sibly obtain without altogether abandoning his station. There the Thames and Minstrel brought up under French colours, within range of the enemy’s batteries, and succeeded in outwitting the garrison, by making pretended signals with some new flags recently found on board a prize.
On the second day after their arrival at this anchorage. Lieutenant Croker discovered, from the mast-head, a large ship at the very head of the harbour, and hauled as close as possible to the shore. He immediately volunteered his services to bring her out; and soon after midnight, the barge and large cutter of the Thames, and the Minstrel’s pinnace and cutter, the whole containing about fifty men, left the frigate, under his command. The sea was still running high, and nearly three hours elapsed before he got near the eneujy. On being hailed by the batteries at the entrance of the harbour, he intimated that his boats were employed in fishing; but, to the challenges received from the sentinels on board his intended prize, he returned only a few hearty cheers. She was then promptly boarded, instantaneously carried, and triumphantly brought out, under a heavy fire from the batteries. Soon after day-light, the Thames and Minstrel were joined by the ship thus gallantly captured, and which proved to be laden with provisions and military stores for the garrison of Cephalonia.
In April 1809, Captain Taylor was removed to the Apollo 38, on which occasion he did all that delicacy would permit, to induce the first lieutenant of that ship to exchange with Mr. Croker; but the officers of the Apollo were too sensible of their new commander’s worth, to leave him on any terms whatever. Failing in his endeavours. Captain Taylor was obliged to content himself with writing a strong recommendatory letter to the Admiralty, at the same time giving Mr. Croker a private one to his brother, the present Sir Herbert Taylor, and presenting him with a drawing of the perilous situation in which he had so voluntarily placed himself on the 25th Feb. 1808: this drawing Captain Taylor had executed with his own hand.
The Thames returned home under the command of Captain
