of Monte Video, and continued in the Rio de la Plata until the final evacuation of Spanish America, from whence he returned to Portsmouth in Jan. 1808.
The Daphne was afterwards employed on the Baltic station, under the orders of that most excellent officer Sir James Saumarez, Bart. On the 25th April, 1808, Captain Mason, judging from the cargo of a Danish sloop recently destroyed, that a number of the enemy’s vessels lying in the harbour of Flodstrand, near the Scaw, were also laden with provisions, and destined for the relief of Norway, conceived it to be an object of importance to cut them out, for which purpose he despatched the boats of the Daphne and Tartarus, under the command of his first Lieutenant, the present Captain William Elliot, C.B., who succeeded in capturing five brigs, three galliots, one schooner, and a sloop; the whole, except one galliot, deeply laden with grain and provisions. In the execution of this service, although exposed to a heavy fire of round, grape, and musketry, from a castle mounting ten guns, and a battery of three guns, together with some opposition from several armed boats, the British had not a man slain and only 5 persons wounded, one of whom was the gallant leader of the party, who soon after obtained the reward his distinguished conduct had so highly merited. To that officer’s memoir, we must refer the reader for a copy of Captain Mason’s official letter relative to this capture.
In Aug. following. Captain Mason captured the Acutif, Danish national schooner, pierced for 12 guns, but mounting only 8 long 3-pounders; and at the same time drove on shore a cutter of 4 guns.
Ill health, about this period, obliging him to quit the Daphne, Captain Mason returned to England and continued on half-pay till Oct. 1809, when he was appointed, pro tempore, to the Fisgard frigate, off Flushing, from whence he brought off the rear-guard of the British army at the evacuation of Walcheren. The following are extracts from Sir Richard Strachan’s public letters to the Admiralty, dated Dec. 27 and 28, 1809:–
