Taking her prize in tow, the Pi�montaise steered for the Isle of France, where the two ships arrived on the 4th of July. As a proof of her extraordinary fast sailing, the frigate, in a moderate breeze, carrying three single reefed topsails, foresail, and mizen staysail, towed her prize, a deeply-laden ship, measuring nearly a fourth more tonnage than herself, and having very small jury-sails set, at the rate of seven and a half knots an hour.

On the 22d of June, in the evening, Captain George Ralph Collier, of the 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Minerva, lying becalmed in Finisterre bay, despatched two boats, under the command of Lieutenant William Howe Mulcaster, first of the frigate, assisted in the cutter by Lieutenant of marines Charles Menzies and in the barge by Lieutenant Ogle Moore, to scour the neighbouring coast, and, in particular, to make an attempt upon some luggers of which information had been received.

The boats pushed off, and, on arriving where the luggers lay, found they must carry a fort. This, although it mounted eight brass guns, 24 and 12 pounders, was carried in a very neat and masterly manner by the bayonet and pike, before the guard had time either to raise the drawbridge, or to discharge a 12-pounder, which (a fishing-boat having apprized the garrison of the approach of the British) had been brought to face the gate. Four of the Spanish guard laid down their arms and were made prisoners : the remainder escaped.

As the day began to dawn and the men were much fatigued by their long row to the shore and their subsequent march over a heavy sand, Lieutenant Mulcaster and his party were obliged to restrict themselves to spiking the guns and throwing some of them into the sea. They then took quiet possession of five luggers laden with wine, bound to Ferrol and Corunna ; and, although exposed, for nearly two hours, to a fire from a two-gun battery to the southward of the town, the British brought out their prizes without injury to a single man on either side.

On the 9th of July, while the Minerva was lying in the road of Oporto, Captain Collier despatched her barge, under the command of Lieutenant Mulcaster, to cruise a few leagues to the northward, in the hope to intercept some of the Spanish privateers and row-boats, lurking in the creeks and rivers of Portugal, to be ready to commit depredations upon the Lisbon trade as soon as it appeared off the coast. On the 11th after a fatiguing row of nearly 40 miles, the barge fell in with the Spanish lugger-privateer Buena-Dicha, of one long 8-pounder, besides blunderbusses and musketry, and manned with 26 of the Guarda desperadoes. The barge advanced under a discharge of grape-shot from the lugger's prow-gun ; but nothing could withstand the impetuosity of Lieutenant Mulcaster and his men. They quickly boarded and carried the privateer ; killing one of her crew, and wounding badly her captain, two other officers;

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