The Naval Chronicle, for 1813: Containing a General and Biographical History of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom; with a Variety of Original Papers on Nautical Subjects. Under the Guidance of Several Literary and Professional Men. Vol. XXIX. (from January to June.)
None
I’M O MW. • l/f /• t v^fc-i^V*- <v v kf/ jtUi : l (--'l ct-r.. ('■' P *.■<*,* <• ■ * V * TiMmL VOL tu///// ///* 7LI mdlvz. 37 //sy/Y.s, TjTnLxSvuX. Pubb.rhet.i ;io 'A, fitne W/3 by Joyce Gold atthe JJaval Chron id' Office JSTPuOS ShoeZane Zondon. THE J&atoal FOR 1813: CONTAINING A GENERAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE tOYAL NAVY OF THE (Unites ftmfftJom ; WITH A VARIETY OF ORIGINAL PAPERS ON NAUTICAL SUBJECTS. UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF SEVERAL LITERARY AND PROFESSIONAL MEN VOL. XXIX. ( FROM JANUARY TO JUNE.) Tv regere imperio popvlos Britanne memento Hae tibi ervtit artes — — —. These are imperial arts, and worthy thee.** LONDON: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY AND FOR JOYCE GOLD, 108^ SHOE-LANE | And soldby Messrs. Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme& Brown, Messrs. Wilkie& Robinson, Messrs. Sherwood, Neeley, and Jones, and Mr. Walker, Paternoster -row : White and Co. Fleet-street ; Mr. Aspeme, and Messrs. Richardsons, Ccrnhill i Messrs. Black, Parry, and Co. Leadcnhall -street ; Messrs. Crosby and Co. Stationer s' -hall-court ; Messrs. Scatchard and Letterman, and Mr. Law, Avevta ria-lune; Mr. Lindsell, JFimpol e-street ; Mr. Andrews, Charing-cross ; Mr. Booth, Duke-street , Portland-pluce ; Messrs. Mottley and Ct». and Mr. Mills, Portsmouth; Mr. Woodward, Portsea ; Mr. Johnson, Gosport ; Messrs. Congdon, Hoxland, and Platt, Dock; Messrs. Haydon— Curtis— Smith— Rogers— and Nettleton, Plymouth 5 Mr.Godwin, Bath; Messrs. Norton and Son, Bristol; Mr. Robinson, Liverpool; Mr. Wilson, Hull ; Messrs. Manners and Miller, Mr. Creech, and Mr. Constable, Edinburgh; Mr. Turnbull and Mr. j Lumsden, Glasgow ; and the principal Booksellers :» the different Seaport Towns through* Uifi United kingdom. * * • ( •  \. vlifvl r * K \. TO THE MOST HONORABLE MARQUIS CAMDEN, K. G. Master, CAPTAIN JOSEPH COTTON, Deputy-Mastee, THE WARDENS, ASSISTANTS, AND ELDER BRETHREN, OF THE GUILD, FRATERNITY, OR BROTHERHOOD OF THi; MOST GLORIOUS AND UNDIVIDED TRINITY, AND OF SAINT CLEMENT, IN THE PARISH OF DEPTFORD-STRQND* THIS TWENTY-NINTH VOLUME OF THE iSatial Chronicle IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BY THE PROPRIETOR , PLATES IN VOLUME XXIX. From, Original Designs. Plate Fugf CCCLXXX. Portrait of Sir Francis Drake, Vice-Admiral of England. Engraved by Page, from an original Painting, in the possession of the Proprietor of the Naval Chronicle 1 CCCLXXXI. Fort Cornwallis, Prince of Wales's Island. En- graved by Baily, from a Drawing by Wm. Westall, A.ll.A. CCCLXXXII. View of Fort4 Vili egagnon, in thp harbour of Rro de Janeiro. Engraved by Baily, from a Drawing by R.S. 132 CCCLXXXIII. Perspective section of a third-rate ship of war, 4the. Tremendous, re-built upon a novel construction Engraved by Hail .... 152 CCCLXXXTV. View of the Island of Alboran, in the Mediter- ranean. Engraved by Baily, from a Drawing by Bennet. 217 CCCLXXXV. Chart of the Island of Ceylon 236 CCCLXXXVI. Portrait of H. M/s late ship the Daedalus, and Re- presentation of the Action between H. M.’s Sloop Bacchante, and the French BrigLe Griffon. Engraved by Baily, from Drawings by Lieutenant Evans, R.N 301 CCCLXXXVII. Chart of the Coast of France, from L’Orient to the Jsle of Rue. . ‘ 529 * \ CCCLXXXVIII. Portrait of Captain Edwards Li.oyd Graham, R.N. Engraved by Page, from a Miniature ill the possession of Mrs. Graham 353 CCCLXXXIX. Sketch of the Action between H. M.’s late ship the Java, and the American frigate the Constitution, Engraved on Wood bv Berryman >-* 404 CCCXC. Astronomical Plate. Engraved by Row, from a Drawing by Lieutenant EvXns, R.N. 417 CCCXCI. View of the East End of the Island of St. Helena. Engraved by Baily, from a Drawing by Pocock. 480 CCCXCII. Chart of Scarborough Shoal in the China Seas. En- - graved by Rowe, from the Original in the possession of Captain Lord Viscount Torringtbn, R.N. ........ ...... 48 9. CCCXCITr Frontispiece to the Volume. Monument erected in Westminster Abbey, to the Memory of Captain Philip his juuiiABEZ, R.N, Drawn and engraved b^ IIalj.. 8 PREFACE TO THE TWENTY-NINTH VOLUME, Owing to some unavoidably new arrangements, which we have been obliged to make in our Ship’s Company, and to that delay we too often experience, in the very difficult and delicate task of procuring authentic materials for the Biographical Depart- ment of our Chuonicle ; our memoirs of the public services of naval officers have not been, with the exception of those of Captain E. L. Graham, so full in th«s Volume, as our readers we trust will find in the next that succeeds it. Under our Biographical Department will be found a memoir of Admiral Sir brands Drake, as written by Dr. Johnson, and which, for interest, we believe, cannot be exceeded. From the length of this memoir, we could not complete it in one npmber, without encroaching upon the other departments of the work, therefore, have continued it occasionally, so as to give the con- clusion in our last number of this Volume. Besides the memoir of Admiral Drake, we have given one of the late Austen Forrest, Esq captain in the Hon East India Company’s Marine Service— A ketch of the services of Rear-admiral Richard Incledon Bury, and the one above alluded to of Captain E. L. Graham. Our constant wish to give as much interest and accuracy to these Memoirs as the time will admit, very frequently, as in the pre- sent case, brings on us an appearance of inattention and falling off from our wonted table of fare. A biographical memoir of the late lamented Captai v Newman had long been promised us, sis being ready for insertion ; and we know that the greatest pains, and by a very able hand, have been taken to lender it worthy of appearing amongst some of the best lives in our volumes : But alas, twice, when the hour of sailing arrived, though we kept the Blue Peter flying to rhe last moment, we were obliged to get un- <jer weigh with such cargo as was ready. Sc ch being sometimes the case, we hope to meet with that for- bearance and patience from our friends, which can alone enable us in these times to keep our Chronicle afloat. It will, we trust, be always found, at the close of every Volume, when the contents of each number are blended together and connected throughout,— a very acceptable companion on the rudder head of the w ardroom, and at a price that cannot add much to the expences of the mess. We know it often appears, both at home and abroad, amidst that selection of naval books, which so many Admirals and Captains are in the custom of taking to sea with them. Our utmost endea- vours shall never be wanting to make its pages a source of amuse- ment and instruction during a long and tedious cruise : but our early Friends, and occasional Correspondents, must assist us now and then in hauling aft the main sheet, particularly in the Biogra- phy; Hydrography, and Correspondence of our Chuonicle. j . ' ?i preface: We have endeavoured in the present Volume, and we hope with tolerable success, to collect every document we could pro- cure respecting The American Navy, and its proceedings. Mr. Dawson’s speech in the House of Representatives, respecting Naval Rewards to be given by the United States , is inserted at page 8.— The letter of Oceanus, respecting the captures which the Americans have made, and the necessity of our employing larger frigates, will be found at page 12. At page 36, is an account of the naval force of the United States, November 1, 1812. At page 53, the Message of the President of the United States to Congress. At page 71, Commodore Rodgers’ Utter to the American Marine Secretary ; and the Letters on Service, respecting the captures of H. M.’s ships Frolic and Macedonian, will be found (pages 75 — 79). As also Captain J. P. Beresford’s letter, respecting the re capture of the Frolic, and the capture of the American sloop Wasp, of 20 guns. In our Correspondence, pages 113 — 119, are letters from JEolus, An Iron Gun, and Albion, respecting the American captures, and the respective strength of each in point of ships. The Declaration of our government on the causes and origin of the American war, which reflected so much credit on its noble author, Lord Castlereagh, is given at page 140. Captain Kerr’s speech to the crew of the Acasta, on hearing of the capture of the Guerriere, will be found at page 189. An account of the American Naval Dinner, given at New 1 ork, to the crew of the United States, with the Address of Admiral Vanderbelt, at page 190. An enclosure from Captain Pigot, of H.M.S. Orpheus, refuting a calumny against the crew of that ship and of others, that they would not light against the American frigates, is inserted at page 195 : — and various other valuable letters (for which we return our sincere thanks), respecting the hitherto untoward cir- cumstances of the naval war in America, will be found at pages 197, 198, 199, and 204 : Akion’s excellent reflections, on the event of the actions between the United States, and the Guerriere and Macedonian, at page 206 ; together with other judicious remarks on the same subject, at pages 288, 291, 390; and the important communication of the American Marine Secretary, sent by our Correspondent, W. H. at page 454. The official list of ships and vessels, captured and detained by the squadron under the orders of Admiral Sir J. B. Warren, between the 16th of Septem- ber, 1812, and the 26th of February, 1813, occupies pages 251, 252, aud 253. Vice-admiral Stirling’s list of American prizes brought within the jurisdiction of the Vice-admiralty Court at Halifax, from June 1, 1812, to December 14, at page 341. Captain G. Burdett’s account of a very gallant achievement by the boats of his squadron, when the American schooner Lottery, of 210 tons, and six 12-pound carronades, with a complement of 28 men, was captured, is correctly given at page 250. The Hon. Captain F. P. Irby’s letter, respecting his engagement with a French frigate, at page 256; and the letter of Lieutenant H. D. Chads, first lieutenant of his Majesty’s late ship Java; which can- not be perused without sentiments of regret and veneration for 1?U12TACE. vH Us brate commander, Captain Lambert, and his officers and ship’s company, at pages 346 — 349. The valuable communication from J. T. L. respecting the detail of Captain Lambert’s gallant action, and the address of Lieutenant Chads to the president and mem- bers of the court, page402. Mr. Jones,’ the surgeon of the Java, account of the wounded, at page 4L4. An account of the court martial, held at Portsmouth, on the 23d of April, on the re- maining officers and ship’s company of H. M.’s late ship Java, will be fouud at page 332 ; and the American account of the capture of H. MS. Peacock, at page 388. In referring to these documents, we by no means wish to pass over the attention of other friends, but to direct the notice of our readers, principally, to those parts of the Volume, which more immediately claim attention. Every hint, and professional sug- gestion, respecting the extraordinary success of the Americans, must in these times be particularly acceptable to our readers. In addition, therefore, to the Letters, on this subject, already pointed out, we beg leave to add those at pages 470, 472, 473, and 474. Captain W. H. Tremlett’s letter, as signed by himself, claims our grateful acknowledgment, page 465. That from a Naval Patriot, pages 466 — 469, cannot be too generally read : and the ideas of C. H. at page 474, are so striking, that we deem it right to recommend his letter to the particular attention of our readers. To our other Correspondents, and more especially to that able and experienced one, A. F. Y. who had been so long silent, but now again honours our Chronicle, at pages 399, and 475, our sincerest thanks are justly due. A Correspondent, * * * *, at pages 25 — 31, has promoted one of the first objects of our Chronicle, by transmitting his interesting account of the late unfortunate Lieutenant Gamage, of H. M.’s sloop Griffon. Who can peruse the following ejaculations of that officer previous to his execution, without commiseration — u Feel me , I do not tremble— Death has now no terrors for me — God is with me l — My Saviour is with me! And again — when he looked at the clergyman and said, u I would now say with my Saviour, in the garden of Gethsemane,” If it were possible that this cup depart from me ; but not my will , but Thine be done , O Lord ! And again — u at a quarter before ten, he heard the dreadful annunciation of Readiness — without the alteration of a single feature : he replied, ** I am prepared , my Saviour is with me ” He then ascended the companion ladder, and proceeded along the deck with a slow, but steady step, to the front of the platform — he there leaned for a short time on the shoulder of a friend, looked earnestly on tho ship’s company, and said, see how a Christian can die ! Senti- ments like these cannot be too often repeated in our Volume, nor too generally circulated in the profession. A friend to the Naval Chkonicle, has, indeed acted as such, (pages, 200 — 204) by sending us an account of the proceedings of Ii. M. S. Menelaus, whilst commanded by Captain Sir Peter Parker, Bart, off Toulon, during the month of last May. This is one of those extra official documents, we so much wish at all times to receive from naval riii PREFACE. officers. Another of these valuable communications is inserted^ pages 283- 286, consisting of remarks on the Volcano at St. Vin- cent, made on board H. M. S. Ringdove. Captain William Dowers, Commander, And a third, pages 409—414, from P. Q. consist- ing of important documents relative to Captain Willoughby, will be read with much attention. Our friend, An Iron Gun, has fired to good purpose, from Bristol; and we think his shots at pages 293 and 396, particularly claim attention. An excellent and well written letter from Nestor, on the conduct of officers to those seamen who are placed under them, will be found at page 212. We are much obliged to Mentor, for his letter, page 296, containing very judicious hints respecting the subjects of our sub- sequent memoirs. That of Captain Newman, as we have already said, is in hand ; and we hope some day, through the assistance of a friend, to give a memoir of the public services of the late Hon- Capt. W. Paget, who commanded the Romney. The neces- sary communications have long been promised. Why will not Bill Boston write oftener ? he must possess many more interest- ing anecdotes, besides the curious one respecting Charles II. which appears at page 408. — Aye, we knew him well at Boston ; and siucerely wish, that he now commanded a ship there : but he likes fighting better than his pen. A reference to the Index will point out the pages, which we have reserved in this Volume, for communications respecting Hydrography* Pilotage, &c. and we are much gratified at re- ceiving the thanks and assistance of some of our earliest friends, on continuing those essential subjects. In this Department of our Chronicle, every one who has been at sea, is enabled to record many useful memoranda and observations, which might otherwise be lost ; and as the preservation of our ships and merchant vessels may be promoted by communications for our Hydrography, we thus earnestly request the continuance, and augmentation of our means, to promote so desirable an object. Much have we still to say, and other Correspondents to thank, but the last gun to repair on board has been fired ; and The Spirits of the Black Sea , vulgarly called Devils, and the sturdy Press- men, those rowers of our good old Sea Boat, murmur already at our delay, and will 'not tarry any longer. We therefore bid our Friends adieu ! Courteous and Uncourteous Readers farewell !— At the close of our Thirtieth Cruise we shall meet again. u Why then a final note prolong - . - - ? To statesmen grave, if such may deign To read Sound head, clean hand, and piercing wit And patriot heart — as Pitt. A garland for the Hero’s crest, And twined by her he loves the best.,... To all, to each, a fair good night, And pleasing dreanis, and slumbers light.— — MARMlONt T.cndcm Jhd> ? Jdny.3JL.iSjQ . by -Joyce Gold. jjog.STioe Zone, Fleet Street. FIRA^TOSCTS JDTRAiEC^Eoi / BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR OF SIR FRANCIS DRAKE, Knt, VICE-ADMIRAL OF ENGLAND, IN THE YEAR 1538.* Dracc, pererrati quern novit terminus orbis, Quemque simul mundi vidii uterque polus ; Si taceant homines, facient te sidera notum, Sol nescit comilis non memor esse sui. Exposed to thee have earth’s last limits been, Thou at like distance both the poles hast seen ; Were mankind mute, the stars thy fame would blaze, And Phoebus sing his old companion’s praise. FOR his bravery, perseverance, and general talent, Sir Francis Drake will ever be remembered amongst the dis- tinguished names which have immortalized the reign of Elizabeth — ■» the Augustan age of Britain. We have been long anxious to inscribe a brief memorial of his achievements on our c alumna rostrata ; and the fortunate acquisition of an original portrait of the hero, + has tended to accelerate the accpmplishment of our desires. Dr. Johnson,- whose labours in biography may justly be re- garded as so many models in that branch/ of literary composition, wrote the lives of only two naval characters— pSir Francis Drake, * In the XVIlIth Volume of the Naval Chronicle, page 89, will be found a portrait, and a comprehensive biographical memoir, of Charles Howard, Earl ,of Nottingham, Lord High Admiral of England, at the time of the Spanish armada. In the memoir are inserted several highly important official documents, relating to the armada, which have never appeared in any other life of the admiral. — A portrait of Sir John Hawkins, Knr. Rear-admiral of England, under the Earl of Nottingham and Sir Francis Drake, with an accompanying biography, will be given in a future volume of tire Naval Chronicle. f In the painting of Sir Francis Drake, here alluded to, his name is spelled Draec. This circumstance affords a strong presumptive. proof of the originality of the picture ; and also, as it is in the style of Hans Holbein, that it is the pro- duction of a German pupil of that artist ; the orthography being precisely that which a German would have adopted, as corresponding with the English pro- nunciation of the word Drake. /Sati, £!;Eom CIoL XXIX. R NATAL BIOGRAPHY- 2 and Admiral Blake.* * * § The former contains so admirable a display of character, seems so completely to devclope the views and mo- tives of its subject, and exhibits so many moral beauties, that w« shall make no apology for transferring it to the pages of the Naval Chronicle ; as, without experiencing the slightest self- degradation, we pronounce it to be eminently superior to any original memoir of Sir Francis Drake, that we might be enabled to offer. From The Biograpkia Britannica , however — a work too voluminous, and of a nature too recherche for the general reader — we shall extract, and append to Dr. Johnson’s narrative, in the form of notes, such corrections, and additional informa- tion, as may render the present account of Sir Francis Drake, at once the most interesting, and the most correct, that has hitherto appeared. + Dr. Johnson commences, and proceeds, as follows : — Francis Drake was the son of a clergyman in Devonshire, who being inclined to the doctrine of the protestants, at that time much opposed by Henry VIII. was obliged to fly from his place of residence into Kent for refuge from the persecution raised against him, and those of the same opinion, by the law of the Six Articles.:}: How long he lived there, or how he was supported, was not known ; nor have we any account of the first years of Sir Francis Drake’s life ; of any disposition to hazards and advent lures which might have been discovered in his childhood ; or of the educa- tion which qualified him for such wonderful attempts : § we are only * They first appeared in The Gentleman's Magazine ; afterwards, they were pub- lished in Davies’s Miscellanies ; and, of late years, they have been inserted in the complete editions of Dr. Johnson’s works. t Other sources will, of course, be applied to, for information relating to such of Sir Francis Drake’s descendants as have served in the royal navy ; amongst whom, in particular, was Rear-admiral Francis Samuel Drake, created a baronet in. the year 1782, for his distinguished services in Rodney’s memorable action of the 12th of April. $ This account is given on the credit of Camden, who professed to have re- ceived it from Sir Francis Drake himself. The same authority mentions Francis Earl of Bedford, as his god-father. As the result of their researches, however, the editors of the Biographia Britannica consider, that Sir Francis Drake was the son of Edmund Drake, a sailor; that he was the eldest of a family of twelve children ; and that he was born near Tavistock, in Devonshire, in the year 1545. § According to the authority already mentioned, and on w-hich we chiefly tely, he, was brought up at the expense of Sir John Hawkins , w'ho was his kins- inan; and by him, at the age of eighteen, he was introduced to a maritime life, the purser of a ship which traded to Biscay. From the crcumsta-nces of his birth, and family, however, it pcemi extremely probable, that he first went u sea af ay earlier period. SIR FRANCIS DRAKE} KNT, 3 informed, that he was put apprentice by his father to the master of a small vessel that traded to France and the Low Countries, under whom he pro- bably learned the rudiments of navigation, and familiarised himself to the dangers and hardships of the sea. But how few opportunities soever he might have in this part of his life for the exercise of his courage, he gave so many proofs of his diligence and fidelity, that his master dying unmar- ried, left him his little vessel in reward of bis service ; a circumstance that deserves to be remembered, not only as it may illustrate the private cha- racter of this brave man, but as it may hint to all those who may hereafter propose his conduct for their imitation, that Virtue is the surest founda- tion both of reputation and for tune > and that the first step to greatness ist to be honest. If it were not improper to dwell longer on an incident at tho first view so inconsiderable, it might be added, that it deserves the reflec- tion of those, who, when they are engaged in affairs not adequate to their abilities, pass them over with a contemptuous neglect, and while they amuse themselves with chimerical schemes, and plans of future undertak- ings, suffer every opportunity of smaller advantage to slip away, as unwor- thy their regard. They may learn from the example of Drake, that diligence in employments of less consequence is the most successful intro-? duction to greater enterprises. After having followed for some time his master’s profession, he grew weary of so narrow a province, and having sold his little vessel, ventured his effects in the new trade to the West Indies,* which, having not been long discovered, and very little frequented by the English till that time, were conceived so much to abound in wealth, that no voyage thither could fail of being recompensed by great advantages. Nothing was talked of among the mercantile or adventurous part of mankind, but the beauty and riches of this New World. Fresh discoveries were frequently made, new countries and nations never heard of be fore- were daily described; and it may easily be concluded that the relaters did not diminish the merit of their attempts, by suppressing or diminishing any circumstance that might produce wonder, or excite curiosity. Nor was their vanity only engaged in raising admirers, but their interest likewise in procuring adventurers, who were indeed easily gained, by the hopes which naturally arise from new prospects, though through ignorance of the American Seas, and by the malice of the Spaniards, who, from the first discovery of thos$ countries, considered every other nation that attempted to follow them, as * He is stated, in other accounts, and with an appearance of probability, to have gone as purser to the bay of Biscay, when he sold his Own vessel. On his return, it is added, he made a voyage to the coast of Guinea ; in 1565, he sailed with a Captain Lovel, to the West Indies, where he experienced some indifferent treatment from the Spaniards; and, in 1567, he joined Sir John Hawkins, in hii expedition to the coast of Guinea, 4 NAVAL BIOGRAPHY. invaders of their rights ; the best concerted designs often miscarried. Among those who- suffered most from the Spanish injustice, was Captain John Hawkins, who having been admitted by the viceroy to traffic in the bay of Mexico* was, contrary to the stipulation then made between them,* and in violation of the peace between Spain and England, attacked with- out any declaration of hostilities, and obliged, after an obstinate resistance, to retire with the loss of four ships, and a great number of his men, who were either .destroyed or carried into slavery. In this voyage Drake had adven- tured almost all his fortune, which he in vain endeavoured to recover, both byJiis own private interest, and by obtaining letters from Queen Elizabeth; for the Spaniards, deaf to all remonstrances, either vindicated the injustice of the viceroy, or at least forbore to redress it.* Drake, thus oppressed and impoverished, retained at least his courage and his industry ; that ardent spirit .that prompted him to adventures, and that indefatigable patience that enabled him to surmount difficulties.f lie did not sit down idly to lament misfortunes which Heaven had put it in his power to remedy* or to repine at poverty, while the wealth of his enemies was to be gained : but having made two voyages to America,^ for the sake of gaining intel- ligence of the state of the Spanish settlements, and acquainted himself with the seas and coasts, -"he determined on a third expedition of more im- portance ; by which the Spaniards should find how imprudently they always act, who injure and insult a brave man. On the 24th of May, 1572, Francis Drake set sail from Plymouth, in the Pascha, of seventy tons, accompanied by the Swan, of twenty-five tons* commanded by his brother, John Drake, having in both the vessels seventy three men and boys, with a year’s provision, and such artillery and am- munition as was necessary for his undertaking ; which, however incredible it may appear to such as consider rather his force, than his fortitude, was no less than to make reprisals upon the most powerful nation in the worlds. The wind continuing favourable, they entered, June the 29th* between Guadaloupe and Dominica ; and, on July 6th, saw the high land of Santa Martha, then continuing their course, after having been becalmed * In this unfortunate expedition, which sailed from Plymouth on the 2d of October, 1567, Drake commanded a ship called the Judith ; and, in the respective actions with the Spaniards, lie acquitted himself with great gallantry. “ If,*’ says S;r John Hawkins, alluding to the stress of weather, the cruelties of the Spaniards* the want of provisions, &c» which had been sustained, •* all the miseries and troublesome affairs of this sorrowful voyage should be perfectly and thoroughly written* there should need a painful naan with his pen, and as great a time as he that wrote the Jives and deaths of the martyrs.” f After his return to England, lie is said to have served for some time on board one of the. Queen’s ships. -4 The first, in 1570, with the Dragon, and the Swan; the second, in 1571, w»tfi the Swan only. t y. SIR FRANCIS DRAKE, KNT. 5 for some time, they arrived at Port Pheasant, so named by Drake in a former voyage, to the east of Nombre de Dios. Here he proposed to build his pinnaces, which he had brought in pieces ready framed from Plymouth ; and was going ashore with a few men unarmed, but discovering a smoke at a distance, ordered the other boat to follow him with a greater force. Then marching towards the fire, which was in the top of a high tree, he found a plate of lead nailed to another tree, with an inscription engraved upon it by one Garret, an Englishman, who had left that place but five days before ; and had taken this method of informing him, that the Spa- niards had been advertised of his intention to anchor at that place, and that it therefore would be prudent to make a very short stay there. But Drake, knowing how convenient this place was for his designs, and con- sidering that the hazard and waste of time, which could not be avoided in seeking another station, was equivalent to any other danger which was to be apprehended from the Spaniards, determined to follow his first resolu- tion ; only, for his greater security, he ordered a kind of palisade, or forti- fication, to be made, by felling large trees, and laying the trunks and branches one upon another by the side of the river. On July 20, having built their pinnaces, and being joined by one Cap- tain Rause, who happened to touch at the same place, with a bark, of 50 men, they set sail towards Nombre de Dios, and taking two frigates at the island of Pines, were informed by the negroes, which they found in them, that the inhabitants of that place were in expectation of some soldiers, which the governor of Panama had promised, to defend them from the Symerons, or fugitive negroes, who, having escaped from the tyranny of their masters in great numbers, had settled themselves under two kings, or leaders on each side of the way between Nombre d'e Dios, and Panama ; and not only deserted their natural attachment to liberty and independence, but endeavoured to revenge the cruelties they had suffered, qnd had lately put the inhabitants of Nombre de Dios into the utmost consternation. These negroes, the captain set on shore on the main land, so that they might, by joining the Symerons, recover their liberty, or at least might not have it in their power to give the people of Nombre de Dios any speedy information of his intention to invade them. Then selecting fifty- three men from his own company, and twenty from the crew of his new associate, Captain Rause* he embarked with them in his pinnaces, and set sail for Nombre de Dios. On July the 28th, at night, he approached the town undiscovered, and dropped his anchors under the shore, intending after his men were refreshed, to begin the attack ; but finding they were terrifying each other with formidable accounts of the strength of the place, and the multitude of the inhabitants, he determined to hinder the panic from spreading farther, by leading them immediately to action : and there- fore ordering them to their oars, he landed without any opposition, there 6 KAVAL BIOGRAPHY. being only one gunner upon the bay, though it was secured with six brasf cannons of the largest size ready mounted. But the gunner, while they were throwing their cannons from their carriages, alarmed the town, as they soon discovered by the bell, the drums, and the noise of the people. Drake, leaving twelve men to guard the pinnaces, marched round the town with no great opposition, the men being more hurt by treading on the weapons left on the ground by the flying enemy, than by the resistance which they encountered. At length, having taken some of the Spaniards, Drake commanded them to shew him the governor’s house, where the mules that bring the silver from Panama were unloaded ; there they found the door open, and entering the room where the silver was reposited, found it heaped up in bars, in such quantities as almost exceed belief ; the pile being, they conjectured, seventy feet in length, ten in breadth, and twelve in height : each bar weighing between thirty and forty-five pounds. It is easy to imagine, that at the sight of this treasure, nothing was thought on by the English, but by what means they might best convey it to their boats ; aud doubtless it was not easy for Drake, who, consider- ing their distance from the shore, and the numbers of their enemies, w as afraid of being intercepted in his retreat, to hinder his men from encum- bering themselves with so much silver, as might have retarded their march, and obstructed the use of their weapons : however, by promising to lead them to the king’s treasure-house, where there was gold, and jewels, to a far greater Value, and where the treasure was not only more portable, but nearer the coast, he persuaded them to follow him, and to rejoin the main body of his men, then drawn up under the command of his brother in the market-place. Here he found his little troop much discouraged by the imagination* that if they stayed any longer, the enemy would gain possession of their pinnaces, and that they should then, without any means of safety, be left to stand alone against the whole power of that country. Drake, not indeed easily terrified, but sufficiently cautious, sent to the coast to inquire the truth, and see if the same terror had taken possession of the men, whom he sent to guard his boats; but finding no foundation for these dreadful apprehensions, he persisted in his first design, and led the troop forward to the treasure-house. In their way there fell a violent shower of rain, which wet some of their bow-strings, and extinguished many of their matches; a misfortune which might soon have been repaired, and which perhaps the enemy might suffer in common with them, but which however on this occasion very much embarrassed them, as the delay produced by it repressed that ardour which sometimes is only to be kept by continued action, and gaye time to the timorous and slothful to spread their insinua- tions, and propagate their cowardice. Some, whose fear was their predo- minant passion, were continually magnifying the numbers and courage of 7 SIR FRANCIS DRAKE, KNT. their enemies, and represented whole nations as ready to rush upon them ; others, whose avarice mingled with their concern for their own safety, were more solicitous to preserve what they had already gained, than to acquire more; others, brave in themselves, and resolute, began to doubt of success in an undertaking, in which they were associated with such cowardly companions ; so that scarcely any man appeared to proceed in their enterprise with that spirit, and alacrity, which could give Drake a prospect of success. This he perceived ; and with some emotion told them, that if, after having had the chief treasure of the world within their reach, they should go home and languish in poverty, they could blame nothing but their own cowardice , that he had performed bis part, and was still desirous to lead them on to riches and to honour. Then finding, that either'shame or conviction made them willing to follow him, he ordered the treasure-house to be forced, and commanding his brother, and Oxen- ham, of Plymouth, a man known afterwards for his bold adventures in th^ same parts, to take charge of the treasure ; he commanded the other body to follow him to the market-place, that he might be ready to oppose any scattered troops of the Spaniards, and hinder them from uniting into one body. But as he stepped forward, his strength failed him on a sudden, and he fell down speechless : then it was that his companions perceived a wound in his leg, which he had received in the first encounter, but hitherto- concealed, lest his men, easily discouraged, should make their concern for his life a pretence for returning to their boats. Such had been his loss of blood, as was discovered upon nearer observation, that it had filled the prints of his footsteps ; and it appeared scarce credible, that after such effusion of blood, life should remain. The bravest were now willing to retire ; neither the desire of honour, nor of riches, was thought enough to prevail in any man over his regard for his leader. Drake*, whom cordials had now restored to his speech, was the only man who could not be prevailed on to leave the enterprise unfi- nished. It was to no purpose that they advised him to submit to go on board to have his wound dressed, and promised to return with him and complete their design : he well knew how impracticable it was to regain the opportunity when it was once lost, and could easily foresee that a respite, of but a few hours, would enable the Spaniards to recover from their consternation, to assemble their forces, refit their batteries, and remove their treasure. What he had undergone so much danger to obtain was now in his hands ; and the thoughts of leaving it untouched was too mortifying to be patiently borne. However, as there was little time for consultation, and the same danger attended their stay in that perplexity and confusion, as their return, they bound up his wound with his scarf ; and partly by force, partly by entreaty, carried him to the boats, in which they all embarked by break of day. Then taking with them, out of the 6 NAUTICAL ANECDOTES, &C. harhour, a ship loaded with wines, they went to the Bastimentes; an island about a league from the town, where they stayed two days to repose the wounded men, and to regale themselves with the fruits which grew in great plenty in the gardens of that island. During their stay here, there came over from the main land a Spanish gentleman, sent by the governor, with instructions to inquire whether the captain was that Drake who had been before on their coast ; whether the arrows with which many of their men were wounded were not poisoned; and whether they wanted provi- sions or other necessaries : the messenger likewise extolled their courage with the highest encomiums, and expressed his admiration of their daring undertaking. Drake, though he. knew the civilities of an enemy are always to be suspected ; and that the messenger, amidst all his professions of regard, was no other than a spy : yet, knowing that he had nothing to apprehend, treated him with the highest honours that his condition admitted of ; in answer to his inquiries, he assured him that he was the same Drake with whose character they were before acquainted ; that he was a rigid observer of the laws of war, and never permitted his arrows to be poisoned ; he then dismissed him with considerable presents ; and told him that, though he had unfortunately failed in this attempt, he would never desist from his design, till he had shared with Spain the treasures of America. (To be continued.) NAUTICAL ANECDOTES, &e. o AMERICAN NAVAL REWARDS, TN the House of Representatives, on the 5th of November last, Mr, Dawson rose, and thus expressed himself: — “ I take this early moment to present to you a resolution which I feel pleasure and pride in believing will meet the general approbation, not only of this house, but of the nation. — The president of the United States, in his message, which was read yesterday, has, in terms eloquent arid appro- priate, made mention of an engagement which has taken place between an American frigate and one of his Britannic Majesty- s ; an engagement in which American tars have proved to the world, that when commanded by officers of skill, valour, and fidelity, they are capable of contending with, and vanquishing those of any nation on .the earth upon any element, even on that element where British skill has acquired so much celebrity; and that the American flag, when authorized hy the constitutional authorities of our country, will command respect on the high road of nations. Far, very far, be it from me to boast; it ill becomes an individual or a nation, and is never the concomitant of true .courage ; but on the present occasion^ 9 NAUTICAL ANECDOTES, &C. at seems to me proper that we should express our sentiments, our feelings, and thereby the feelings of the nation. I shall, therefore, without farther comment, offer to you the following resolution, observing that the facts therein stated have been ascertained at the proper department, and the proofs are on the table: “ 6 Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the president pf the United States be, and is hereby requested to present, in the name of Congress, to Captain Isaac Hull, a gold medal, with suitable emblems and devices; and that the sum of thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby appropriated to be distributed as prize-money to the officers and crew of the United States frigate Constitution, of 44 guns, according to the provisions of the act for the better government of the navy of the United States, in testimony of the high sense entertained by Congress of the gallantry, good conduct, and services of Captain Hull, the officers and crew of the frigate Constitution, in attacking, vanquishing, and capturing the British frigate Guerriere, mounting 54 carriage-guns, thereby exhibiting an example highly honourable to the American character, and instructive to our rising navy/ v The candour of the above resolution, it is presumed, will not escape the notice of the reader. The force of the Constitution, as to her number of guns, is described as that at which she is rated (44), though it is under- stood that she actually mounted 58 ; saying nothing of her superior size, weight of metal, number of men, & c. On the other hand, the force of the Guerriere, as to her number of guns, is described — not as in the case of the Constitution, at what she was rated (38) but — as mounting 54. We believe it would puzzle most naval men, to know in what ipgmner such a number of guns, had they heen actually on board, could haye been worked ip a ship of the size of the Guerriere. 