Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v3p2.djvu/105

 P. Humphreys, at the capture of the Dutch national brig Crash, a large armed row-boat, and twelve merchant vessels, between the island of Schiermonikoog and the main land of Groningen, Aug. 11th and 13th, 1799. On the former day, whilst attacking a large armed schooner, which was obliged to run on shore, the Juno’s cutter had one man killed; and on the latter day, the Undaunted, armed with only two 12-pounder carronades, was most gallantly laid alongside of the Vengeance schooner, mounting six heavy guns, two of them long 24-pounders, with a complement of seventy men. Fortunately for Lieutenant Humphreys and his little party, the rapidity of the tide, and the roundness of both vessels’ sides prevented them from immediately boarding the Vengeance, as she blew up whilst they were in the act of making a second attempt. In the mean time. Lieutenant Cowan, of the Pylades sloop, had landed and spiked six heavy guns in a battery on the island, from whence Mr. Travers afterwards assisted in bringing off two brass field-pieces. For the above services, the commander of the Pylades, by whom the attacks were directed, and the senior lieutenant employed under his orders were both promoted.

A few days afterwards, Mr. Travers accompanied Lieutenant Humphreys to the attack of a large merchant vessel lying under a six-gun battery on the coast of Holland, where she was completely destroyed. Immediately after the performance of this service, although then only in the first year of his time, he was rewarded with the rating of master’s-mate. During the Texel expedition we find him a volunteer on all occasions, particularly in an armed schuyt sent up the Zuyder-Zee, against the town of Lemmer, in West Friesland; which place he subsequently assisted in defending against a very superior force, as will be seen by the following official report, in which his name is honorably mentioned:–

“Lemmer, Oct. 11th, 1799.

“Sir,– I have the honor to inform you, that at five o’clock this morning, the enemy made a general attack on this town in four different parts. Their advanced party attempted to storm the north battery. We soon got