1811	Capture of Java	27

On the 11th of June the fleet, leaving behind the 1200 sick, sailed from Malacca, and in a few days entered the straits of Sincapore. Having cleared these, and passed Timbalan and a number of other islands, the expedition arrived on the 3d of July at the High Island, which had been appointed the third rendezvous. On the 10th the fleet quitted the High Islands, and on the 20th reached Point Sambar, at the extremity of the south-west coast of the island of Borneo, the fourth and last point of rendezvous. Quitting Sambar on the following day, the 21st, the fleet arrived on the 30th off Boompies island, which lies nearly abreast of Indramayo river on the Java coast. Here the two commanders-in-chief waited awhile, in expectation of being joined by some frigates with intelligence.

We will take this opportunity of narrating two or three creditable little affairs, that occurred on the Java coast, while the expedition was on its way from Madras and waiting off Boompies island. On the 23d of May, at daylight, the British 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Sir-Francis-Drake, Captain George Harris, being about 13 miles to the north-east of the port of Rembang island of Java, on her way to Sourabaya, discovered, lying at anchor about three miles nearer to the shore, a flotilla of Dutch gun-vessels, consisting of 14, nine of them felucca, and the remaining four prow, rigged. On seeing the frigate, the gun-vessels weighed and stood for Rembang, but were so closely pressed, that by 7 p.m. three or four broadsides brought five of the feluccas to an anchor under the Drake's guns, and they were immediately taken possession of. The others, finding themselves cut off from their port, furled sails, and pulled up in the wind's eye directly for the shore.

Shoaling his water considerably, Captain Harris despatched Lieutenants James Bradley and Edward Brown Addis, Lieutenant of marines George Loch, midshipmen George Greaves, John Horton, and Matthew Phibbs, also Lieutenant Knowles, Mr. Gillman, and 12 privates of the 14th regiment of foot, in four six-oared cutters and a gig, to board the gun-vessels ; the Drake keeping under way, and working to windward, to cover the boats. By 8 A.M., notwithstanding a sharp fire of grape from several pieces of ordnance, Lieutenant Bradley and his party, without the loss of a man, made prizes of the remaining nine vessels, the crews of which leaped overboard or fled to the shore in their boats just as the British were ready to spring on board. The gun-boats had only been launched 15 days, and were large vessels measuring 80 feet overall, and 17 broad ; fitted to carry a 7-inch howitzer and a 24-pounder carronade aft, and to pull 30 oars. Only one of the vessels, however, was found with her guns on board ; and it was supposed, either that the crews had thrown the guns overboard, or that the vessels were proceeding to Sourabaya to be fully armed and equipped.

The small British squadron cruising off Batavia was under the

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