1809	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	156

board. Of these the Proserpine had one seaman killed, and 10 seamen and marines (including one mortally) wounded. As if ashamed of their very indifferent gunnery, the French officially declared, that the Proserpine's loss amounted to 11 killed and 15 wounded. But the guns on the British side appear to have been discharged with even less effect. For, according to the French accounts, neither the Pénélope, nor the Pauline had a man killed or wounded ; and the latter frigate suffered not at all, and the former very slightly, in the rigging and sails. " Notre bonheur est tel que, quoique nous aeons combattu vergue à vergue et du nuit, la Pénélope, et la Pauline n'ont pas eu un seul homme de tué, ni de blessé. La Pénélope, a eu quelques avaries dans son gréement, et la Pauline, par la position habile qu'elle a su conserves, n'a nullement souffert. " *

At daybreak, which was just as the two French frigates had taken possession of their prize, the two 74s were discovered about seven miles in the east-north-east, approaching under all sail ; and shortly afterwards the Pomone made her appearance in the south-east. Captain Utter continued in France as a prisoner until the conclusion of the war. On the 30th of October, 1814, the captain and late officers and crew of the Proserpine were tried by a court-martial for the loss of their ship, and most honourably acquitted.

On the 15th of March, early in the morning, the British 38-gun frigate Arethusa, Captain Robert Mends, cruising off the north coast of Spain, detached her boats under the orders of Lieutenant Hugh Pearson and Lieutenant of marines Octavius Scott. At daylight these officers, with the seamen and marines under their command, landed, and destroyed upwards of 20 heavy guns mounted on the batteries at Lequito, defended by a detachment of French soldiers ; a sergeant and 20 of whom, when the British forced the guard-house in the principal battery, threw down their arms and begged for quarter. These were made prisoners, but the rest of their comrades effected their escape by running. Notwithstanding a smart fire of musketry from the battery and guard-house as Lieutenant Pearson and his party advanced, this very gallant exploit was performed with so slight a loss as three men wounded. A small chaloupe, laden with brandy, was found in the harbour and brought away.

On the 16th, in the evening, having received information of two chasse-marées, laden with brandy for the French army in Spain, being up the river Andero, the same party again landed, and found the vessels aground four miles up the river. The cargoes were destroyed: but the vessels, having been forcibly taken from the Spaniards by the French, were restored to their owners.

* Moniteur, March 7, 1809.

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