It seemed as though a fatality attended Captain Brenton, and that some circumstance or another should always arise to prevent his acquiring the approbation of the Commander in chief. Having been thus employed in looking out till the morning of the 13th of March, when particularly anxious to be in readiness to take his station on the look out, he was up at three o’clock, and as soon as daylight appeared, made sail in the quarter pointed out, and was as usual recalled in the evening. In the course of the first watch the wind had become very light, and the Spartan, at ten o’clock, was yet at a very considerable distance from the body of the fleet, which was on the Spartan’s lee bow; he therefore directed the officer of the watch to let him know when he should approach within a couple of miles of the fleet, and lest there might be any misunderstanding, he also gave this order in writing. The Spartan at this time had all sail set on the starboard tack; Captain Brenton soon fell asleep, and to his utter astonishment and dismay, was awoke by hearing a crash, and running on deck, found the ship had run on board the Malta of 80 guns, and that the Spartan’s main yard was carried away. This indeed was a most serious disaster, his ship being the only frigate in the fleet, and at such a juncture. However as there was no sea running, the ships instantly separated, and the Spartan having got round on the other tack, kept her main-top-sails set by bringing the sheets below; and keeping her royals set, was enabled to get up into her station on the weather beam of the Commander in chief, to whom Captain Brenton sent an officer informing him of the accident, and expressing his hope that the ship would be effective again in a few hours. His Lordship’s feelings may be easily imagined by those who knew him. He instantly sent his carpenter on board, with armourers and every other assistance that could be devised, but before these artificers were in readiness to work, there was but little left for them to do, the main yard was down and fished, and the hoops only remained to be put down, which were then preparing at the forge; and before eleven o’clock the yard was again up, and the Spartan as efficient as she had been the preceding day. The Admiral was appeased, and the affair had no other consequence than that of an order to try the unfortunate Lieutenant by a Court martial. It may not be useless to explain how this neglect happened, as it may prove a warning to thoughtless young men, who in every other respect are most anxious and zealous to do their duty to the utmost. It is well known to be the custom of the service for an officer coming up to take charge of the deck, to be accosted by his messmates in the following manner, “Here you have her,” describing the sail she is under, and repeating any orders he may have received from the Captain. Upon this occasion, to the “Here you have her,” was added, “and you will find the captain’s order in the order book in the Binnacle drawer.” The young officer, who took charge of the deck, probably intended looking into the book for these orders, but forgot it. He now approached the fleet, and all at once alarmed for his responsibility, and hesitating on which side of the ship approaching him he should go, it ended as all these cases of indecision generally do, by running on board of her. The Commander in chief soon after this, having gained intelligence that the enemy had been seen off the mouth of the Adriatic, made all sail in pursuit of them, dispatching the Spartan to Rear Admiral Martin, at Palermo, with the information; and the Rear Admiral immediately directed Captain Brenton to proceed without loss of time to the Bay of Tunis, and not gaining any tidings of the enemy there, to cruize between the south coast of Sardinia and the coast of Africa, in order to prevent if possible the enemy passing to the westward, from the Adriatic, without being seen.

The Spartan had not been long on this service, when on the 1st of April, 1808, the weather being hazy, and a fresh breeze from the north west, a fleet was descried to the southward, amounting to ten sail of the line, and four frigates. Captain Brenton felt so certain that this was Lord Collingwood, not having heard of the junction of the French squadrons, that he did not at first even make the private signals, but was satisfied with shewing his number. As they ran down under their topsails, the Captain, and the first Lieutenant, looking at them through their glasses, the former said, “Who is that old fashioned fellow who carries his mizen topmast stay-sail, under the main top?” The first Lieutenant immediately replied, “There are three of them that have it.” Then said the Captain, “It is the enemy’s fleet. Haul your wind at once.” They did so, and then made the private signal, and no sooner had the Spartan made this change in her course, than every ship to leeward made all the sail she could carry upon a wind. The Spartan set her coursers, jib, and driver, and Captain Brenton, finding the enemy did not gain much ground upon him, felt satisfied with this addition, and was rather desirous that they should get a little nearer to him before night, when he felt that he could always get from them. Captain Brenton was now anxious to communicate the position of the French squadron to Rear Admiral Martin, at Palermo, and also to Sir Alexander Ball, at Malta; but he felt it to be his imperative duty to remain with the French fleet himself, and to dog them wherever they might be bound. He at once decided upon putting a canvass deck upon the launch; and applying for beams the rough pieces, which at that time it was the custom to issue from the dock-yard for boat oars, to be made up on board when required; the launch being thus provided with a deck, and being furnished with a carronade, signal flags, ammunition, provisions, and water, became a very serviceable, and efficient dispatch boat. When it became quite dark the launch was hoisted out and equipped, but some delay in sending her away occurred, in consequence of the French squadron having gone on the larboard tack, by which means they were exactly in her track for Trapani. The Lieutenant was directed to proceed by land to Palermo, with his dispatches for Rear Admiral Martin; and the Master’s mate, who accompanied him in the launch, was to proceed with her to Malta with the same intelligence for Rear Admiral, Sir Alexander Ball.

“Spartan, Cape Tolazo, 5 p.m. April 1st, 1808.

“Sir,

“We are now in company with the enemy’s squadron, consisting of ten sail of the line (two of which are three deckers), four frigates and a brig. We fell in with them this morning at ten o’clock, Galita then bearing S.S.E. distant thirty-eight miles; they were then steering about West, with the wind apparently at E.N.E. (we had it all North). I immediately bore up to reconnoitre them; upon the wind drawing round to the westward, and blowing fresh (which it did shortly after) they wore by signal, and hauled their wind on the larboard tack. When near enough to distinguish flags, I made the private signal, which was not answered, and we have since been keeping a station about six or seven miles in the wind’s eye of them. At dark I mean to send away the launch, having fitted her up with a temporary deck for the occasion, and put her under the command of Lieutenant Coffin, third Lieutenant, to whom I beg leave to refer you for particulars. He is a most excellent young officer, and has in my opinion added to his merit, by the very handsome manner in which he has volunteered his services on this occasion. It is my intention to use every endeavour to keep sight of the enemy, and having ascertained their destination, to take the earliest opportunity of sending information of it; watching them myself till I have reason to believe the Commander in chief, or some of his squadrons are acquainted with their situation.

“I have the honour to be, &c.

“JAHLEEL BRENTON.”

“Rear Admiral Martin, &c. Palermo.”

When the French fleet had got sufficiently to the northward, to offer a prospect of the launch pursuing her course unobserved, she was ordered to shove off; but she had scarcely got a mile from the ship, when, to Captain Brenton’s great dismay, the enemy were seen on the starboard tack, and there was the greatest probability that the poor launch would have fallen into their hands. The officer however on seeing them approach, most judiciously lowered his sails; by which means, they passed without seeing him, although as he said, one of the ships was so near him, that he thought his capture inevitable. He was most providentially preserved, and the Spartan kept her station on the weather beam of the French Admiral during the night, and as day approached made sail on the opposite tack, by which she was soon out of danger of pursuit, and preserved that distance until the evening, when she again bore down and took her station for the night. On the morning of the 2nd, just before daylight, the enemy were still on the starboard tack, on which they had been the whole night. The Spartan was put about, and Captain Brenton, who had been on deck nearly the whole night, left orders to stand on the larboard tack, until the topsails only of the French squadron could be seen from the deck, when the ship was again to be put in stays, and bear the same tack with the enemy. He had not long however been asleep, when he was called by the officer of the watch, and informed that the French squadron had tacked and lay up for the Spartan; that they had a fresh breeze whilst the Spartan was nearly becalmed. The enemy approached rapidly, and had got within four or five miles, when their wind also failed them, and a most anxious day was passed by all on board the Spartan. The sails were sometimes trimmed for one tack, and sometimes for the other, and their steering sails, a-low and a-loft, and all in the course of an hour or two, as the wind veered round the compass. In the afternoon the wind set in again, and blew steady from its old quarter, the N.W.; and the French Admiral determined to avail himself of every change, in the hope of catching the British frigate, divided his squadron into two parts, and put one on each tack; but the Spartan having the breeze strong and steady had the heels of them, and had got so far to windward before dark, that when the squadron again united, and got upon the starboard tack, which they always did at night, she was again under the necessity of bearing down, in order to ensure keeping sight of them during the night. On the evening of the 3rd the wind having got round to the Northward, the French Admiral was observed to keep away, (about west) and a frigate went along the line, apparently speaking every ship; which movement Captain Brenton interpreted in the following manner. “The French Admiral finding he cannot shake off the British frigate, or get hold of her, is determined to pursue his course to the westward; it may be for the straits of Gibraltar, on his way to Cadiz; or it may be, that with the expectation of the wind getting into its prevailing quarter, S.W., he wishes to take advantage of it to get to Toulon, and probably taking Minorca in his way, and joining the Spanish squadron of six sail of the line known to be there. At all events,” said Captain Brenton to his officers, “we must endeavour to accompany him;” and in his turn, in order to puzzle the French Admiral with regard to the Spartan’s movements, he continued close hauled until he had lost sight of the French squadron, then keeping away upon the same course, they were last seen steering, and setting the courses, he expected soon to be again abreast of them, and to resume his position for watching them on the following day. Gantheaume, who commanded the French squadron, evidently had laid a trap for him, and expected this movement, for after dark he must have hauled his wind expecting to get to windward of the Spartan. As the night was dark, great anxiety was felt to get sight of the enemy again, and an eager look out kept on the lee bow. All at once the junior marine officer who was on the lee gangway called out, “here they are Sir, close to us on the lee quarter;” and there indeed they were, not much more than a mile distant. As the Spartan was off the wind and going at a great rate, with all hands on deck, Captain Brenton decided upon at once wearing her, and getting on the other tack, as far preferable to keeping his enemy astern, and so near him, or running the risk of any accident which might happen in the stays. He accordingly ordered the helm to be immediately put up, and the ship flew round with rapidity, and was round on the other tack under the mainsail in a few moments. She was evidently within gun shot of the leading ship of the French squadron, but only for a very few minutes, and they were probably deterred from firing, lest it might attract the attention of other cruizers. The French squadron soon after wore, which they did very deliberately; the signal having been first made by the Admiral, and when repeated by his second astern, hauled down in his ship, and so on throughout the line, only one ship having the signal up at a time, and no guns being fired upon any occasion; this clearly betrayed a desire not to attract notice. The Spartan continued carrying a press of sail all night, and soon got over on the coast of Sardinia; when she went again upon the starboard tack, and at daylight saw the enemy’s squadron upon the larboard tack, broad on her lee bow. On the evening of this day the weather was very squally, and wind so variable, as sometimes to bring the enemy to windward, a position most unfavourable to the Spartan, though there was no apprehension whatever of any ship of the enemy gaining upon her on a wind, although many might have done so while going large. Captain Brenton, to avoid these disadvantageous circumstances, stood well over to the coast of Sardinia, in the expectation of again crossing upon the French squadron in the morning, but he saw no more of them. They had undoubtedly availed themselves of the changes of wind, favourable to their getting to the N.N.W. as they were known to have reached Toulon in a few days after.

Captain Brenton was now under considerable anxiety, as to the steps he should next take. From the conduct of the enemy during four days, there was every reason to believe that their object was to get to the westward, but whether to the straits of Gibraltar, or Minorca, or Toulon, he could not determine. Depending upon his launch having carried all the information to Sicily and Malta, he resolved to steer for Minorca, under the probability that M. Gantheaume might have gone thither for the Spanish ships, as has already been suggested. He also thought, that on this course with the perpetual changes of wind so frequently experienced in the spring in the Mediterranean, he might again fall in with them, whether their destination was to either of the places above mentioned.