Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p2.djvu/33

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
SIR ISRAEL PELLEW.
457

ship, however, rose, throwing a vast body of water aft, which burst open the cabin bulk head, breaking loose every thing upon the deck but the guns. In this send aft, the tafferel and after part of the quarter-deck were far under water. Luckily, only part of the after hatchway was open, and no great body of water went below. The fore-sail was hauled up, and the damage found to be only the loss of the jib-boom, sprit-sailyard, and bumpkins; bowsprit and fore-yard sprung; small cutter carried away from the davits; the spanker boom, and many ropes broke.

Early in 1801, the Cleopatra got aground on the island of Abaco, one of the Bahamas, where she remained three days and nights, and was forced to throw her guns and part of the ballast overboard before she could be got afloat. During the same cruize, and some time previous to this accident, Captain Pellew being off Cuba, in company with the Andromache, sent the boats of the two frigates into Levita Bay’, for the purpose of cutting out some vessels which lay at anchor there under the protection of three armed gallies. The enemy, expecting an attack, was prepared for their reception; and on the approach of the boats, discharged such a tremendous volley of grape and langridge as to occasion great slaughter among the assailants, who with intrepid bravery pushed on, and boarded and carried one of the gallies. The incessant fire from the enemy, however, having nearly destroyed all the boats, obliged them to relinquish any further attempt, and retreat to their ships, with the loss of Lieutenant Taylor of the Cleopatra, who commanded the party, and 11 others killed, and 17 wounded.

After this disastrous cruize, Captain Pellew returned to the coast of America, where he continued until the suspension of hostilities. The Cleopatra arrived at Portsmouth, from Halifax, Dec. 6, 1801.

In the spring of 1804, he was appointed to the Conqueror, of 74 guns, stationed in the Channel. Towards the close of the same year, he joined the fleet in the Mediterranean, under the orders of Lord Nelson, whom he accompanied to the West Indies, in pursuit of the combined squadrons of France and Spain. Captain Pellew was also present at the battle of Trafalgar, on which memorable occasion the Conqueror had 3 men killed and 9 wounded.