of the soldiers and other persons on land. On this occasion the pinnace, keeping inshore of the other boats, to cover them as much as possible, unfortunately took the ground, when many Frenchmen waded off and attempted to carry her by boarding; but the reception they met with was so warm, that such as were not wounded soon retreated again, bearing off with them several apparently lifeless bodies. In the pinnace, a midshipman was dangerously wounded, and a sailor slain; the only loss sustained by the British boats, all of which succeeded in making good their retreat, though for some time under a galling fire. Lieutenant Watling’s conduct on this occasion is said by Captain Pym, to have “done him great credit;” and at the successful attack afterwards made upon l’Isle de la Passe, it “was truly gallant[1].” He there appears to have had a miraculous escape, – for while in the act of leading on his men, after scaling the first breast-work, he was about to spring down, when a French soldier, who had previously crouched under the wall, rose and presented at him his musket, with fixed bayonet. Stopping, however, to take deliberate aim, the enemy afforded Mr. Watling an opportunity to jump over him, and thereby escape both lead and steel; but a poor fellow immediately behind was caught by the point of the bayonet, and literally run through the body: the soldier soon paid for his temerity, being killed on the spot. In this affair, Mr. Watling was also personally engaged with a French officer, second in command, whom he obliged to surrender.
Immediately after the capture of l’Isle de la Passe, Lieutenant Watling proceeded with the boats of the Sirius into Port Sud-Est, for the purpose of attacking a ship of 18 guns and 60 men, bound to Madagascar for slaves. On the approach of the boats, this armed ship cut her cable, and, having a fresh breeze and fair wind for the purpose, ran on a coral reef, under the protection of the land batteries, where she was afterwards broke up, the enemy finding it impossible ever to get her afloat.
