Mr. Webb, in the first yawl, captured the sternmost of the two which he had been in chase of, before the Weazle or her boats (notwithstanding they used every exertion) could co-operate. However, as they were rapidly advancing, he left his prize to be taken possession of by them, and, pushing forward, boarded and carried, in the most gallant manner, the other, ably supported by the Hon. H. J. Rous. All proved to be vessels of a superior description and very fast craft: their officers stated that they were bound to Otranto, for the purpose of picking up and fetching back to Corfu specie for the payment of the troops in that island.
Their guns were fitted on a pivot, which enabled them to traverse and fire in any direction, without altering the course; it was by this means that they were enabled to annoy our boats so much in approaching, as I have already stated. We found it necessary to bear up for Valona Bay, in order to put our prizes in a state to encounter bad weather, which, from all appearances, was then to be expected.
On the 8th we sailed with them for the Island of Zante; and the next day, when off Fano, we captured a convoy consisting of five vessels, laden with provisions, for Corfu. The weather again becoming boisterous, compelled us to return to our anchorage, and to destroy two of the gunboats; a third was missing, which we feared must have gone down. If I am not mistaken, it was the Calypso, under the command of Mr. Edward O. Pocock.
13th January.—We were now again on our passage to Zante with the prizes captured on the 9th inst.: the weather becoming boisterous, buffeted them about very much, and on the 23rd it became still more inclement, which obliged us to take young Mr. Hoste and the crew out of one until the weather abated. Another, commanded by Mr. Few, which we had left perfectly secure and well in under the Island of Zante, we perceived early the next morning (24th), bearing down to us with the signal of distress at the mast-head. I obtained permission from Captain Hoste to proceed with a volunteer crew (as was usual on dangerous occasions) to her assistance. On coming within hail, I received the melancholy intelligence of the loss of this very promising young man, Mr. Few,[45] in the night. It happened that, in the act of wearing, the vessel’s fore-yard struck him, and tossed him completely overboard: the night was excessively dark, and a mountainous sea running; the crew had heard him call out, but could not see him or render any assistance. This severe loss cast a gloom over all hands. Another young gentleman was placed in command; and, having seen all our prizes safe into Zante (with the exception of the three which were missing), we resumed our station off Corfu.
CHAPTER XVIII
Capture of General Bordé and his staff—A gallant boarding exploit—A horrible murder by Italian prisoners of war—Success of our navy—A balance of accounts—My promotion—Quitting the Bacchante—Pain of leaving old friends and brave shipmates—The plague at Malta—Captain Pell gives me a passage home—An ineffectual chase and a narrow escape—Stratagems of the enemy—Toulon—Gibraltar—The English Channel—Ingenious device of Captain Pell resulting in the curious capture of a French privateer—Arrival in England—A kind reception by the First Lord of the Admiralty—An official promise—“Hope deferred maketh the heart sick”—A return to London—The peace of 1814—Its consequences—Half-pay and an end to all adventures.
On 13th February, at about 10 o’clock P.M., after a long chase we captured the Vigilante, a French courier gunboat bound for Otranto with despatches, which, of course, were thrown overboard before we took possession of her. She had on board of her General Bordé with his staff, who, we had discovered by intercepted letters, was then on his passage to take the command of the French forces at Verona.
At 2 A.M., being about ten or twelve miles from Otranto, a sail was perceived steering for that port. The wind being very light, our boats were despatched under Lieutenant Hood, who captured the enemy by boarding, in a gallant style, after a warm salute of grape and musketry, and before the rest of our boats could join him. This brave exploit reflected the greatest honour on this officer and his boat’s crew.
The prize proved to be the Alcinous, carrying a twenty-four-pounder carronade forward and an eighteen-pounder abaft. She had left Corfu with eight merchant-vessels, the whole of which we captured. The only person wounded on this occasion was the gallant commander, Lieutenant Hood, who received an injury in the vertebræ, which eventually deprived him of the use of the lower extremities by paralysis.
Of our three recent prizes, which were missing when we left Zante, we now found that one had arrived at her place of destination, but the third was still unheard of, and a most melancholy account was given of the second, under the command of Mr. Cornwallis Paley, a fine, promising young gentleman, who was beloved and esteemed by our captain and by everybody on board, and who had distinguished himself in the action off Lissa.