Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p2.djvu/280

696 men, lying at anchor in a creek at Porto Rico, and drove on shore and burnt another vessel of the same name and force. The party which hoarded the latter was headed by Captain Otway, whose coxswain received a musket-ball when by his side, and in the act of jumping on board.

Early in 1798, we find our officer cruizing in the Gulf of Mexico, under the orders of Sir Hyde Parker, by whom the Ceres and Trent were sent in chase of a guarda costa near the Havannah. Unfortunately they both ran aground, of which the Spaniard took advantage and placed himself in a position to annoy the Trent very much; which being perceived by Captain Otway, he threw himself into one of the boats sent from the squadron to their assistance, and followed by five others, attacked, carried, and burnt the enemy’s vessel, which mounted six long 24-pounders and four smaller guns, and bore the broad pendant of a Commodore of flotilla. On this occasion Captain Otway had another narrow escape; Lieutenant Thomas Walker of the Thames, a most gallant officer, since drowned, being badly wounded when about to board the enemy, and close to his enterprising leader.

The Ceres was almost immediately got afloat, and afterwards assisted in extricating the Trent from her very dangerous situation. The commander of the latter dying soon after, she was given to Captain Otway as a reward for his very great exertions in saving so fine a ship. The following account of two dashing exploits, will exhibit a fair specimen of the services performed by him during the ensuing two years.

At the commencement of 1799, the Trent appeared off St. Juan, the capital of Porto Rico, which induced the Spanish governor to send orders overland for a schooner, then lying in a small harbour on the south side, to re-land her cargo, and to be dismantled. Soon after these directions had been given, the Trent accidentally came to that side of the island, and discovered the schooner moored close to a battery of six 24-pounders. Captain Otway got hold of a negro on the coast, to whom he gave 100 dollars for shewing him a landing place