Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1809-06-19

fiiCu WIN ihihhANss ~ - - ~
fhot. and then his Lortihip's danger
in this enterprise nay &c properly
conceived. The wind blew a g4le,
and the tide ran three knots an hoa,.
When the blue lights Of the hre-
ihips were difcovered, one Of The TN
emy's 6gnal ihips made the asnai
for hie-fhips, which alto being blue
light, the enemy fell into great con-
fu6op, firing upon her With very in
furious effect, and directly cut their
cables.
When Lord Cachrane had con-
duaed his explolon fhip as near as
was pofIiblr, the enemy having taken
the alarm, be ordered his brave little
crew into tie boat, and followed
them, after putting fire to the fufc,
which was calculated to gise.ihen
fifteen minutes TO get out Of the
reach of the exploiion. However.
in confequence of the wind getting
yey high, the fule burnt TOO quickly );
70 that, with the mott violent exer-
lions againf wind and tide, this in
trepid little party was fix minutes
nearer than they calculated to be, at
the time when the mott tremendous
exploGon that human art ever con-
trived took place followed by the
buriting at once in the air Of near
400 ihe.ls, and COCO hand -granades,
pouring down fhower Of CAT metal
in every direction But fortunately
the boat reached, by unparalleled ex-
ertion, only beyond the extent OF the
deitruetion Unhappily this effort
to efcape colt the life Of the brave
lieutenant, whom this noble captain
faw die in the boat, partly under ia
tigue, and partly drowned with waves
that CONTINUALLY broke over them.
Two of the four failors were alto 10
nearly exhauned, that their recovery
has been defpaired of Such were
the perils our hero encountered, and
which have hitherto been buried in
flence. When they reached their
chip, the imperieufs, it was known
that Lord Cochrane was the hrif to
90 down to the attack, and was for
more than an hour the only Engliia
man of war in the harbor. his ar
tack and capture of the Calcutta,
which had one third more euns than
the Imperieufe, has been properly
fpoken OF.
The repetition of bis esplofons
was 70 dreaded by the enemy, that
they apprehended an equa. exploaon
III every 6re-fhip and immediate
ly crewding all fail, ran before the
wind and tide 70 fait, that the FIRE
ihips though at firf very near, could
not osertake them, before they were
high and dry on fhore, exccp: three.
74's bc6des the Calcutt4, which were
afterwards engaged, taken and burnt.
Seven went aihore, of which two
three deckers afterwards got off, be-
fore our ihips of the line got in, and
they went up the river 1.-Two of the
remaining five were on their beam
ends before lord Cochrane came a.
way, and it was bis lordfhip's opinion,
thar with proper exertion they might
be completely deltroyed.
Our hero foon turned his attention
to reicue the vanquifned ihips from
the devou,'ng elements; and in bring
ing away the people OF the Vile d..
Variove, lac would not allow even
a DOC to be abandoned. bur took a
crying and now neglected lii,ls fav-
orite in his arms. and brou glt il a
way. Bot a much Crater inl'ance q
goodncfs was dl.p!aysd in his human
ity to the captain OF French -
who came 70 deliver his fword to lord
Cochrane lamentiie. that all he bsd
in the world was about 10 pc deiiroy-
ed by the conhagrsrion OF his ili'p -
His lordihip initantly gc, iuo the
boat with him, and puihod off, 10 as q
ff his prifoner IN refcuins ion'e ~
liable property; but, in Paaing BY
"a which was on fire, her loa led guns
began to 60 off; ibot from which
killed the French captain By lord
Cochrane's lide, ari 10 damaged The
boat thai ihc filed with water, aud
the reit OF this party were neaiiy
drowned.