Jan. 1798. of whom 15, including her gallant commander, were killed, and 19 wounded. The privateer's fire had done some injury to the Pomone, having killed one, and wounded four of her men; and, besides cutting away much of her standing rigging, had so damaged the fore and main masts, that it became necessary for their immediate preservation to fish them. As soon as the prisoners had been shifted, and the Pomone's carpenters had plugged the principal shot-holes in the prize, the Pomone prepared to take her in tow; when the officer in command hailed, that she was sinking. All the boats of the frigate went immediately to the Cheri's assistance; but no efforts could save her. Scarcely had the Pomone's people and the wounded been taken from her, than the Cheri sank alongside; affording an indubitable proof, that her unfortunate crew had not called for quarter until every hope of success had fled. On the 8th of January, at daylight, the Burlings bearing east distant 50 leagues, the british 18-gun brig-sloop Kingfisher, (6-pounders,) captain Charles Herbert Pierrepont, discovered on her weather quarter a strange ship, which soon afterwards bore up and stood towards her. At 9 A. M. the Kingfisher tacked; and at 9 h. 30 m. A. M. the stranger, which was the french privateer Betsey, of 16 french 6-pounders, hoisted her colours and began firing. The Kingfisher, who was then on the opposite tack, opened her fire in passing, and the Betsey did the same; but the cannonade was too distant to be very effective. The Betsey then wore round; and the Kingfisher, being unable to gain the weathergage, shortened sail, in order that her opponent might get abreast of her. The Betsey was presently alongside to-windward, and a smart action ensued. After it had continued for an hour and a quarter, the Kingfisher's jib-boom was shot away; and the Betsey, taking advantage of that, and of the prevailing light wind, ran ahead KINGFISHER AND BETSEY.-LIEUT. PYM AND DÉSIRÉE. 291 under all sail, firing her stern-chasers as soon as she 1798. could bring them to bear. Another jib-boom having Jan. been got out, and the wind freshening, the Kingfisher was enabled, by 1 P. M., to overtake her opponent, and renew the action. The latter held out for half an hour longer, and then surrendered. In this well contested and mutually creditable action, the Kingfisher sustained but very trifling damage in hull, rigging, or sails; and, out of a complement of 120 men and boys, had only one man slightly wounded. The Betsey, out of a complement of 118, lost one seaman killed, her first and second captains, and six seamen wounded, three of them mortally, and the remainder badly. On the 16th of January, early in the morning, as the british 20-gun ship Babet, captain Jemmett Mainwaring, was cruising about midway between the islands of Martinique and Dominique, an armed schooner was observed standing towards her. Soon afterwards the wind died away; and the schooner, having made out the Babet to be a man of war, took to her sweeps and rowed off. This afforded to Mr. Samuel Pym, first lieutenant of the ship, an opportunity of volunteering an attempt to capture the schooner by the boats. Accordingly lieutenant Pym, with the pinnace and launch, containing between them 24 men, proceeded on the service. After rowing four hours, and reaching a distance of three leagues from the ship, the boats arrived within gun-shot of the schooner; who immediately opened her fire upon them. The pinnace, having out-pulled the launch, was the first boat alongside. Lieutenant Pym and his 12 men at once, boarded, and in spite of a very strenuous opposition carried, the schooner. She proved to be the Désirée, of six carriage-guns (4-pounders, probably) and 46 men; of whom she had three killed, eight drowned, and 15 badly wounded. The pinnace sustained a loss of one seaman killed, one marine drowned, a midshipman, Mr. Aslinhurst, and four seamen Jan. 1798. badly wounded, and lieutenant Pym and the remainder of his boat's crew slightly wounded. The launch, much to the regret of those on board of her, did not reach the schooner till her colours were in the act of being struck. Few enterprises of this description, bold as they commonly are, exhibit so much gallantry as the capture of the Désirée schooner. Feb. On the 23d of January, in latitude 50° north, longitude 12° west, the british 36-gun frigate Melampus, captain Graham Moore, came up with and engaged the french corvette Volage, of 22 guns (20 long 8s and two long 18s) and 195 men; which, after a short but close action, struck her colours. The Melampus had two men mortally, and three dangerously wounded; the Volage, four killed and eight wounded. The prize, although a national ship, had been lent to certain merchants of Nantes, and by them been fitted out as a cruiser. Her commander M. Desageneaux, according to his own account, was a capitaine de frégate, and his officers also appear to have belonged to the national marine; but, in the present instance, they all had a congé, or furlough, for three months, to enable them to serve on board a ship, then in the temporary employment of private individuals. The Volage was a fine corvette measuring 523 tons, and was added to the british navy as a 20-gun ship. On the 3d of February, at daylight, Vigo bearing east distant about 17 leagues, the british 14-gun brig-sloop Speedy, (4-pounders,) captain Hugh Downman, discovered a strange brig, with all sail set, bearing down on her. This was the french privateer Papillon, a large brig of 360 tons, mounting 14 guns, (but pierced for 18,) four of them described as long 12s, and the remainder long 8-pounders, with a crew of 160 men. At 3 P. M. the Papillon, being about half a mile from the Speedy, hauled to the wind, and opened her fire. Where upon the Speedy made sail to close, engaging her 1798. adversary until 5 h. 30 m. P. M.; when the latter Feb. tacked and stood off. The Speedy also went about, and continued to engage until 7 h. 30 m. P. M.; when the Papillon, profiting by her superiority of sailing and the lightness of the wind, got out of gun-shot. Owing to the great swell that prevailed, the Speedy received no other injury than a shot through her fore topmast, and some damage to her rigging. It now fell calm, and the two vessels, in spite of every effort at the Speedy's sweeps, separated. At midnight the privateer fired several guns at, and ultimately recaptured, a brig which the Speedy had the day before taken from the Spaniards; and on board of which the master, Mr. Marshall, with 12 seamen had been placed. No sooner, however, did these discover what fate was awaiting them, than, first battening below the 12 Spaniards that were on board, Mr. Marshall and his men took to their boat, and fortunately reached their vessel, although she was four leagues to-windward. On the 4th, at daylight, came a breeze of wind, that enabled the Speedy to fetch up to her antagonist. At 8 A. M. the latter, being within gun-shot, tacked and made sail, rowing at the same time with her sweeps. The chase was continued without effect until noon; when the Papillon, finding she had the heels of the british vessel, shortened sail, wore, and stood towards her, with a red flag flying at the main topgallantmast head. At half past noon, having again got within gun-shot, the Speedy recommenced the engagement, with the wind upon the larboard quarter. At 2 P. M. just as the privateer's fire began to slacken, and the Speedy was about to lay her ou board, the former wore, and came to the wind on the starboard tack; but, finding the Speedy close upon her starboard quarter, the Papillon took the advantage of the Speedy's braces and bow-lines being shot away, and put before the wind under all sail. The Speedy immediately wore after her; the Feb. 1798. two vessels firing musketry at each other for 20 minutes. The chase was continued, with every sail the Speedy could set, until 7 P. M.; by which time the Papillon had run herself completely out of sight. The Speedy then hauled to the wind, making short tacks all night, in the hope to fall in with her prize. Fortunately daylight on the 5th showed the latter to-windward; and, at 10 a. M. the brig was retaken, with 10 Frenchmen on board, part of the crew of the Papillon. The Speedy lost one lieutenant, (Richard Dutton,) her boatswain, and three seamen killed, and four badly wounded. The loss on board the Papillon, although from her discontinuing the engagement in all likelihood severe, could not of course be ascertained; especially, as the captured portion of her crew had quitted her on the previous night. From the decided disparity of force in this action, the result, although a trophiless one to the british brig, was highly creditable to the bravery and discipline of her officers and crew. The Speedy had received so much damage in her masts, bowsprit, main boom, and spars generally, as well as in her rigging, both standing and running, that she was compelled to put into Lisbon to refit. On the 25th of February, at 7 A. M., Cromer, bearing west-south-west, distant 16 leagues, the british hired armed cutter Marquis-Cobourg, of twelve 4-pounders and 66 men and boys, lieutenant Charles Webb, after a nine hours' chase and a run of 100 miles, during half the time before a hard gale of wind at west-north-west, came up with the french lugger-privateer Revanche, of 16 guns and 62 men; and to a smart fire from whose musketry and sternchasers, the Cobourg had been exposed for the last two hours of the nine. A spirited action now ensued, during which the lugger made two attempts to board the cutter, but was repulsed. After a two hours' running fight, close alongside, a well-directed broadside from the Cobourg shot away the Revanche's main |