The Sun.
London, England, 1829-12-02 00:00:00

ANECDOTES of the BATTLE of NAVARIN

About half-past three o'clock, as near as
could guess, the bight of the main-sleet hung
just down before our gun, and n!ed us
in the pointing of it. I was ordered, along
with another, to go on deck, and haul in the
slack, to keep it out of the road of the muzzle.
I can't say I liked this job, for, during the ac.
tion, a deep impression lay on my mind that.
I Ives safer at my gun than anywhere else : how-
ever, go I must. On gaining the main-deck,
the scene of carnage and devastation far exceeded
what was on the lower deck. Shortly before
this, I heard a dreadful crash, as if tae whole
ship's side had been stove in, and I now learned
that it was occasioned by two marble ,ihot, of'
120 pound weight each, striking the main-
deck abreast of the main-hatchway. They had
knocked two ports into one, and wounded -five
men, among whom was my dear messmate,
Morfiet ; but this I did not know at the time.
I saw Captain Bathurst coming down the poop
ladder, when the tail of his cocked bet vas car- '
ried away by a splinter from the bulwarks ofthe
ship. He took off the hat, looked at. it, and
smiled ; then coming down on the quarter-deck,
which was the most imminently exposed part of
the ship, issued his orders with the same calm-
ness as if be had been exercising guns at' -sea,
There was something at once noWe'aild
crous in the appearance and situation cf the old
man, as he proudly walked the quarter-deck with
his drawn sword and shattered bat, 'amid
showers of shot and splinters, insensible appa-
rently to the danger that surrounded him. My
companion and I essayed with all our might to
haul in the slack of the main-sheet, but could
not effect it, the rope being so heavy. The
rigging of the ship was torn in pieces, her yards
topped up. and down, and some of them fore
and aft, the lifts shot away, and the quarter-deck
so bestrewed with splinters of wood, that it pre-
sented the appearance of a carpenter's shop.
The Captain came forward to us, and looking up
exclaimed, " By G—, the Union Jack's shot
away ! Go aft on the poop, and tell Davy, the
signal man, to give me another Union Jack," I
Went aft, and found Davy looking out with Iris
glass at the Asia, which was about a cable's
length astern of us. The Admiral was standing,
on the poop netting, and with a speaking trum-
pet was hailing our ship with " Genoa, a-boy !"
—" Sir Edward," was the reply of the signal
man, " Send a boat with a hawser to swing-my
ship's stern clear of a fire-ship that's drifting down
upon us."—" Aye, aye, Sir," said Davy, and was
going away, when I told him what the Captain
had sent me for. He said he had a Union Jack
in his breast, where he had stowed it in the be-
inning of the action, to be ready for any 0
un-
lucky accident that might happen, and proceeded
to the Captain.
When I came forward to the place I lied left,
I saw that the message I had been sent was the
means of saving my life, for, during my alisence
the hammock netting had been torn completely
to pieces with shot, and the poor fellow, Holmes,
who came up with me, was stretched on the
deck. The Captain was at the gangway, look.
ing into our opponent's vessel. " Did you bring
the Union Jack, Davy ?" said he. " Yes, Sir,
said Davy ; and at the same time told him what
the Admiral wanted. The C,agt.aita anatelied
the flag out of Davy's hand, and, walking smartly
forward, demanded, " Who would go and nail
the British Union Jack at the fore-royal-mast-
head ?" A good-looking man, of the name of
Neil, stept for Ward at once, and teak it out of
the Captain's hand, and, without speaking, be.
gan to make the best of his way up the two or
three tattered shrouds that were left in the fore-
rigging. The Captain then ordered halfaa-dozen
of the nearest men—among whom I was (ma—
to man a boat and take a hawser for the Asia.
Having got over the side into the boat, we sat
waiting, while two of the men were occupied in
coiling it in. I had here a fine view of the
contending fleets, and could see that we had a
galling fire to sustain at this titne from two line-.
of-battle ships, one of which, although on fire,
still kept up a constant cannonading upon ti •
he Asia, which was astern of us, had at this
time only ono large vessel, a liner, and a
double-bank frigate, playing upon her. I
trembled for the fear of our ship, because
I was sure, that if the game continued to
played so uncquaLy, we would stand a chance
how Nail lied got np with the t_7nion Jack, be
coming off second Gera. I looked aloft to vi,
1,f3
in,aw him clinging with. Ins ieet to the ro
vinn
snatched tali lair got un decal;
h_'
ae:sit
1,1
he hei:llll:rdmeaeio.i
uld
ner
in which he
Tbe ta:::e"rcp(l'iboseled
in the stern,
under-
took,