Page:Tupper family records - 1835.djvu/59

 war, and driven on shore on the coast of Anatolia, whence they escaped into the mountains. Thus this piratical establishment was finally abandoned, and it is deeply to be regretted that its attack by the Sybille should have been attended with such a lamentable loss of life on both sides. Sir John Pechell could not, in the performance of his duty, act otherwise ; but as long as the unjust and cruel system of promo- tion prevails in the navy, by which during peace no officer, however deserving, without powerful interest or extreme good fortune, can hope to be advanced in the usual course of service, many brave men will be unnecessarily exposed and sacrificed, as they undoubt- edly were on this occasion. We blame not Lieutenant Gordon, — his intrepidity and sufferings excite our admiration and sympathy, but we should be devoid of the common feelings of humanity if we did not execrate that system, of which he also was the victim. In this attack Lieutenant Tupper commanded the launch, and, although severely wounded in three places, he stood up the whole time, and retained the command of her until she returned to the ship. The bullet, which proved fatal, entered his right breast, and, passing obliquely downwards and backwards, was extracted from under the skin over the false ribs. Having gone into action with his coat and epaulette on, it is probable that he was more particularly aimed at, # as the four midshipmen, Mr. H. M. E. Allen, the Honorable Frederick Pelham,f Mr. Robert Spencer Robinson,| and the Honorable Edward Plunkett,§

most expert sportsmen. — Colonel Napier.
 * A Greek is a soldier by nature, — his sight is so keen that it surprises our

t Second son of the Earl of Chichester.

t Son of Sir John Robinson, Bart. ^ Son of Lord Dunsany.

Among the midshipmen in the other boats were the present Captains Hon. E. G. Howard and H. G. Hamilton, and Lieutenant Hon. J. Denman.

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