1806. the latter the Pitt now steered; and the stranger, Oct. as if confident in her strength, hove to. At 7 A. M. a distant firing commenced between the two schooners; but, in less than half an hour, the Pitt's oppoOne nent, which was no other than the celebrated french perbe privateer Superbe, of 14 guns, (12 long 6 and two priva- long 8 pounders,) captain Dominique Diron, bore the Su teer. Su sends into coa. tacked up, under easy sail, after her two prizes, whom she was conducting to the port of Baracoa in Cuba. The chase continued throughout the day and night, the greater part of the time in calm weather, during which the crew of the Pitt plied their sweeps with unremitting vigour. On the morning of the 25th, a breeze springing perbe up favourable to the Pitt, the latter was enabled, in her two the course of the day, again to get within gun-shot prizes of the Superbe ; who, having seen her two prizes safe Bara- into Baracoa, lay to off the port, as if determined to give battle to the british schooner, M. Dominique being well aware that, in case of discomfiture, he could run into Baracoa, where already lay four or Is at- five freebooters like himself. Aware, in some degree, by Pitt. of the Frenchman's intention, the Pitt contrived to get between the Superbe and her port, and at 4 P. M. recommenced the action. After a tolerably close cannonade of 30 or 35 minutes, the privateer again made sail; and the Pitt, who, in passing near Ba racoa at sunset, had observed five privateers lying there, so manœuvred as to keep her opponent in the Chase offing. In this way the two schooners passed the tinued. third night, the british crew having again to labour occasionally at the sweeps, with the additional duty of repairing their damaged rigging, and of remounting and securing several of the carronades, which, having been improperly fitted, had upset in the afternoon's engagement. con Early on the morning of the 26th the Superbe rounded Cape Maize; and, having to make Ochoa bay, where he knew there was a detachment of spanish troops, Dominique was obliged to haul across the runs on Pitt. In so doing the Superbe brought her star- 1806. board broadside to bear upon the Pitt's larboard Oct. bow, and, as soon as she had succeeded in crossing Suher, ran herself on shore among the rocks. The perbe Superbe, with her colours still flying, then com- shore, menced landing her crew; and the Pitt continued and is the cannonade to induce the privateer to surrender, tured Finding that the Frenchmen were quitting the Su- by Pitt, perbe in great numbers, the Pitt sent her boats, manned and armed, and took possession. сар joins, afloat. When just abreast of Ochoa bay, the Pitt had Drake observed to-leeward the three topgallantsails of a and asship; and which, by the time the schooner had got sists in getting a hawser on board her prize to attempt to heave her prize off, made herself known, by signal, as the british 16-gun ship-sloop Drake, captain Robert Nicolas. Having been a merchant vessel purchased into the service, the Drake made very slow progress in working to-windward. The sloop at length joined company, and captain Nicolas sent his boats to assist in getting the prize afloat; which, after considerable exertion, was accomplished. Mutual loss, Out of her complement of 54 men and boys, the Pitt had two men badly and six slightly wounded. On &c. board the Superbe, whose alleged complement was 94 men, four were found dead in her hold, and three mortally wounded. The remainder, including Dominique himself, had escaped to the shore. The whole loss in killed sustained by the privateer was understood to have been 14, with a proportionate number of wounded; most of whom, by the aid of their companions, landed along with them. port ture Thus, after a 67 hours' arduous chase, including Imseveral intervals of close and spirited action, had a ance of stop been put to the career of one of the most for- thecapmidable french privateers, coupling her force with of Suthe notorious character of her commander, that, for a perbe. long time, had infested the commerce of the West Indies. Dominique was not only a daring and experienced privateersman, but he was a perfect 1806. freebooter. He detained american as well as Oct. english vessels; (the two schooners which he had sent into Baracoa were americans ;) and, where he wanted a cause to capture, was never without one to pillage. Few neutrals that crossed his path, but left him with a serious defalcation in their sails, rigging, or stores. Among the papers found on board the Superbe, was a list of captures, english, spanish, and american, made by Dominique, to the amount of 1470007. sterling. Good con Fitton. It was therefore some merit to have captured duct of a privateer, so capable of doing further mischief as But the Superbe. It was a still greater merit to have performed the act by a vessel decidedly inferior in force; in men nearly double, in guns at least equal. If any thing can be said in addition, it is that the chase was persevered in during three nights, and until the afternoon of the third day, and that it was maintained, for the greater part of the time, by sweeping; a service fatiguing to the men and harassing to the officers, the latter being obliged to be perpetually animating the former, lest they should relax in their exertions: it was also a mode of progression in which the privateer, from the increased number of her crew, possessed an immense advantage. Adm. cres's Unfortunately for lieutenant Fitton, having been Da- on deck during the whole three nights, he was too opinion wearied to undertake the task of writing the official of him. letter, although kindly requested to do so by captain Nicolas. The following extract from the letter of fessional abilities displayed by, Mr. Fitton, will, I 1806. trust, recommend him to the protection of their Nov lordships." Is su M. Dominique afterwards equipped a brig, which he named "la Revanche de la Superbe," and actually sent, by a spanish licensed trader, an invitation to lieutenant Fitton, to meet him at an appointed place; but the latter, by the time the message reached him, had been superseded in the command seded. of the Pitt by the élève of an admiral, not to be promoted to the rank of commander, but to be turned adrift as an unemployed lieutenant. per Lieuts. at Port. On the 20th of November the british 12-pounder Duke 32-gun frigate Success, captain John Ayscough, and standing in for the land to the eastward of Cumber- Spence land harbour, island of Cuba, observed a small Hidde felucca running into Hidden Port, and immediately despatched in pursuit of her the yawl and barge, under the command of lieutenant William Duke, assisted by lieutenant Charles Spence, acting lieutenant Dowell O'Reilly, and master's mate William Rand Hughes. On the approach of the boats it was discovered that the crew of the felucca, about 50 in number, had landed with their small arms and their only long gun, and, having lashed their vessel to the trees, had taken post upon a neighbouring hill. From this eminence, the Spaniards fired with grape and musketry, in the most determined manner, upon the boats as they advanced, and at the first volley killed lieutenant Duke. After a vain attempt, for an hour and 20 minutes, to dislodge the privateersmen from the hill, lieutenant Spence, with the additional loss of seven wounded, including lieutenant O'Reilly, found himself unable to do more than take possession of the abandoned felucca, which proved to be the french privateer Vengeur from Santo-Domingo. Lieut. On the same night, while the 12-pounder 32-gun Vine at frigate Orpheus, captain Thomas Briggs, was cruis- Caming in Campeachy bay, her barge, commanded peachy 1806. by lieutenant George Ballard Vine, very gallantly Dec. boarded and carried, without loss, the spanish schooner Dolores, mounting one long 9 and two 4 pounder carriage-guns and four swivels, with 34 men; and which vessel had just been sent out from Campeachy for the express purpose of attacking the frigate's boats. Hal with On the 13th of December, at 8 A. M., Cape Sancyon Martin, coast of Spain, bearing south-south-west six Neptu- leagues, the british 16-gun brig-sloop Halcyon, no and (fourteen 24-pounder carronades and two long sixes,) sorts. captain Henry Whitmarsh Pearse, perceived three con sail standing towards her from the land. Being on contrary tacks, the two parties closed fast; and, when about four miles apart, the Halcyon discovered the strangers to be an armed ship, brig, and xebec. At this time, also, five settees were seen from the tops, coming from the same quarter. The object now was, to engage before the reinforcement arrived; and the Halcyon, accordingly, hastened to close with the three vessels already so confidently approaching her. At 10 h. 30 m. A. M., being within musket-shot, the armed ship, brig, and xebec hoisted spanish colours, and commenced the action. As soon as she got abreast of the second vessel, the Halcyon tacked, and thus brought her three opponents to closer action; which lasted until noon, when their fire slackened. At half past noon, it being nearly a calm, the brig and xebec, assisted by their sweeps and boats, hauled off to the southward. The ship, which was nearest to the Halcyon, endeavoured to do the same to the northward; but the latter swept after her, and in the course of an hour got close alongside, when the spanish corvette Neptuno, of 14 long 12-pounders and 72 men, struck her colours. Of her 94 men and boys, the Halcyon was short 16, but had on board four very active passengers. Having fired chiefly at the rigging of the Halcyon, the Neptuno destroyed that effectually, but did not |