Jan.

master's mate Barry Sarsfield. The brig, at this 1807. time, was to the eastward of Cape Codera, which bore from the frigate south-east distant about four leagues. At 3 P. M. finding the boats gained very little on the brig, lieutenant Coombe directed them to separate and make the best of their way, with the exception that no boat, without orders, was to row ahead of the barge. At 6 P. M. the Lynx bore eastsouth-east distant about four leagues Mr. Green in the long gig now advanced ahead to reconnoitre, with orders by all means to keep sight of the brig, and, in the event of its growing dark, to hoist a light.

prepare

At 8 h. 30 m. P. M. lieutenant Coombe's boat, hav- Boats ing got within musket-shot of the chase, lay to on her for the oars, that the men might arm, and in order to give attack. the sternmost boats time to come up. The long gig now joined, with a confirmation of the warlike character of the enemy, and that she was under all sail, with sweeps out. In 10 minutes more the sternmost boats, except the short gig, got up, and began also to arm and prepare for the attack: which was to be made in two lines; the lee line, consisting of the barge, pinnace, and long gig, was to board on the starboard quarter, and the weather line, consisting of the green cutter and launch, on the larboard quarter; the boats of both lines to steer close in between the sweeps and the brig's sides.

com

In this order, the five boats (the short gig left Attack behind) undauntingly advanced. At 8 h. 50 m. mences

lieutenant Coombe, being within pistol-shot of the Lynx, then with a light land wind going about two knots an hour, hailed her twice, but received no an swer. The British instantly gave three cheers, and in another five minutes were close alongside the french brig. The latter, having trained her guns aft in readiness, repulsed the assailants with a heavy fire of cannon and musketry, wounding, among others, lieutenant Coombe, by a musket-bullet, which passed through the muscular part of his left or legless thigh. A second attempt was made to board, with no better

1807. success than the first. The boats now dropped, Jan and poured through the brig's stern and quarter ports a destructive fire of musketoons and small arms, which cleared the deck of many officers and men who had crowded aft to repel the boarders.

British board

and

the

Having succeeded thus far, the boats again dashed alongside. After an arduous struggle, in which lieucarry tenant Walker fell dead of his third wound, the Brivessel. tish gained the brig's deck. The latter now became the scene of a most desperate and bloody conflict, which, in about five minutes, terminated in favour of the boarders; but not until they had strewed the deck with dead and wounded Frenchmen, and driven the remainder, some upon the bowsprit and jib-boom, and others up the shrouds and down the hatchway. Thus, in about 15 minutes from the first attempt to board, were the Galatea's boats in possession of the french brig-corvette, in chase of which they had been seven hours pulling, part of the time under a burning sun. Just as the action was over the short gig joined.

Loss in

the

The loss sustained by the British in achieving this boats. truly gallant exploit was very severe.

Same

on the

The killed consisted of lieutenant Walker, five seamen, and three marines; the severely wounded, of lieutenant Coombe, master's mate Sarsfield, one petty officer, five seamen, and three marines; and the slightly wounded, of master's mate Green, one petty officer, eight seamen and one marine: total, nine killed and 22 wounded; including four out of the five officers who had commanded the boats, and comprising nearly half the number of British present in the action. The short gig, it will be observed, was absent, with at least five men, and one to keep each remaining boat would leave 65 for boarding the brig.

The loss among the Frenchmen was also severe. french The Lynx, out of a complement, as acknowledged by side. themselves, of 161 men and boys, had her third lieutenant, (late captain of the Buonaparte privateer, and since restored to his former rank in the french navy,) 13 petty officers, seamen, and soldiers killed,

her captain, first lieutenant, (both badly,) four other 1807. officers, and 14 petty officers, seamen, and soldiers wounded, the greater part of them badly; total, 14 killed and 20 wounded.

Jan.

ceedsin

latea.

Having secured the private signals and the maga- Prize zine, lieutenant Coombe gave orders to get the prowounded off the deck, the dead hove overboard, and search the studding-sails hauled down. The sweeps were of Gathen brought in-board, and the boats veered astern. By this time a light breeze had sprung up from the south-west, of which immediate advantage was taken, and the brig stood to the northward, in expectation of falling in with the frigate. The prize then hoisted two lights vertical at the mast-head, and fired several blue-lights, to indicate her situation. Such, however, had been the distance of the Galatea at the period of the attack, that the latter did not make her appearance until 2 A. M. on the 22d. Signals of recognition having been exchanged between the two Joins vessels, lieutenant Gibson, at 3 A. M., was despatched to captain Sayer with information of the successful result of the enterprise; and at 5 A. M. the Lynx and Galatea were within a few fathoms of each other.

her.

marks.

When all the circumstances of this boat-attack Reare taken into consideration, no one will dispute that, although in a few instances it may have been equalled, it has never been surpassed. The distance which the boats had to pull, the shutting in of day, and the loss of sight of their ship, the great force of the enemy, his determined resistance, and the heavy loss which it inflicted on the assailants, required a considerable share of courage to sustain, and of skill and valour to overcome. The prize, too, was not an armed merchant vessel or privateer, but a national brig of war, fully manned, mounted, and equipped, and, no slight advantage, under sail and going two knots through the water when the British attacked her. Nor did the difficulties end with the contest. There were less than 50 British to overawe and keep in subjection, during an anxious period of nearly six hours, more than 120 Frenchmen.

Jason

chases

and

brig.

1807. The Lynx, being a fine vessel of 337 tons, and only Jan. two years old, was purchased for the use of the british navy. A Lynx, however, being already in the service, the name of the prize was changed to the Heureux; and her first commander was he who had the best right to her, the gallant William Coombe. On the 27th of January, at daylight, Soramine a ship river on the coast of Guayana bearing south by east distant 26 miles,, the british 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Jason, captain Thomas Cochrane, descried and chased a ship and brig, evidently cruisers, about six miles upon her weather beam. At 10 h. 15 m. A. M. the Jason brought the ship to action, and presently compelled her to haul down her colours. The prize tures proved to be the late british sloop of war Favourite, the Fa- mounting 16 long 6-pounders and two 12-pounder carronades on the main deck, and eleven 12-pounder carronades on the quarterdeck and forecastle; total, 29 guns, all english caliber, with a complement of 150 men, commanded by lieutenant de vaisseau Gabriel-Etienne-Louis Le Marant-Kerdaniel. The brig in her company, when first chased, was a corvette of 14 brass 8-pounders and 120 men.

En

gages and

сар

vourite

Lark сар

tures two

garda

On the 26th of January, late in the evening, the 18-gun ship-sloop Lark, captain Robert Nicholas, cruising off the Spanish Main, chased, and early on costas. the 27th captured, two spanish garda-costa schooners; one the Postillon, of one long 12-pounder, two 6-pounders, and 76 men, the other the Carmen, of one 12-pounder, four 6-pounders, and 72 men, each commanded by a lieutenant of the spanish navy.

Chases

some gun

On the 1st of February, having the prizes in company, with 10 men in each, the Lark discovered a boats convoy of market-boats, protected by two gun-boats into a and an armed schooner. The market-boats ran on

Capt.

las in

creek. shore; but the gun-boats and schooner sought reNicho fuge in a creek of Zispata bay, protected by a fourhis gun battery. The Lark followed these vessels into boats the bay, and soon silenced the fort. Not being able, gun owing to the shallowness of the water, to enter the Vessels. creek, the Lark anchored off the mouth of it; and,

attacks

tures

taking with him the whole of the sloop's remaining 1807, officers and crew, amounting to about 100 men and Feb. boys, captain Nicholas proceeded up the creek in his boats. The Spaniards, relying upon their numbers, rowed out to meet the British, and, until the latter closed, kept up a resolute fire. They then fled. Cap- Captain Nicholas seized this opportunity of boarding with one. his single boat the sternmost gun-vessel, carrying one long 24 and two 6 pounders. The vessel ran on shore, but was carried after a desperate resistance; by which, out of 16 men in the captain's boat, three were dangerously, and himself severely, wounded.

loses

shore.

All further success was now at an end; for, in fol- But lowing the other gun-boat and the armed schooner up his two the creek, the pilot missed the channel, and ran the prizes by runtwo garda-costa prizes on shore. As there was no ning on prospect of getting the vessels afloat, the action was continued in that situation until 5 P. M. Mr. Richard Pound the purser, and two men, being now added to the list of wounded, captain Nicholas gave up the attempt, and directed lieutenant John Bull to destroy the two schooners, and cover the retreat of the boats; a service which he effectually executed.

tains

Wise

upon

On the 14th of February the british 20-gun ship CapBacchante, captain James Richard Dacres, and 18- Dacres pounder 32-gun frigate Mediator, captain William and Furlong Wise, cruising off Cape Raphael, island of plan an St.-Domingo, captured the french national schooner attack Dauphin, of one long 12 and (when chased but since Samathrown overboard) two 4 pounders, with a crew of na. 71 men. It was now decided to make an attack upon the adjacent fort of Samana, a notorious nest for privateers. For this purpose the prize was to be sent in under french colours, and the Mediator, an indiaman purchased into the service, and so far well adapted for deception, disguised as a neutral.

the

In this way the schooner, the frigate, and the 20- Ships gun ship stood through the intricate channel into the ente harbour; and, so well was the stratagem conducted, harand so skilfully were the Mediator and Bacchante

bour.