Page:Repository of Arts, Series 1, Volume 01, 1809, January-June.djvu/608

 frigates slipped their cables, and bore down upon her, to the assistance of their consort. Perceiving them fast approaching, his lordship was reluctantly compelled to quit his well-earned prize, and resign the honour of adding one of the finest frigates in France to the British navy. A trait in the conduct of the heroic commander of the Pallas should not pass unnoticed.—When the two ships were on board each other, his lordship skilfully ordered his bower anchor to be cast away on board the Frenchman, to secure him, and tow him out with the help of a spring. His directions were obeyed, but the Pallas was obliged to cut the cable, and leave behind this token of possession, from which the enemy might judge of the size of our little frigate, if shame did not induce them to heave it overboard. In this desperate conflict, the Pallas had but one man killed and five wounded. She was taken in tow by the Kingfisher sloop, brought out to sea, and joined the squadron next morning.

As the crippled state of the Pallas obliged her, not long afterwards, to proceed to England to refit, Lord Cochrane was removed to the Imperieuse, which he still commands. In this ship he has been equally successful in making prizes, and equally indefatigable in harassing the enemy. Between the 13th of December, 1806, and the 7th of January, 1807, he took and destroyed no fewer than fifteen ships of the enemy. About the same time, the boats of the Imperieuse made a successful attack upon Fort Roquette, at the entrance of the bason of Arcasson. This fort, which was intended for the defence of the bason, and of such vessels as might be lying in it, was completely laid in ruins; a large quantity of military stores was destroyed; four 36-pounders, two field-pieces, and a 13-inch mortar, were spiked, and all the platoons and carriages were burned. Through the admirable manner in which this enterprize was conducted, it was accomplished without any loss whatever on the part of the assailants.

Since the revolution in the government of Spain, his lordship has been chiefly employed in the Mediterranean, on the coast of Catalonia. His proceedings there will be found detailed in our extracts from the Gazettes: but it would be injustice not to introduce here the tribute of applause paid to his zealous exertions by the Supreme Junta of Gerona.

"This gallant Englishman," say they, "has been entitled to the admiration and gratitude of his country, from the first moment of its political resurrection. His generosity in co-operating with our earliest efforts, the encouragement we received from the interest he took with the commanders of the Balearic Islands to induce them to succour us with troops and ammunition, can never be erased from our recollection. The extraordinary services which we owe to his indefatigable activity, particularly this city and the adjacent coast, in protecting us from the attempts of the enemy, are too well known to be repeated here. It is a sufficient eulogium upon his character to mention, that in the defence of the castle of Trinadad, when the Spanish flag,