Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v3p1.djvu/222

 off the mouth of the Gallinas river, and at day-break this morning, the boats of the Cyrené, under the command of Lieutenant (George William Conway) Courtenay, and fully prepared for any event, passed the bar through a tremendous surf, where they were immediately received with a heavy but ill-directed fire of musketry from the jungle on both sides, not a hundred yards distant, which was continued as they passed up the river, till they opened the Lower Factory Island, when they were met with a severe raking fire from two long 18-pounders, one 8-inch howitzer, and some hundred men with small arms. Nothing, however, could check the ardour and spirit of the officers and crews, who gallantly pushed on up a narrow river, against a strong ebb tide and a most intricate navigation (having grounded seven times, while under a heavy fire of grape and musketry), till they landed on the island, took possession of the guns, turned them against the covers on both sides of the river, and, for a short time, cleared them of their troublesome neighbours. Their attention was now turned to the houses on this and a neighbouring island, where there also was a spacious slave factory, from all of which an annoying and incessant fire was directed: these were soon entered, and such of their opponents as were found in them were put to death, and the factories and houses burnt to the ground, excepting those occupied by Kroo men, which were spared, in consequence of their staying by them, and not joining in this wanton attack. As the boats landed on the islands, they had the mortification to see those unfortunate beings whom they hoped to liberate, through the influence of the King, hurried from the factories, thrown into war-canoes, and carried out of sight higher up the river. This, in addition to the attack that was made upon them, which precluded all hope of negociating with the King at that moment, and the natives coming down with musketry in increased numbers, our ammunition getting short, and the islands not affording even shelter from the fire of small arms that was poured in on them from all sides, induced Mr. Courtenay most judiciously to determine on returning and passing the bar while the water was high, which, after spiking the guns and destroying them and the factories as far as was practicable, he effected with as much coolness, judgment, and skill, as he displayed on entering; and I am happy to say, that although the natives assembled to the number of many additional hundreds, armed with muskets, lining the bushes on both banks of the river down to the very bar, and keeping up to the last a sharp fire, yet all was effected with the loss of one man mortally and three slightly wounded. While I deeply lament the loss of any individual from among my small ship’s company, I must at the same time express equal astonishment and satisfaction at its not being greater, considering the numbers that were opposed to us, and the fire which was kept up, and can only attribute it to the bad direction of the latter, and the activity and good conduct which was displayed by all on this occasion.

“The loss on the part of our opponents was severe; four Europeans