Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v2p2.djvu/496

 On the 9th of the same month, Captain Duncan, then off Mount Circello, on the coast of Romania, observed two French gun-boats, with a merchant vessel under their convoy, going along-shore to the westward; and as the Porcupine was becalmed, he sent his boats in pursuit of them, under the orders of Lieutenant Price; who, after a row of eight hours, in a hot sun, drove the latter on shore, and forced the gun-boats to take shelter under the batteries of Port d’Anzo. At this time, seeing three very suspicious vessels coming down with a fresh breeze from the westward, Captain Duncan was obliged to recall the boats; but before he could cut the strangers off, they also got into the same harbour. Next morning, observing that one of them, a large polacre ship, lay farther out than the others, and wishing to give a check to the trade along the coast, which the enemy imagined, from their numerous fortifications, they could carry on without molestation, he determined to attack her. As soon as it was dark the boats went in, under the command of his first Lieutenant, and succeeded in bringing her out from under the heavy fire of two batteries, a tower, and three gun-boats. In the execution of this service the British had 6 men severely, and 2 slightly wounded. The prize was loaded with salt, mounted eight long 6-pounders, and had on board between 20 and 30 men, perfectly prepared for the attack.

Eleven days after this event, Captain Duncan drove on shore, near Mount Circello, a French polacre ship, which was afterwards completely destroyed by his boats, under the command of Lieutenant Francis Smith, and without any loss, though exposed to the fire of a tower, mounting two guns, within pistol-shot of her; she was about 200 tons burthen, from Naples, loaded with iron hoops and staves.

On the 8th Aug. the Porcupine chased another French ship into the passage between Planosa and Elba, where she took refuge under a tower and battery: at night Captain Duncan sent Lieutenant Smith with the boats and a party of marines to attack her; and notwithstanding the heavy fire of the vessel, the forts, the French soldiers who lined the beach to which she was moored, and one of her guns which had been landed, they most gallantly boarded and brought her out. She