1810	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	260

vessels were destroyed, the British retired in some disorder, thereby encouraging the French soldiers, who had just received a reinforcement from St.-Félice, to advance upon them. Instead of directing their retreat upon the beach, where the Sparrowhawk and Minstrel lay ready to cover their embarkation, the " brave but thoughtless and unfortunate men " passed through the town down to the mole. From the walls and houses, the French opened a severe fire upon the boats crowded with men, and in a dastardly manner fired upon and killed several who had been left on the mole and were endeavouring to swim to the boats.

The result was that, out of the 600 British officers and men who had landed, two officers, 19 seamen, and 12 marines were killed, 15 officers, 42 seamen, and 32 marines wounded, and two officers, 41 seamen, and 43 marines made prisoners ; total, 33 killed, 89 wounded, and 87 (including one seaman that deserted) missing ; comprising a full third of the party. Among the prisoners was Captain Fane himself, who, with characteristic firmness, remained on the mole to the last in the performance of his arduous duty. Because this was a defeat, we presume, not an officer is named in the official letter, or even in the returns of loss, except the commanding officer of the landed party, and Lieutenant George Godfrey, first of the Kent.

On the 6th of April, while the British cutter Sylvia, of ten 18-pounder carronades and 44, out of a complement of 50 men and boys, commanded by Lieutenant Augustus Vere Drury, was proceeding through the Straits of Sunda, in the Indian ocean, an armed prow, of one long 6-pounder and 30 men, deceived by the cutter's insignificant appearance, swept out from under the isle of Cracatoa to attack her. The Sylvia soon drove on shore, captured, and destroyed the prow ; bringing away her 6-pounder. On the 7th an armed prow, of large dimensions, carrying; two 6-pounders, with 30 men, approached so close to the Sylvia, that, judging it necessary to deviate from his course and destroy this pirate also, Lieutenant Drury detached a boat, with an officer and a party of volunteers, to harass the prow. The latter now endeavoured to escape, but was prevented by the brisk fire of musketry kept up by the boat ; which, after killing two and wounding one of the pirates, took possession of their vessel without the slightest loss.

On the 11th a large lugger-prow, armed with three 18-pounders and 72 men, weighed from under Cracatoa, and indicated an intention of trying if she could succeed in capturing the British cutter, now at an anchor. Lieutenant Drury placed on board the prize Sub-lieutenant John Christian Chesnaye and a party of volunteers, and sent her to attack the lugger. Mr. Chesnaye resolutely met the pirate, and compelled him to seek safety in flight. The intervention of a small island preventing the cutter from seeing the further progress of the action, Lieutenant Drury got under way with the Sylvia, and stood out to support his

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