the northward of Cape Creux, There being no appearance of batteries to defend the harbour ; and the weather being favourable, Captain Peard detached 42 officers and men in three of the frigate's boats, under the command of Lieutenant Philip Facey in the barge, assisted by Lieutenant Gustavus Stupart to the launch, and Lieutenant John Davison, of the marines, in the cutter, to endeavour to bring out the polacre with instructions, however, to Lieutenant Facey to return, should he find any opposition of consequence.

Notwithstanding that the polacre, which was the Bella-Aurora, from Genoa bound to Barcelona, laden with cotton, silk, and rice, mounted 10 carriage-guns, 8 and 6 pounders, had on board a crew of 113 men, and was surrounded with a boarding-netting, and supported by a small battery, and by a large body of men at small-arms on the shore, Lieutenant Facey (himself the first on the enemy's deck), and the 41 officers and men under his command, gallantly carried and brought out the vessel.

This bold and well-conducted enterprise was not, however, performed without so serious a loss to the British, as four seamen killed and mortally wounded, and Lieutenant Stupart and eight seamen badly wounded. For the firmness and bright example he had shown on this trying occasion, Lieutenant Facey, a few months afterwards, was deservedly promoted to the rank of commander.

On the 22d of June, latitude 38° 50' north, longitude 31° west, the British 18-pounder 32-gun frigate Alcmène, Captain Henry Digby, discovered a strange ship boarding an American vessel, and was soon afterwards informed by the latter that the ship, then about two leagues distant was a French privateer. The Alcmène immediately proceeded in chase, and by great exertions, succeeded during the night, in spite of calms and light winds, in getting round the island of Corvo.

On the 23d, at daybreak, the privateer again made her appearance, towing and sweeping to the westward with all her strength. The chase continued, in this slow manner, during the whole of that and the two succeeding days, on one of which the Alcmène, passed an English convoy of 40 vessels, in charge of two brig-sloops, bound to Lisbon. At length a breeze sprang up from the northward, which, by 6 a.m. on the 26th, brought the Alcmène within gunshot of the privateer.

A running fight now commenced, and continued, but without, it appears, any loss or important damage on either side, until about 7 a.m. ; when, in latitude 39° 23' north, longitude 33° west, the French privateer Courageux, of Bordeaux, mounting 28 guns, described as 12 and 9 pounders, but more likely 8 and 6 pounders, with a complement of 253 men, commanded by Captain Jean Barnard, struck her colours.

On the 18th of the succeeding month, having received in

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