juste, an eighty-four-gun ship, af- ter a close fought action of two hours, yard-arm and yard-arm. The slaughter in the French ship was immense. On the return of the fleet to Ports- mouth, he was made master and commander, and appointed to the command of the Megara, fire- ship, attached to the Channel fleet under Lord Howe. From this ship he was promoted to the command of the Brilliant, frigate, of 28 guns. In this small vessel, after chasing a Spanish fri- gate of superior force under the batteries of Te- rreriffe, he was engaged by two French frigates, of 44 guns each, La Vertu and La Regenere : La Vertu first brought him to action, arid was beaten off with the loss of her foremast. He maintained as successful a conflict with her con- sort, and escaped uncaptured. On his return he was made post-captain, and rewarded for his brilliant exploit with the command of the Pene- lope, a new frigate of 36 guns, and attached to Lord Nelson's fleet in the Mediterranean. In this ship which, for discipline, sailing, and ma- noeuvring, was the admiration of every officer who there witnessed her, he was stationed by his lordship NAVAL ANECDOTES. 501 lordship off the harbour of Malta to watch the Guillaume Tell, a French eighty-four-gun ship, bearing an admiral's flag, which had escaped from the battle of Aboukir, and was there blockaded by a part of our fleet. Under cover of a dark night, and a gale of wind, she attempted to elude the vigilance of Captain Blackwood, and had cleared the harbour, when she was attacked by the Penelope, raked, and otherwise so roughly damaged in her yards and rigging, as to enable our ships to come up with, and capture her at day-break. In this action the master of the Pe- nelope had his head shot off. The British and French commanders did ample justice to Captain Blackwood's conduct on this occasion. In their own dispatches to their respective governments, he was honourably mentioned, and the French admiral in his letter, published in the Moniteur, ascribes his capture to the heroic intrepidity of the commander of the English frigate, in previ- ously bringing him to action, and damaging his rigging. He was put in charge of the prize to tow her into port. On the expedition against the French in Egypt, he served under Lord Kehh with considerable distinction. At the breaking out of the present war, he was among the first to press forward again at the call of his country, and was immediately appointed to the command of the Euryalus, of 38 guns, then just launched, 2 K 3 in 502 NAVAL ANECDOTES. in which frigate on the coast of Ireland, under Lord Gardner, at Boulogne under Lord Keith, and at Cadiz under Lord Nelson, he has again distinguished himself for his activity and ability, and performed the services which have been so justly noticed by his Lord Collingwood. HEROIC CONDUCT OF MR. SPRATT, MATE OF THE DEFIANCE, IN NLLSOtt's LAST VIC- TORY. THE following extraordinary instance of bra^ very is recorded in the Gibraltar Chronicle of January, 1 1, 1806. In the late glorious action with the combined fleets, his Majesty's ship Defiance, commanded by P. C. Durham, had engaged a French 80-gun ship, within pistol shot. Mr. Spratt, Mate of the Defiance, from his great activity, had been ho- noured with the command of the boarders, and likewise promised an opportunity to signalize him- self. This brave young officer, in the midst of the action, asked his gallant captain permission to board, who immediately ordered the helm a- weather, and the boarders to be ready; but this true son of Neptune, fearing the ship would not close, and unwilling to lose so glorious an oppor* tunity, requested of the men who could swim, to follow NAVAL ANECDOTES. 508 \ follow him. He plunged into the water, swam to the enemy's stern, and entered the gun-room port alone, by the assistance of the rudder-chains. His men either misunderstood, or did not hear him, in the clamour of the battle ; but our hero made his way courageously through the different decks, and was soon after seen on the enemy's poop, with his hat on the point of his cutlass, cal- ling the boarders to his assistance, who were then anxiously waiting for the ships to close. He at- tempted to haul down the French colours, but was attacked by several grenadiers, whom he re- pulsed with success. The ships being pretty close, several of our tars got over, and bent their ven- geance on an officer. He cried for mercy, and threw himself at our hero's feet, who saved his life. He had scarcely performed this piece of service, when a musket was levelled at his breast, but so close, that he fortunately struck it down- ward ; receiving, however, the shot through his leg, which was severely fractured. He afterwards fought two of the enemy on his knees, who were soon dispatched by some of the brave tars by whom he was so gallantly supported. The ship soon after struck, and proved to be 1'Aigle. This young officer is in the Navy Hospital, and, we are happy to hear, in a fair way of doing well. 2 K 4 GENUINE 504 NAVAL ANECDOTES. GENUINE AFFECTION IN A BOATSWAIN*S MATE. A NOBLE instance of affection and honest feeling, and a tribute which would exalt the cha- racter of the late Lord Nelson beyond what com- mon acknowledgment could do, was lately evinced on board the Brilliant, frigate. During her last cruize she fell in with several vessels which ac- quainted her M^ith the defeat of the combined fleet, but one in particular made known the death of Nelson. A concern the most general and sin- cere pervaded the ship's company. -While it was yet a subject of conversation, a boatswain's mate, who was then doing boatswain's duty, w-as ordered to pipe all hands to quarters ; he did not do it readily, and the lieutenant upon duty went to en- quire the cause, with orders to pipe instantly. The honest fellow, after several attempts, began to sob bitterly; and said, "D n me, if I can do it; poor dear fellow, that I have been in many a hard day with, and to lose him now. I would'nt have cared had it been my old father, mother, brothers, or sisters, if there were fifty more of them, but can't think of parting with poor Nel- son ;" and he went below immediately. His ho- nest sensibility did not escape the notice of his captain, who, with the feelings of a gallant offi- cer, paid due deference to his affection for his commander; NAVAL ANECDOTES. 505 commander; and requited him with several con- siderations of his regard. LOVE OF THE SEAMEN TO LORD NELSON. IF there needed a proof how much Lord Nel- pon was adored by the whole fleet, a strong one is afforded in the conduct of a seaman belonging to the Victory, whilst under the hands of the sur- geon, suffering the amputation of an arm. " Well," said he, " this by some would be considered a misfortune, but I shall be proud of it, as I shall resemble the more our brave commander-in- chief." Before the operation was finished, tid- in rades above give three cheers ; an idea that the O enemy had struck rallied the ebbing spirits of his existence 526 NAVAL ANECDOTES/ existence in the midst of his agony, and, with the undaunted fortitude of a British sailor, he waved his hand in triumph, and expired. THE SOUTH-SEA" HERMIT. MR. TURN BULL, from whose voyage round the world, we have before made an interesting extract, mentions the following extraordinary in- stance of solitary seclusion, as related to him by the captain with whom he sailed. i In return from a voyage to the north-west, he had been compelled, in order to recruit his stock of fresh water, to stop at one of those solitary islands with which the surface of the South Sea is every where studded, and not one half of which however fine or beautiful, have any other inha- bitants but the marine birds. After the watering was completed, which occu- pied them two days, the boat was dispatched to another part of the island, abounding in the co- coa-nut and cabbage-tree, articles of which they were equally in want. The party had no sooner landed, than scorning the ordinary method of gathering the fruit, they took the much shorter way of cutting down the trees. They were all in the usual spirits of men who touch at land after the long confinement of a sea-voyage ; a period of NAVAL ANECDOTES. 527 of time, perhaps, in which the natural spirits reach the highest degree of elevation. Their mirth, however, had not long continued, when it was interrupted and converted into ter- ror, by a most hideous noise. The whole party were aghast with terror, in the expectation that some land or sea monster, to which their horror gave a suitable form and magnitude, should rush amongst them. Some were for leaving the island and betaking themselves to the boat; whilst others, with stouter courage, recommended si- lence, till they should listen more attentively. The sound approached, exclaiming to them, in horrid exclamations, and good English, as they thought, to desist. The whole party were now panic-struck ; they were persuaded that it could be nothing but a supernatural being warning them from his sacred domain, and that instant death or some horrible punishment would attend their disobedience. It must be confessed, indeed, that an occurrence like this was too much for the courage of a party of English sailors, who are no less proverbially cowards in all encounters with spirits, than they are unassailable by any emotion in the presence of an enemy. A council of war was accordingly held upon the spot, and after some pros and cons, it was finally agreed to stand by each other, and not to take to their heels be- fore the enemy appeared. The 528 NAVA'L ANECDOTES. The spectre at length advanced, a savage in appearance; he addressed them in good English, reproaching them for their unprovoked trespass on his premises. The party were at length con- vinced that their monster was no other than a man, who, according to his own account and conjectural reckoning, had been left on the island by a ship four months preceding. The reader will readily conclude he had not received this pu- nishment for his good behaviour. His beard had never been shaved since the first moment of his landing, and had he racked his invention to add to the horrors of his appearance, he could have made no addition. His raiment was all in rags, and his flesh as filthy as a miner who had never appeared above the surface of his mother-earth. The first enquiry was, of course, how he tame to be left with every probability of perishing ? a question to which he could return no very satis- factory answer. The next question was as to his mode of living, to which he replied somewhat more intelligibly, that the principal articles of his subsistence were the cocoa-nut, fish, and land and sea-crab ; that one time he had the good for- tune to kill a wild hog, but for want of salt to preserve it, he could make it last but two days. After some further intercourse, some of the party accompanied him to what he called his house > which was built in a particular shape, 2 three NAVAL ANECDOTES. three posts being sunk into the ground, and in- clined towards each other, so as to form a com- plete half of a regular bisected cone. The roof was doubly and trebly matted over with the leaves and smaller branches of the cocoa-nut tree ; but the bouse altogether appeared more like a dog- kennel than a suitable abode for a human being. The household furniture, indeed ,in every respect, corresponded with the dwelling, consisting of a tomething which was perhaps once a trunk ; a flock-bed as dirty, as if in the course of trade it had passed through all the cellars in Rag-fair ; an axe, a pocket-knife, a butchers' steel, and four gun-flints. In this situation, four hundred miles from any human being, and an almost unmeasur- able distance from his native country, this fellow seemed so contented with his condition, that he appeared to have no wish to depart ; and the first proposal, that he should accompany them to the ship, seems to have proceeded from our men. When the proposal was made to him, he paused for some time, and at length made a demand of wages, which, as expressive of his indifference, would doubtless have justified them in leaving him to his fate. At length, however, he suffered himself to be persuaded, but still seemed to think the convenience mutual, or rather that we were the party obliged. They could never procure from him any satis- 2 M factory 530 NAVAL ANECDOTES. factory account as to the cause of his being left on the island, but they never entertained any doubt that it was no slight crime that could pro- voke his captain and his comrades to such an ex- emplary punishment Indeed his subsequent conduct was such as to justify this conjecture; for instead of any gratitude to his deliverers, he was found to be such a mover of sedition amongst the ship's company, that, for the preservation of good order in the ship, it was thought prudent to leave him at Port Jackson. ANOTHER REMARKABLE INSTANCE OF SOLI- TARY SECLUSION. THE following additional instance of solitary seclusion is also related by Mr. Turnbull, as hav- ing happened under his own observation : One of the prisoners belonging to the out-gang at Norfolk Island, New South Wales, being sent into camp on Saturday, to draw the weekly al- lowance of provision for his mess, fell unfortu- nately into the company of a party of convicts, who were playing at cards for their allowance, a thing very frequent amongst them.- With as little resolution as his superiors in similar cases, after being awhile a looker-on, he at length suf- fered himself to be persuaded to take a hand ; and in the event, lost not only his own portion, but NAVAL ANECDOTES. 531 but that of the whole mess. Being a man of a timid nature, his misfortune overcame his rea- son, and conceiving his situation amongst his messmates insupportable, he formed and executed the extravagant resolution of absconding into the glens. Every possible enquiry was now made after him ; it was known he had drawn the allowance of his mess, and almost in the same moment dis- covered that he had lost it at play : search after search was made to no purpose. But as it was impossible that he could subsist without occa- sionally marauding, it was believed that he would shortly be taken in his predatory excur- sions. These expectations were vain ; for the fellow managed his business with such dexterity, keeping closely within his retreat during the day, and marauding for his existence only at night, that in despite of the narrow compass of the is- land, he eluded all search. His nocturnal de- predations were solely confined to the supply of his necessities, Indian-corn, potatoes, pumkins, and melons. He seldom visited the same place a second time, but, shifting from place to place, al- ways contrived to make his escape before the theft was discovered, or the depredator suspected. In vain was a reward offered for his apprehen- sion, and, year after year, every possible search instituted ; at times it was considered that he was 2 M 2 dead, 532 NAVAL ANECDOTES. dead, till the revival of his old trade proved that the dexterous invisible thief still existed. In the pursuit of him, his pursuers have often been so near to him that he has not unfrequently heard their wishes that they might be so fortunate as to fall in with him. The reward beinii offered o in spirits, a temptation to which many would have sacrificed their brother, excited almost the whole inland to join in the pursuit ; and even those whose respectability set them above any pecu- niary compensation, were animated with a desire of hunting in so extraordinary a cause. These circumstances concurred to aggravate the terror of the unhappy fugitive, as from his repeated depredations he indulged no hope of par- don. Nothing of this kind, however, was intend- ed ; it was humanely thought that he had al- ready sustained sufficient punishment for his ori- ginal crime, and that his subsequent depredations being solely confined to necessary food, were venial, and rendered him an object rather of pity than criminal infliction. Of these resolutions, howe- ver, he knew nothing, and therefore his terror continued. Chance, however, at length accomplished, what had baffled every fixed design. One morning about break of day, a man going to his labour observed a fellow hastily crossing the road ; he was NAVAL ANECDOTES. 533 was instantly struck with the idea that this must be the man, the object of such a general pursuit Animated with this belief, he exerted his utmost efforts to seize him, which he did after a most vi- gorous opposition of the poor fugitive, and final- ly succeeded in his design. It was to no purpose to assure the affrighted wretch that his life was safe, and that his apprehension was only sought to relieve him from a life more suitable to a beast than a human creature. The news of this apprehension flew through the island, and every one was more anxious than another to gain a sight of this phenomenon, who, for upwards of five years, had so effectually se- cluded himself from all human society. Upon being brought into the camp, and the presence of the governor, never did condemned malefactor feel more acutely ; he appeared to imagine that the moment of his execution approached, and trembling in every joint, seemed to turn his eyes in search of his executioner. His person was, such as may well be conceived from his long seclusion from human society ; his beard had ne- ver been shaved from the moment of his first dis- appearance; he was clothed in some rags he had picked up by the way in his nocturnal peregrine tions, and even his own language was at first un- utterable and unintelligible to him. After some previous questions, as to what had 2 M 3 induced 534 NAVAL ANECDOTES.- induced him to form such a resolution, and by what means he had so long subsisted, the gover- nor gave him his pardon, and restored him to so- ciety, of which he afterwards became a useful member. INSTABILITY OF HUMAN GRANDEUR. IN the year 1781, a remarkable instance oc- curred of the instability of human grandeur, and of the miseries to which royalty, as well as the rest of mankind are frequently subjected, and of the ruin which generally accrues to weak states, from intimate connections with more powerful ones : a ruin w.hich becomes still more inevitable and oppressive, if the stronger state is, under any pretence, allowed to gain a footing in the country of the weaker. While Commodore Johnstone with his squad- ron were lying off the Cape of Good Hope, a boat was seen rowing from the shore to the com- modore's ship, filled with people in the eastern garb, who, while yet at a distance, made the most humiliating signs of supplication. These were no less than the two tings of Ternate and Tidore, two valuable spice islands, with the princes of their respective families, who had long been subjected to the extreme of human misery, on account of those blessings and bounties of nature which, un- fortunately NAVAL ANECDOTES. 535 fortunately for them, had rendered their countries the objects of foreign ambition and avarice. These unhappy princes having, by some jealousy or sus- picion, been deposed by the Dutch, according to the harsh and cruel maxims which ever disgraced their government in the East, had, during several years, been confined within the limits of the parched and desolate island of Robin, near the Cape. This dreary spot serves as a common pri- son for malefactors and criminals of all ranks and countries, in their various settlements in India ; and here these royal personages, with their fami- lies, were, without regard to sex or quality, obliged to herd, upon equal terms with the most profligate and abandoned of the human race. It appeared, that they had lately been removed upon some occasion from this island to Saldanha, and that, eagerly seizing the opportunity to escape from bondage and oppression, which the present moment of terror and confusion afforded them, they had fled for refuge and protection to the British squadron. SINGULAR INSTANCE OF DISLOYALTY IN THE NAVY. THE following instance of disloyalty and perfidy has not its parallel in the annals of th navy. .On 2 M 4 the 536 NAVAL ANECDOTES. the 29th of November, 177.9, his Majesty's cut ter, Jackall, was lying at anchor in the Downs, where Admiral Drake was also, with several other ships of war. Her commander and princi- pal officers being on shore on business, a midship- man was left with the charge of the vessel ; and early in the morning a great majority of the crew- mutinied, overpowered the remainder, got her under weigh, and carried her into Boulogne, in France, where they sold her. Almost all the mu- tineers were composed of outlawed smugglers, who had been taken on the coast of Ireland, and impressed into the service. Several of them, who were afterwards made prisoners in different ships belonging to the enemy, were tried by a court- martial for their offence, and sentenced to be hanged ; and some of them died without the smallest signs of contrition. When the mutineers O ran away with the Jackall, they accomplished it with so little noise, that the people on board the flag-ship, and other ships at anchor near them, entertained no suspicions of their intentions until it was too late to pursue. ACCOUNT NAVAL ANECDOTES. . 557 ACCOUNT OF THE LOSS OF THE BRIG FLORA, OF PHILADELPHIA, THOMAS BURROWS, MAS- TER, ON A VOYAGE TO GUYENNE, AND SOUTH AMERICA. WRITTEN BY MR. BURROWS. ON Friday, the 28th of September, 1804, we sailed from Philadelphia, in good order and well- conditioned for sea; our crew consisted of the following persons : Thomas Burrows, master. John tyevan, seaman. Wm. Davidson, supercargo. William Story, ditto. Jacob Oldenburg, mate. Joseph Wilden, ditto. Josiah Anderson, steward. Josiah Smith, boy. Samuel Badcock, seaman. James Cameron, ditto. / On Tuesday, the 1st of October, we discharged our pilot, and took our departure from Cape Heu- lopen, with a pleasant breeze from the north-east-: ward, all well on board. Nothing of importance occurred till Tuesday the 8th, when the wind hauled to the south-eastward, and continued in that direction till the 10th, with a heavy squall from the east-north-east. On Friday, the 12th, we found by observation, that we were in latitude 28 deg. 50iuin. north, longitude 34 deg. Omin. Observing it to look for a blow from the north- cast, we took in our jib, square-main-sail, top- gallant-sails, and stay-sails. At four in the after- noon, NAVAL ANECDOTES. noon, the gale still increasing, we close-reefed the top-sails, sent the top-gallant-yards down, and took in two reefs of the fore and aft main-sail. At midnight, the gale still increasing from the north- eastward, we hauled the top-sails, and hove to under the fore-sail and main-stay sail. At one A. M, of Saturday the 13th, handed the fore-sail and main-stay-sail, hove to under the balance reefed-main-sail ; the gale increasing, with a heavy sea, thunder, lightning, and violent rain. At two A. M. the gale still increasing, handed the bal- ance main-sail, and hove to under bare poles, the brig making good weather. The gale still conti- nuing to increase, all hands were employed on deck, and our pump kept constantly going ; till finding it impossible that the brig could lie to any longer, we called all hands aft, and it was deter- mined, for the preservation of the vessel, to cut away the main-mast and scud before the wind. Every thing being prepared, we divided accord- ingly, but, before we could get to the mast, we were struck by a whirlwind, which hove the brig on her beam ends. Every person on board, ex- cept Joseph Wilden, a seaman, who, being in the forecastle, was drowned, now ran to the windward side of the vessel. We immediately cut the lan- yards of the main-rigging, and the main-mast went by the board. By this time the hatches had burst up, the vessel filled with water, and the cargo NAVAL ANECDOTES. 539 cargo was floating out at each hatchway. All hopes of saving the ship being now at an end, self-preservation became the only object with every one ; and we endeavoured to lash ourselves to the main-chains, when a heavy sea broke over us, and carried away William Davidson, the super- cargo ; William Story, and the two boys; Smith, and Cameron: the fore-mast soon afterwards went by the board. Day-light came on, and discovered the most dismal sight ever beheld by the eye of man. The vessel was an entire wreck, with masts and spars hanging to it; while different parts of the cargo, as they floated from time to time out of the hold* washed over us. At length we shipped a heavy sea abaft, which stove in the stern, and made an opening through which the cargo in the cabin washed out; and thus the wreck became consi- derably lightened. We remained on the main-chains till eight o'clock in the morning, when we took to the bow- sprit, thinking that the safest part of the wreck. About nine, William Story, and the boy, William Cameron, drifted on board, on the cabboose- house. We now lost all hope, and resigned our- selves to our fate, expecting every wave to swal- low us up. About noon the boy died through fa- tigue, and we committed his body to the deep. Itt 540 NAVAL ANECDOTES. / In the latter part of this day the gate became more moderate, but a heavy sea continually running. On Monday, the 15th, William Story died, from want of sustenance; and the mate, from extreme hunger, actually devoured apart of his flesh; all the rest, however, refused to share with him, and the remains were committed to the deep. When we had continued in this dismal situation till Wednesday, the 17th, the gale had become consi- derably more moderate ; and it occurred to us, that by diving into the half-deck we might obtain something on which we might subsist. This we en- deavoured to do, but all our attempts proved in- effectual; and we then had no other resource than to chew the lead from the bows. On Friday, the 19th, we discovered a large ship to leeward, and made all the signals we could, but in vain, for she passed without noticing us. On Saturday, the 20th, a strong breeze springing up, with a heavy sea running, several kegs of but- ter came up from the forecastle ; we all immedi- ately plunged on the deck, and were so fortunate as to save five kegs of salt butter, one of which was immediately opened, and we fed one another; but we found that the salt butter instead of re- lieving, only increased our thirst. On Sunday, the 2 1st, Jacob Oldenburg became delirious, and continued so till his death, on the 23d. NAVAL ANECDOTES. 54 1 25d. On the same day, (the 21st) a schooner passed us to leeward, within less than a mile. We hoisted all the signals we could make, but without effect, though we could see every man on deck! On Tuesday, the 23d, the mate departed this life, from want of sustenance ; and, as we were reduced to the last extremity from want of water and food, it was agreed to eat his flesh for our own preservation. We accordingly dissected him, and drank his blood among us, from which we found considerable relief. At this time we were surrounded by numerous sharks, which seemed waiting for us; and, as Providence directed us, we were so fortunate, with a rope, and a piece of human flesh, as to take one of the largest of them. We then committed the mate's body to the deep; and having got the shark on the bowsprit, split him open, and divided his blood amongst us, which proved a most happy relief to us all. On Wednesday, the 24th, at sun-rise, we saw a brig standing towards us, which sight cheered our drooping spirits, as it afforded us hope of relief. We immediately hoisted signals of distress ; and had the pleasure to find the brig haul up towards us. At ten A. M. she hove to, hoisted her boat out to our assistance, and we were taken on board the vessel, which proved to be the snow Thames, of London, Charles Burton, master, from Ma- deira, 542 NAVAL ANECDOTES. deira, bound to New Providence. We were at that time in the most feeble and emaciated state possible for living men to be ; but we soon began to revive, as we received every assistance and at- tention from the humanity of the captain, his offi- cers, and passengers. LORD NELSON 8 LAST PRAYER. THE original of the following prayer, written about an hour before the commencement of the battle of Trafalgar, is said to be in the possession of Sir William Scott, in the hand- writing of Lord Nelson. Devotion itself acquires new attractions from so unaffected an apostrophe, poured forth at so interesting a moment; and his country, from this additional evidence of his virtues, will increase that reverence which is due to his me- mory. " May the great God, whom Itcvrship, grant to my country, and for the benefit of Europe, a great and glorious victory ! and may no miscon- duct in any one tarnish it. And may humanity, after victory, be the predominant feature in the British fleet / For myself, individually, I com- mit my lije to him who made me; and may his blessing light on my endeavours for serving my country NAVAL ANECDOTES. 543 country faithfully ! To him I resign myself, and Me JUST CAUSE which is entrusted to me to defend ! AMEN AMEN AMEN. " Victory, Oct. 21, 1805, in sight of the fleets of France and Spain ; distant about ten miles." POETICAL REFLECTIONS ON THE DEATH OF LORD NELSON. WHERE is the region on this rolling ball, But knew his glory, and regards his fall ? The gen'rous Dane, his mercy lov'd to spare, Hangs o'er the tidings with a sadden'd air. The Turk, far plac'd beneath Egyptian skies, Turns to Aboukir's winding bay, and sighs. Ev'n on the day, when weeping Britons bore His corse, in mournful pomp, to Albion's shore; Ev'n then, perhaps, Sicilia's threaten'd lord Breath'd the warm wish for his protecting sword, . And, where the summer's richest fruitage smiles Far in the West, amidst Columbian isles, The tawny Indian, gaz'd across the main, And sent up vows for his return, in vain ! And trust the Muse, on many a distant day, When the tall vessels, on the wat'ry way, Bear from the realms of morn to British shores Golconda's gems, and India's spicy stores ; As o'er the seas in shadowy pomp they sail, And the long streamers play before the gale If, seen from far, Trafalgar's summits gleam With the mild radiance of th' ev'ning beam, Tbe 544 NAVAL ANECDOTES. The sailor, pointing to the spot, shall tell, There NELSON conquer' d and there NELSON fell! A passing look the wond'ring eye shall turn, And the big heart, 'midst scenes of glory, burn! God'of the world, by whose divine derree Britannia's cross, in conquest, rides the sea Our voice, in this triumphant hour, we raise, Propitious, hear our pray'r ; accept our praise '. Be thine the glory, that his conq'ring prow So oft from combat bore the captive foe ; And oh ! in mercy, may thy high command, Raise ot^et KELSONS to protect our land I END. 1841 From , 00,84!. .vir AND a e may a ^ d tQ him to observe features - to repr d GUARDS, y of the be relied on : recently honoured one tinguished of iwmg for his bust. e the full Play of suggested that r sent his Grace at the mo Guards , and at ,the memorable words UP, wQuld be m , e 'em ' at Waterloo, the statu ^^ WgWy popular at the present dg an d ye valued by P^ & t^ observation, and good humouredly t tn ^ invent ?aid'Ah! the old story. ^ P^ l ^ words for me . that the mO ment know what 1 sal d ^ gav e the com- for action was come and g wQf we can.' -Braniri. ; - . Cons 88i to 88.