TRINCOMALÉ AND IPHIGÉNIE.-BOATS OF THE ECHO. 519 men. The remainder of the french crew, consisting 1799. of about 30 or 35, saved themselves on pieces of the Oct. wreck. Several of the crew of the Pearl indiaman, which the Iphigénie had taken on the 7th of the month, and was then in company and being engaged by the Comet company's cruiser, perished in her. Owing to some unexplained cause, the Pearl escaped from the Comet, and reached the Isle of France in safety. On the 14th of October the british 18-gun shipsloop Echo, captain Robert Philpot, cruising off Porto-Rico, chased into Lagnadille bay, at the northwest end of the island, the french letter-of-marque brig Buonaparte, carrying twelve 4-pounders and 30 men, commanded by citizen Pierre Martin, enseigne de vaisseau. Seeing several vessels at anchor in the bay, captain Philpot, on the 15th, sent the pinnace and jollyboat, under the command of lieutenants Charles Frederick Napier and John James Rorie, to attempt to cut some of them out. The boats arrived too late to effect their purpose, but were fortunate enough to capture a spanish brig, from Canana, in South America, to Old Spain, laden with cocoa and indigo, and mounting two 4-pounders, with 20 men. On the 16th, in the evening, the same two boats, now commanded by lieutenant Napier and Mr. Wood the boatswain, and containing between them 16 men officers included, pulled into the bay to cut out what they could. On the 17th, at about 2 A. M., the boats arrived at the anchorage; where they found the brig which they had chased in on the 14th, moored within half a cable's length of the shore, with her broadside presented to the sea, and protected by two field-pieces, and by one 18-pounder and some smaller carriage-guns, placed on the beach. In spite of this formidable preparation, the British in the boats did not hesitate an instant, but boarded the Buonaparte on the bow, the French and Spaniards, who were all upon deck with matches lighted and guns 1799. primed, making the best of their way down the hatchOct. ways. By the time the boats' crews had cut the cables of their prize, the guns on the beach opened a fire on them. The third shot sank the pinnace, while she was ahead towing the jollyboat, but not a man in her was hurt. The Buonaparte was several times hulled; but, a light breeze springing up from the land, her captors soon escaped with her out of gun-shot. The prize was a fine copper-bottomed americanbuilt brig, and had on board a valuable cargo, which she was carrying to Curaçoa. When the disparity of force is considered, the successful issue of the attack must be pronounced highly creditable to lieutenant Napier and Mr. Wood, and the few seamen they commanded; fewer than would have been sent, had captain Philpot been aware of the force and preparation of the enemy. It is due to justice to state, that M. Martin, at the time his vessel surrendered, was not on board of her: he was on shore, lending his aid at the battery. On the 15th of October, at 8 P. M., in latitude 44° 1' north, longitude 12° 35' west, the british 38gun frigate Naiad, captain William Pierrepont, discovered and chased two frigates; which at midnight were ascertained to be enemies, and which were, in fact, the spanish 34-gun frigates SantaBrigida, captain don Antonio Pillon, and Thetis, captain don Juan de Mendoza, from Vera-Cruz, with a cargo of specie, bound to any port in Spain which they could fetch, and now steering to the south-east with the wind right aft. Regardless of the apparent odds against her, the Naiad continued the pursuit under all sail, and, at 3 h. 30 m. A. M.* on the 16th, discovered a third large ship in the south-west; which soon made herself known as the 38-gun frigate Ethalion, captain James *The gazette-account is rendered somewhat obscure by this being made "P. M.” Young, and who, bearing up, joined in the chase. Just 1799. as the day broke the british 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Oct. Alcmène, captain Henry Digby, joined from the westward; and shortly afterwards the 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Triton, captain John Gore, made her appearance astern. At 7 A. M. the two spanish frigates, for their safety, took different routes: on which captain Pierrepont, who was the senior officer, directed the leading british frigate, the Ethalion, to pass the sternmost frigate, and stand on for the headmost, which was the Thetis. At 9 A. M. the Ethalion, being within random-shot of the Santa-Brigida, fired a few guns at her in passing, and compelled her to steer a course still further from her consort. The Ethalion then, as she had been ordered, continued in chase of the Thetis, and owing to her good sailing gained upon her so, that at 11h. 30 m. A. M. the Thetis, having no other alternative, bore up athwart the bows of the Ethalion, at the distance of only half musket-shot. The british frigate quickly wore, and bestowed upon her opponent two well-directed broadsides. At length, after a running fight of one hour, in which the Ethalion had not a man hurt, and the Thetis no more than one killed and nine wounded, the latter hauled down her colours. The Thetis had on board specie to the following amount: 333 boxes containing each 3000 dollars, four boxes containing each 2385 dollars, 93 boxes containing each 4000 dollars, one box containing, besides 4000 dollars, two doubloons and 90 halfdoubloons, of gold; making, altogether, 1385292 dollars, equal, at 4s. 6d. the dollar, to 3116907. sterling. The Santa-Brigida, when she altered her course, as related above, bore up to the southward, and, early on the morning of the 17th,* succeeded by her * In the Naiad's log, but 18th in captain Pierrepont's letter; in which, also, the first appearance of the two spanish frigates is stated to have been "on the evening of the 16th," as was the case by log, the 16th, by this silly and perplexing custom, (long since abolished,) commencing at noon on the 15th. 1799. fast sailing in rounding Cape Finisterre. To accom Oct. plish this, the Santa-Brigida had run so close to the rocks off Monte Lora, that at 5 A. M. the Triton, who was the first in the pursuit, and then going at the rate of seven knots, struck upon them. The Triton, however, soon got off; and at 7 A. M. commenced an animated fire at the spanish frigate; the Alcmène doing the same, and steering so as to cut off the SantaBrigida, who had just before thrown overboard her anchors and boats, from Port de Vidre. At 8 A. M. the three british frigates closed with the spanish frigate amidst the rocks of Commarurto at the entrance of Muros; whereupon the Santa-Brigida, after a brave resistance, preceded by the most skilful efforts to escape, hauled down her colours. The Triton had one seaman wounded, and received considerable damage from striking on the rocks. The Alemène had one seaman killed, and one petty-officer and eight seamen wounded. The Naiad did not get near enough to sustain any loss; nor had the SantaBrigida herself any more than two seamen killed and eight wounded. All four ships were over foul ground; but, a breeze springing up from the shore, they were enabled to put their heads to the sea. While the prisoners were exchanging, four large ships, one with a broad pendant, came out of Vigo, as if with the intention of attacking the british frigates. The latter immediately got ready to receive them; but the Spaniards, owing to some unexplained cause, suddenly put back to their port. On the 21st the Thetis, and on the following day the Santa-Brigida, in company with the frigates which had captured them, arrived at Plymouth. The cargo of the Santa-Brigida consisted of two bales or serons of indigo, 26 of cochineal, 23 of cocoa, and 16 of sugar, of the estimated value, altogether, of about 5000. This frigate had, also, 446 boxes, containing each 3000 dollars, 59 bags of dollars, many others of uncertain number, and three kegs Oct. likewise uncertain. Neither the Santa-Brigida nor 1799. the Thetis were considered eligible for the british navy: their chief and almost only value was in the cargoes they carried. As some readers may feel an interest in these matters, we will show how the treasure was subsequently disposed of. On the 28th and 29th, the days on which the two cargoes were landed, 63 artillery waggons, escorted by horse and foot soldiers and armed seamen and marines, and accompanied by bands of music and an immense concourse of people, conveyed the treasures to the dungeons of the citadel of Plymouth. Thence, towards the latter end of November, it was removed to London, with all the pomp and ceremony usual on such occasions, and was finally deposited in the bank of England. The share of prize-money which each class received for the spanish frigates, exclusive of the value of their hulls, stores, masts, &c. appears to have been as follows: One could wish that, in cases of this kind, it were the practice to give to the officers of the captured ships a portion, at least, of the freight that they probably would have received from their own government, had they carried home the treasure with which their ships were laden. Its comparatively small amount would scarcely be felt by one party, and yet might contribute greatly to the relief of the other. On the 20th of October, at 5 P. M., Cape Ortugal bearing south-west distant eight or nine leagues, the british 18-pounder 32-gun frigate Cerberus, captain James Macnamara, discovered a fleet to-windward, |