1808	Boats of Nymphe and Blossom in the Tagus	39

150 officers and men, quitted the Nymphe, in two divisions, for the Tagus. The larboard division consisted of the Nymphe's gig, Captain Shipley, her large cutter, Lieutenant Richard Standish Haly, launch, Lieutenant Thomas Hodgskins, and yawl, master's mate Michael Raven. The starboard division consisted of the Blossom's gig, Captain George Pigot, her large cutter, Lieutenant John Undrell, launch, Lieutenant William Cecil, and the Nymphe's small cutter, master's mate Thomas Hill. The orders were, for the boats to keep in tow of each other until they were discovered by the brig : then to cast-off, and pull alongside as fast as possible ; the larboard division to board on the larboard, and the starboard division on the opposite, side of the enemy's vessel. As, in the event of success, the Garotta in coming out might not be able, on account of the darkness, to avoid the shoals off the entrance of the river, Mr. Henry Andrews, the master of the Nymphe, with the jollyboat, was directed to station himself on the northern extremity of the South Cachop ; and, upon seeing the brig approach, he was to hoist a light by way of beacon.

The British boats entered the Tagus in the order prescribed, and, ascending with the tide, got near enough, by the time it became slack water, to see the vessels in the harbour. Wishing to have a good tide to carry out his prize, Captain Shipley waited until he saw the vessels swim with the ebb. Unfortunately for the success of the enterprise, there was a fresh in the river, and the tide in consequence, when the ebb had fairly made, ran at the rate of seven knots an hour. Notwithstanding this unexpected difficulty, the boats gut tolerably close to the enemy's vessel before they were discovered. Upon being hailed by the Garotta (the French captain saying in good English, " My good fellows, you had better keep off, you will all be killed if you come on board"), who lay within pistol-shot of the guns of Belem castle, and had for her additional protection a floating battery carrying long 24-pounders, the boats of the two divisions cast themselves off and severally made towards her.

The gig soon darted out of sight of the other boats, and at about 2 h. 30 m. a.m. on the 23d, boarded the French brig on the larboard bow. Captain Shipley, having sprung into the Garotta's fore-rigging, was in the act of cutting away the boarding-netting, when he received a musket-ball in his forehead and fell dead into the water. The next in command of the gig was Mr. Charles Shipley, the late captain's brother, but not attached to the Nymphe, nor even, we have heard * , belonging to the naval profession. His fraternal affection overcoming every other consideration, Mr. Shipley ordered the gig's crew to shove off from the enemy's vessel, and endeavour to pick up their captain. As she dropped from the brig's side, the gig fell foul of the oars of the large cutter, just as the latter was about to lay herself

* He is now the Reverend Charles Shipley.

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