Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v4p2.djvu/101

  rivers. His next appointment was to the Lion 64, Captain (now Sir Henry) Heathcote, in which ship he proceeded to the Cape of Good Hope, Madras, Penang, and China. Whilst in the vicinity of Canton, he volunteered his services, obtained the command of the launch, and went in quest of two American ships from Manilla, reported to be trafficking among the neighbouring islands, and consequently ordered to be detained. The other boats being then employed at a considerable distance from the Lion, his whole force consisted of only twenty men. Scarcely had he arrived at the appointed rendezvous, when five piratical vessels were discovered, each about thirty tons burthen, mounting four or five small guns, and having on board at least thirty men. By these the launch was vigorously attacked; but after an obstinate conflict of two hours and a half, during which they made two unsuccessful attempts to run her down, she compelled them to retreat. In this affair. Lieutenant Martin and eighteen of his gallant companions were wounded.

We next find Lieutenant Martin in the Albion 74, Captain (now Sir John Ferris) Devonshire, cruising on the North American station, from whence he returned home in the Sceptre 74, commanded by the same officer, in 1814. On the 19th July, 1818, he was appointed first lieutenant of the Creole frigate, acting Captain W. B. Dashwood, fitting out to receive the broad pendant of Commodore Bowles, then commanding on the coast of South America, where he had the mortification to be removed into the worn-out Amphion, notwithstanding an assurance received from the Board of Admiralty that he would not be superseded.

The Amphion, into which ship Captain Dash wood was posted, was then under orders for England, and considered hardly seaworthy; the lower masts were so much decayed, that it was found necessary to rig her as a bark, and to reef the fore and main-topmasts to a third down: the hand-pumps were obliged to be kept going the whole of the passage home. In this state she arrived at Deptford, and was immediately ordered to be put out of commission.

On the 18th Nov. 1819, in consideration of his services