to be sung on this joyous occasion. 1 All returned to
their exact time.
It was not till the 3rd of June that we sailed from
Spithead, and on the 13th we landed the Duke del
1 See Appendix , No. II.
THE DANAE DISCOVERED 313
Infi.ntado, with his numerous suite, at Cadiz, whence he
sent a present of 300 dollars to our petty officers and
ship's company. This gift I returned in a courteous
manner, expressing my thanks, but intimating that
English ships-of-war never accepted of such presents. I
need not say that my conduct received the approbation
of Captain Hoste.
On our way to Malta, first communicating with the
command er-in-chief, Sir Edward Pellew, off' Toulon, we
recaptured a Liverpool trader, that had just been taken
by a Franco-Neapolitan privateer, La Victoire, which, after
a long chase, we captured also.
On 19th August we appeared off Ancona, and did
all in our power to provoke the Uranie, a French frigate
of forty-four guns, with fourteen gunboats, to chase us.
Our provocations were retaliated, for the enemy did not
weigh an anchor.
We next proceeded off' Trieste, when we discovered the
Danae, of unenviable celebrity (on the 13th of March,
off Lissa), lying securely under the batteries, flanked by
a formidable galley mounting several guns, and full of
men ; and though we captured and destroyed many small
vessels in their presence, their gallant protectors never
moved from their position.
On the 31st, being off Rovigno, on the Istrian coast,
information was received that several vessels laden with
ship timber for the Venetian Government were lying at
the small port of Lema. The boats, five in number, two of
which were small or gigs, had been in readiness early in the
evening, with the command of which I had been honoured
by Captain Hoste, who left me, as he was accustomed, dis-
cretionary power to proceed and cut them out if possible.
314 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN CTBRIEN
The port at which they lay was about eight miles up
a river, the entrance of which was eight or ten miles from
Rovigno. When about two miles up the river, though
it was by no means a clear night, we discovered two
merchant-vessels hauled in close under the cliff, which
was chalky and high ; on taking possession of them they
proved to be laden with wine : the masters had their
wives and families on board ; they informed us that there
were several vessels taking in ship timber under the pro-
tection of an armed xebec and two gunboats, about seven
miles higher up.
I anchored the prizes in the centre of the river: in
the charge of them I left Mr. Langton, a steady young
man, and a few hands, to be in readiness to join us on
our return, taking with me in my boat the masters, who
were extremely reluctant to become my pilots and com-
panions, asserting that the force which we possessed was
by no means equal to the attack, and that we would
eventually be captured and they of course shot on the
spot.
By a little persuasion, however, and assuring them
they were in no danger, they became more tranquil and
reconciled. We now advanced most cautiously in a line
ahead ; oars were muffled, and the most profound silence
observed. A gentle fair breeze enabled us to use our
sails, though we could not help reflecting that on coming
back it would be right against us.
When informed that we were within a mile of the
enemy, we lowered our sails and made all snug for board-
ing, having reduced our propelling force lo two oars of a
side, but all the rest were out and ready in the rullocks.
When we were within two or three cables'* length, only
CAPTURES AT PORT LEMA 315
one oar of a side was used, and each dropped softly into
the water, whilst I assigned to every boat her opponent,
agreeably to the manner in which the pilots had described
the enemy's positions, reserving to myself the largest, the
xebec, which lay farthest up, and the attack of which was
to be the general signal for boarding, although no enemy
was as yet perceptible.
Continuing thus slowly and cautiously, yet no enemy
appearing, I almost apprehended that a hoax had been
played off' by these men, but they declared that they
would willingly forfeit their existence if the information
they had given was not correct, and at that instant laid
themselves flat in the bottom of the boat, when by a
stentorian voice, I was hailed in English, in the most
insulting language, "Come alongside, you English
b s." I thanked them for the invitation, and, giving
way with all our might, assured them we should be
instantly with them. We were, under a discharge of
grape from our twelve-pound carronade and a volley of
musketry, on the decks of the xebec in a twinkling !
Her guns were primed and matches in hand, some of
which were picked up in a lighted state ; but the crew,
from the rapidity of our movements, appeared paralysed,
and the maitre d^equipage, who had been, we were told, in
the English service, and by whom we were defied, with
many others, jumped overboard.
In the conflict the captain had been wounded in his
cabin and made his escape by the rudder-chains. Report
said that this unfortunate man, though very near the
shore, never reached it.
The genera.1 attack was simultaneous, as previously
concerted, and it proved successful ; but from the smart
316 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
fire which was kept up on both sides by the other parties,
I dreaded serious consequences.
Lieutenant Gostling, with Mr. Hoste, had most
gallantly boarded and carried one gunboat ; while Mr.
Few, midshipman, in the most intrepid and determined
style, in his gig, sword in hand, carried the other.
The merchant vessels were found by Mr. Powell, with
sails unbent and fast to the shore by their sterns. On
receiving this intelligence, I left Mr. Haig in command of
the xebec, who conducted her down the river in a superior
manner, and proceeded to Mr. PowelPs assistance. In a
short time we succeeded in getting the merchant vessels
cut adrift, and in tow of our boats, obliging their own
crews (whom we found concealed below) to get their sails
up and bend them ; during which time the vessels were
drifting down the river, and the breeze was most provi-
dentially veering round fair.
It was past midnight, and by the light of the moon
just appearing above the horizon, we could discern that
not a vessel was left in the port ; and, to complete our joy,
upon inquiry, not a man was even wounded.
Notwithstanding that there were bodies of troops in
the neighbourhood who, as the beating of their drums
convinced us, were hastening to intercept our getting down
the river, which was not more than musket-shot distance
across, we escaped with all our prizes, and were joined by
one more, a wine vessel, which came out of a little creek at
the entrance of the river, mistaking us for friends on seeing
the French colours, but not perceiving the union-jack over
them. Captain Hoste was overjoyed at our success, and
at seeing his gallant young brother in command of one of
the gunboats.
I rep
CUTTING OUT A CONVOY 317
I represented to him the services that had been rendered
to us by the masters of the wine vessels, as well as the
mistake made by the last poor fellow, whose whole pro-
perty consisted of the little vessel and cargo, which he
had laboured so hard in the morning to place under my
protection. Captain Hoste, with his usual kindness of
heart, readily assented to my wishes, and the three vessels
with their crews were liberated.
The xebec was equipped immediately, and placed under
the command of Mr. Powell, who greatly distinguished
himself in her against the enemy. We took our prizes to
Lissa, and on 16th September sailed to join the blockading
squadron off Venice.
The wind being foul, we stretched over to the coast of
Apulia, and at daybreak on the 18th we discovered an
enemy's convoy of twenty-six vessels standing along shore,
between the islands of Tremite and Vasto. The wind was
too light and baffling for the frigate to get near them, and
the barge, launch, two yawls, and a gig were immediately
manned, and placed under my discretionary orders. A
general chase now commenced.
Our boats had been formed into three divisions, viz.
the launch and second yawl in shore, to the right ; the
barge and first yawl in the centre ; and the gigs to the
left in the offing, at such a distance that their force, which
was inconsiderable, should not be recognised. The enemy
hauled into a snug semicircular bay, forming themselves
to its shape the moment they discovered us. In this
strong position, with their heads towards us, rudders un-
shipped, and tackles from their mast-heads to the shore,
and strong stern-fasts, they hauled their sterns close on
the beach ; eight of the number, being armed vessels, were
318 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
judiciously placed, three on each horn or wing, and two
in the centre.
Our mode of attack was arr^ged accordingly. I pushed
in for the centre ; Messrs. Haig and Powell with the launch
and second yawl swept the shore on the right, and the gigs
had orders to advance slowly on the left. We approached
in good order and quickly. When we came within
musket - shot, the armed vessels commenced a heavy
cannonade, to which compliment we replied with cheers
only, until within half pistol-shot, when we returned
the fire with grape and canister from our twelve-pound
carronade. At the second discharge we were alongside,
and the crews fled precipitately over the sterns, wading
through the water to the shore, where they afterwards
formed to gall us with their musketry, but were soon
routed by our marines, and a party under Messrs. Webb
and Farewell, reserved for that purpose, and driven to a
respectable distance, at which they were kept, while the
remainder of our gallant fellows were actively employed
in getting the tackling off the shore, shipping the rudders,
hauling the vessels off the ground and out of the bay,
some of which, in two hours, were actually under weigh
for the frigate. With the exception of six salt vessels, the
cargoes consisted of almonds and oil, and by four o'clock
all were conducted to the ship, two only excepted, which
were by our shot sunk and could not be moved ; the part
above water of these were destroyed by fire, and effectually
demolished before we quitted.
The breeze now began to freshen, and the atmosphere
had all the appearance of the commencement of a Borea,
or N.E. gah ; consequently no time was lost in despatch-
ing as many of the prizes as we could to Lissa. The salt
ESCAPE OF OLIVER COOKE 319
craft were scuttled and sunk; the remaining vessels we
took in tow.
The gale increased during the night, and caused us
great uneasiness for the safety of the eleven prizes sent
away, two of which we fell in with the next morning ; one
being dismasted, the crew had quitted her, and we took
her in tow. We were by them informed that one under
the command of the Honourable H. J. Rous, midshipman,
had upset ; but the cargo (oil) being of a buoyant nature,
the vessel floated on her broadside, which enabled another,
her consort, under the. Honourable William Waldegrave,
a promising young officer, to pick him and her crew up,
with the exception of one man (I think Oliver Cooke),
whom they could not by any means get hold of at the
moment.
Soon after we fell in with Mr. Rous, who gave us the
bearing of the wreck, and the apparent distance. We, of
course, immediately cast adrift our tow, and after many
hours of tacking, wearing, and diligent search, in various
directions, with every telescope in the ship in requisition,
in the earnest and anxious expectation of discovering the
unfortunate poor fellow, were, at noon, about to relinquish
all hope, when our second lieutenant (Hood) imagined he
had discovered a something astern of us, which proved to
be the wreck, and very soon we perceived the object of our
anxiety on it.
We instantly wore round, and in a moment, although
the sea was running very high, and it was a dangerous
service, I had a boat's crew of volunteers, and picked
him up.
He had managed to secure himself with a piece of
rope to one of the timber heads on the upper gunwaie,
320 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
from which, owing to extreme weakness and languor, he
had great difficulty to extricate himself. The judicious
means resorted to by our skilful surgeon (William Lodge
Kidd), together with the attention bestowed on him by
all on board, restored the patient in a short time to, at
least, a sense of his ameliorated situation.
He informed us that, at daylight, he had perceived
the ship advancing towards the wreck, and was overjoyed,
being confident that we must have observed him ; but,
when he saw us about to depart, he thought his heart
would instantly break. Considering the size of a large
frigate, and the wreck of a comparatively small vessel,
occasionally covered with the sea, it is easy to account for
the difference in our optics.
All of our prizes arrived in safety except two, which I
grieve to say were never heard of. They were commanded
by very promising young men, Dobson and Mason. Mr.
Few, of whom I have had occasion already to make
honourable mention, commanded one of the captured
vessels, which was without any ground tackling, and
finding that she was drifting rapidly before the gale on
the enemy's coast, he adopted the ingenious contrivance
of slinging a twelve-pound gun and letting it go as an
anchor, and by this means the vessel rode out the gale
and was saved from destruction. Another midshipman,
Mr. Richardson, by getting his cables out abaft, and
letting go his anchors from the stern, though in very
deep water, contrived to retard the drifting of his vessel
until the gale abated, and thus did he save his prize.
This youth had but just commenced his naval career.
It was at this period that a truly dreadful accident
occurred on board of the Bacchante, and which plunged
SON OF LORD ANSON KILLED 321
all our officers and crew into the profoundest melancholy.
On anchoring, a light vessel was brought alongside of
us, in order that we might load her with some of the oil-
casks that we had saved out of the sinking prizes. A
remarkably fine youth, the son of Viscount Anson, had
just quitted my side, and had descended into the vessel,
to see the process employed in loading her. He had not
been two minutes on board, and was apparently at play
with another youth about his own age, a Mr. William
Barnard, when one of our main-deck guns, by some
inexplicable cause, went off, and killed him on the spot,
without hurting his companion or any other person
whatever. The ball, however, was very nearly killing
Captain Duff Markland, of the admiraPs ship, the
Milford, for it whizzed close by his head as he was look-
ing out of the quarter-gallery window.
How this fatal gun had so unhappily gone off was
inscrutable. The lanyards and leaden apron over the
lock and touch-hole were secured in the best and usual
manner. No fire or means of ignition were near it ; and
as to any vibration or concussion of the decks, caused by
our removing the casks, if such existed, it must have been
very slight, and equally effective in the adjacent guns.
Be the cause what it may, we had to consign to its last
long resting-place the mutilated body of a young officer,
suddenly cut off in all the promise of youth, at a moment
of sportive innocence, and amidst the affections of all
around him. Our brave captain was deeply affected, for
poor young Anson had been entrusted by his parents to
his special care and superintendence.
On the 25th we again stood over to the Apulian
coast, and vainly endeavoured to gain some intelligence
322 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
of our lost shipmates and prizes. Our ultimate object
was the blockade of Venice. We had heard, however, of
the most tragical fate of the Danae, French frigate, lying
off Trieste.
A seaman who had been punished (and his miscreant
nature affords a presumption that his punishment had
been merited), had by some contrivance or other procured
access to the magazine. Having everything in readiness,
he waited only for the captain's returning on board.
This officer had been at the opera from the refined and
luxurious enjoyment and splendour of which he had
returned to his rougher quarters, and could scarcely have
got into his cot, when the diabolical assassin applied his
match to the powder, and the noble vessel, with her full
complement of (I doubt not) brave men, was in an
instant blown to atoms ; for only four of them were left
to tell this wretched tale.
The Flore frigate, that had so shamefully made her
escape after she had struck to us, had been wrecked some
time back off the coast of Venice ; and all that remained
of the fine squadron, of which Napoleon had formed such
high expectations, was the Carolina. What could be a
better compliment to our noble captain ?
I was engaged to dine with him on the 29th of Septem-
ber, or Michaelmas Day, and off goose an odd English
dinner in such a part of the world. In the morning, it
falling a dead calm, and our frigate being only twelve or
fourteen miles off the fortified town of Viesta, it struck
Captain Hoste that by a flag of truce I might learn
whether our poor fellows in the two prizes had perished
at sea or whether they had been driven on the enemy's
coast and made prisoners of war.
A FLAG OF TRUCE
As it was not unusual for Napoleon's officers to dis-
respect flags of truce, and to violate the security paid to
them by civilised nations, I took the worst boat (an old
gig), with four volunteers, and I supplied myself with a
knapsack, and all other things that might enable me, were
I captured, to indulge in my old habits of escaping from
French clutches rather than be again taken to Bitche;
where a recollection might be had of me that would be by
no means consonant to my wishes.
After a long and tedious row we got near to the
batteries, which were manned, and exhibited all the bustle
of drums and bugles, and all other symptoms of excitement
and of brave and noble daring, as if they had been
approached by a first-rate ship-of-war, instead of by a
small boat containing only four men under a flag of truce,
which showed that they were unarmed.
As we approached the centre of the fort the soldiers
crowded the ramparts, making the most violent demonstra-
tions with their side-arms, brandishing their swords, and
using the most abusive language towards us.
I pursued my object, pointing to my flag of truce, and
to a packet of papers which I held in my hands ; but a
number of officers and soldiers rushed from the sally-port
to the water's edge, using the most disgusting language,
swearing that they would cut us to pieces if we attempted
to land.
I appealed to the officer upon the respect due to a flag
of truce : and I anxiously inquired after the fate of my
companions, but I was unhappily convinced that he knew
nothing of them, for all the reply I got was a charge that,
under the pretext of a flag of truce, I had approached
solely with a view to discover the state of the garrison,
324 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
and we deserved to be shot as spies. I had therefore only
to rejoin my ship, where an ample portion of goose was
reserved for me by my good chief.
We repaired off Venice, where, on the 14th of October,
we discovered, in company with the Achille, that the
enemy had three sail of the line more ready than willing,
we imagined, to put to sea. With this intelligence we
were despatched to our Admiral Freemantle, at Lissa, and
again returned, after capturing two trabaccolos, laden with
firewood, close in on the Istrian coast. There was a
good deal of boat-fighting on this occasion, as they
were covered by musketry from the shore ; however, we
had not sustained any loss; and we soon had a much
better exploit.
As there could not have been for the Adriatic and its
coasts a better pilot than Captain Hoste, in passing
between the Brioni Islands and the main, a large quantity
of ship timber was discovered by us lying on the beach,
near the town of Fazano, on the Istrian shore, which he
determined to seize and embark the first convenient oppor-
tunity, which soon presented itself.
On the 13th of November, after having been opposed
by adverse winds and drifted by currents, we found the
commodore, Captain Rowley, in the Eagle, with the
Achitte, Captain Hollis, in company. Captain Hoste gave
the former the information, who immediately acquiesced
in a proposal made by our gallant chief to bring the
timber off. The commodore kindly declared, that as it
had been discovered by him, the command of the forces
necessary for the execution of that service should be given
to his first-lieutenant (myself), and that he, the com-
modore, with the other line-of-battle ship, would be most
LANDING AT FAZANO 325
happy to supply as many officers and men as might be
deemed expedient for the purpose.
Arrangements were accordingly made : light winds,
together with the draft of water they required, prevented
the line-of-battle ships getting near enough to the shore
to cover the debarcation, but the Bacchante was enabled
to take her position sufficiently close to the town, with
springs on her cables, and all boats were out and in readi-
ness at an hour before daylight on the 14th.
The marines, with the seamen of the Eagle and
Bacchante intended for the service, pulled off from the
frigate for the shore at daybreak (those of the Achille^
being at a great distance in the offing, not having arrived),
with three hearty cheers, which were returned with great
animation by our good captain and shipmates. My
orders, as on former occasions, were discretionary, with a
proviso that, in the first instance, it was indispensably
necessary to take the town of Fazano.
In about twenty minutes we were all landed, and in a
very few minutes more had possession of the town, and
had the pleasure of seeing the British colours flying from
the top of the church steeple without opposition, for the
troops and militia had abandoned the place on our
approach. All the advantageous positions were instantly
occupied by our marines, under the command of Lieu-
tenants Holmes and Haig ; the enemy we observed on the
adjacent heights, waiting, we supposed, for a reinforcement
from the garrison of Pola, only eight miles distant, and
where they had a formidable force, having in that place
regular fortifications.
Immediately on our colours being displayed I searched
out and found the padre, or chief clergyman, to whom I
326 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
communicated our intention of taking off all the ship
timber, as it was a Napoleon or government concern,
adding, that we waged no war against the inhabitants,
nor should they be in the slightest way molested ; what-
ever provision or merchandise they had to dispose of, we
should purchase at their own prices ; the fishermen and
boats I should put in requisition, to aid in the embarca-
tion of the timber, after which they would be allowed to
depart freely. All these particulars I requested the good
padre would have the kindness to communicate to his
flock, who received joyfully the intelligence, and to work
we went most willingly none more so than the natives,
who I believe, if they durst declare it, were more attached
to us than to the usurper and his myrmidons.
The timber proved to be solid oak, and so ponderous
that on launching it sunk like lead ; therefore we were
under the necessity of slinging or hanging every beam and
piece of it to the boats' sides, as rafting it off' was out of
the question.
By sunset the frigate was nearly full ; the lower decks
and booms were the only places where it could be con-
veniently placed, so as not to interrupt the working of
the guns, and our signal was made for re-embarcing,
which was complied with, with the most exact precision
and in perfect order, without a casualty with the exception
that one of our carpenter's crew, named Remmings, was
missing, whom we strongly suspected of having an inten-
tion to desert. The troops and militia entered the town
at the moment of our embarcation. Early on the next
morning, the 15th, we again landed and resumed our
duties with the same facility, the enemy having retired
from the town to the heights as on the preceding day ; and
BLOCKADING CORFU 327
by ten o'clock we had sent off all that the ship could
possibly contain. Having destroyed the remainder, we
returned to the frigate ; just as I was informed that the
enemy was advancing in great force, with a determination