during the hurricane months, which had never before been attempted, and Captain Lambert was the officer selected to conduct this important and harassing service, with the Leopard of 50 guns, Magicienne frigate, Sapphire sloop, and Staunch gun-brig, under his orders.
The Iphigenia afterwards formed a part of the squadron under Captain (now Sir Josias) Rowley, at the reduction of Isle Bourbon; and Lieutenant Chads was publicly thanked by the military commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Keating, for his conduct at the landing of the troops, a service of considerable difficulty, and attended with some loss[1].
About a month after this event, Lieutenant Chads was lent to the Sirius frigate, with the Iphigenia’s launch and cutter, to assist in an attack upon l’Isle de la Passe, the key to Port Sud-Est, and which had hitherto been considered as almost impregnable. The main object of this enterprise has been stated in our memoir of Captain Sir Nesbit J. Willoughby.
The batteries on l’Isle de la Passe were all erected in commanding situations, with high breast-works, and mounted nineteen heavy pieces of ordnance, including three 13-inch mortars and two howitzers. The only landing place is on the inner or N.W. side of the island, and was well protected by a strong high chevaux-de-frise: the passage to it is not more than 250 yards wide. In order to arrive there, it was necessary to pass close under three batteries, guarded from surprise by a rugged coast, and an incessant high surf. The French garrison consisted of two commissioned officers, about 100 regular troops, and a number of armed blacks. The force considered necessary to ensure the success of the enterprise amounted to 400 officers and men; of whom 112 were soldiers embarked in la Nereide frigate.
We should here observe, that after the failure of the former attempt to land[2], the Sirius and her consorts had proceeded off Port Louis, in order to lull the suspicions of
