1808	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	62

proceeding to attack a force, which, in number and strength, had been magnified at every island at which he had touched in his way up ; and his officers and men, on their part, gave unequivocal proofs of a high degree of skill and steadiness, in the manner in which the Seahorse tore to pieces two opponents, possessing so great a numerical superiority. Nor did the Turks behave amiss : their want of skill may well be attributed to their want of practice ; but the obstinacy of the Badere-Zaffer, in protracting the defence until her masts were cut away, her hull reduced to a sinking state, and nearly three fourths of her crew swept from their quarters, was truly characteristic of that desperate courage which the Mahomedans on several occasions have displayed.

Taking her shattered prize in tow, the Seahorse stood with her to the southward. Scandril, at his own request, had been allowed to return on parole to the Badere-Zaffer ; but, before he had been many hours on board, the savage made an attempt to blow up the ship. His diabolical plan was fortunately frustrated ; and on the 9th the two ships cast anchor in the principal harbour of the island of Miconi. Here it took the Seahorse three days to place her prize in a seaworthy state. That done, Captain Stewart gave the surviving Turks their liberty ; sending them to Constantinople and Smyrna on board Greek vessels, and supplying them with provisions for the voyage. The Seahorse, then, taking her prize again in tow, proceeded with her to Malta. The Badere-Zaffer was a remarkably handsome frigate, built from a French model, and measured 166 feet on the main deck, and 44 feet in breadth of beam ; but, owing to the loose manner in which she had been put together, the price prize was not purchased for the use of the British navy. Some merchants of Malta, however, bought the Badere-Zaffer, and sent her to England with a cargo of cotton. The ship afterwards made one voyage to the Brazils, and was then broken up at Deptford.

The first lieutenant of the Seahorse, as was most justly his due, was promoted to the rank of commander. The two remaining lieutenants were Thomas Bennett and Richard Glyn Vallack ; and the master was Thomas Curtis, the same officer who served in a similar capacity on board the Wilhelmina when she beat off the Psyché *

After the business of the Badere-Zaffer, a fresh attempt was made to negotiate a peace ; and for that purpose Mr. Robert Adair was sent by the British government to Constantinople. The Seahorse herself carried up the ambassador ; and her officers saw their old opponent, the Alis-Fezan, lying dismantled in the harbour. After some delay, occasioned by one or two of those

* See vol., iii., p. 267.

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