The Spartan found a squadron lying at Palermo, consisting of the Windsor Castle, and four other ships of the line, which had been sent there at the request of the king of Sicily, and were under the command of Captain, afterwards Rear Admiral Boyle. A gale of wind of most extraordinary violence came on, whilst the Spartan was with them. The wind was from the southward, and therefore directly off the land, from which the squadron were not a mile distant. In consequence of this, the sea had no space to get up in; but notwithstanding that a dense spray was lifted up from the water, called by seamen, “a spoon drift,” which lay along the surface as even as though it were a sheet of snow. Whilst walking the deck Captain Brenton was surprised by a sharp sound like a mast going, and looking forward, saw the jib fly up the stay like lightning, and immediately shiver to atoms. By some accident the down haul had not been made fast in the forecastle, and the wind getting into the head of the jib, carried it up like lightning. No other damage however was done, although the Eagle was for some time in danger, having been close under Monte Pelegrino. The gale was of short duration, and in a few hours was succeeded by fine weather.
On the 16th of April the Spartan sailed for Toulon, where she was ordered to watch the motions of the French fleet; and the wind being from the westward Captain Brenton ran along the coast of Italy. When just between the east coast of Corsica and the Italian shore, he fell in with an American ship, the Urania, Hector Coffin, master, and Greene of Rhode Island supercargo. Captain Brenton, on sending a boat to examine this neutral ship, gave particular directions to the lieutenant charged with this duty, to pay every possible attention to the feelings of the people, and to avoid giving offence to the master or crew. The search took place, and as there was some deviation from the regulations laid down for the conduct of Neutrals by his Majesty’s orders in council, Captain Brenton sent for the master on board the Spartan, requesting he would bring his log book with him. On his coming on board Captain Brenton explained to him the necessity of this measure; with which the master and supercargo expressed themselves perfectly satisfied, as well as with the kindness and delicacy with which they had been treated by the visiting officer. It was at this time nearly calm, so that no detention took place; and when the breeze sprang up, the American voluntarily steered for some time the same course with the Spartan. This was on the 27th of April.
On the 8th of May the Spartan again fell in with the same ship, between Sardinia and the Island of Ponza; and her being so near the spot where she had been eleven days before having excited surprise, she was again examined; and on looking over her log book to ascertain the cause of her having made so little progress, being hardly forty leagues from where she had been first seen, Captain Brenton was surprised to find a detail of her having been boarded, on the 27th of April, by the Spartan, worked up to the most rancorous pitch of exaggeration; stating that on that day they were boarded by the English frigate Spartan, had been forced out of their course, that the master was dragged on board with his papers, and that the hatches were broken open, &c. On Captain Brenton remonstrating with the master and supercargo, upon the unmanliness of inserting such falsehoods in the ship’s book, for no other purpose than that of exciting enmity between the two countries, whose mutual interests led them to the cultivation of peace; and reminding them of the declaration they had both made in the cabin of the Spartan on the day alluded to, as to the kindness and civility with which they had been treated by the lieutenant of that ship, who had boarded them; they both appeared overwhelmed with confusion, acknowledged the justice of Captain Brenton’s observation, laid the blame upon the mate, whom they charged with having inserted the offensive passage without their knowledge, and promised that it should not be made public in America. It is not likely that a Neutral trading amongst belligerents should pay so little attention to a document of such vital importance as the log; and that neither master nor supercargo should inspect it. This affair was the subject of an official communication from Captain Brenton to his senior officer, and of another to the Secretary of Lloyd’s Coffee house.
On the 23rd of April the Spartan captured a small French xebec, on the coast of Italy. The year had not expired since the conversation which has been related took place between Captain Brenton and Dr. Grey, at Tours. Dr. Grey had been appointed surgeon of the Spartan, at Captain Brenton’s request, and he received in consequence the promised Encyclopedia. Captain Brenton says, “Shortly after this I was again preserved from captivity by a merciful Providence, which rescued us from the enemy’s squadron, when every hope of success seemed to have left us.” The particulars of this escape are contained in the following letter.
“Spartan, off Toulon, May, 1807.
“Sir,
“I have the honour to inform you, that at noon on the 27th ultimo, the westward end of Elba, bearing N.E. we made sail in chase of four vessels to the southward, which at half-past five we observed to be ships of war, and made the private signal, which was not answered; and wishing to ascertain exactly what they were, I continued standing towards them until half-past six, when they bore up by signal in chase of us. We could at this time see their hulls from the deck, and perceived one to be of the line, two frigates, and a corvette. We tacked, and stood from them, but they gained fast upon us, as they had a fresh breeze from the westward: at eight, it fell nearly calm, and continued so all night. At day-break we saw the enemy bearing W. by N. about six miles. The south end of Capraia being at the same time W.S.W. about four miles. Upon a light breeze, springing up from the eastward, I made sail to the northward, in the hope of being able to escape round the island, which the frigates and corvette endeavoured to prevent, by running to leeward of Capraia, whilst the ship of the line hauled round the south end in chase of us. We had light and partial breezes until noon, when one frigate and the corvette bore west, about two miles from us, with a fresh breeze from the southward; the other frigate further off in the S.W. and the line of battle ship off the south end of Capraia, bringing up the rear. She had a very light air from the southward, but I saw the necessity of making every effort to get to the westward, as the only chance of escaping, and hauled immediately athwart the headmost frigate: upon our near approach the breeze appeared to fail her.
“At twenty minutes after twelve she opened her fire, and continued it for an hour and ten minutes. As I observed that the light breeze she had was destroyed by her firing, we did not return a gun,[13] but kept a steady course until we had brought the enemy to bear south, when we bore up north, leaving him the choice of yawing to continue his fire, or to confine it to his bow guns. He preferred the former, by which means he lost so much way, that we were soon out of gun shot; the other frigate could not approach, and the corvette avoided us.
“Providentially we received no damage, although exposed for a considerable time to a point blank fire, scarcely going two knots; but few shot struck us. I have the greatest reason to be pleased with the steadiness and good conduct of the officers and people under my command.
“At half-past five, having a fresh breeze from the S.W. we had gained so far upon the enemy that they left off chase by signal; the Commodore shortening sail, and hauling round the north end of Capraia.