ran close alongside the Gamo ; and the crew of the British vessel, headed by their gallant commander, made a simultaneous rush from every part of her upon the decks of the Spaniard. For about 10 minutes the contest was desperate, especially in the waist ; but the impetuosity of the assault was irresistible the Spanish colours were struck, and the Gamo became the prize of the Speedy.

The Speedy's gun-force has already been stated at 14 long 4-pounders. Her number of men and boys at the commencement of the action was 54. Of these the brig lost, in the boarding-attack, only one seaman killed, her first lieutenant, Richard William Parker (severely, both by musketry and the sword), her boatswain and one seaman wounded ; making, with her loss by the cannonade, three killed and eight wounded. The Gamo mounted 22 long Spanish 12-pounders on the main deck, with eight long eights and two " heavy carronades, " probably 24-pounders, on the quarterdeck and forecastle. Her crew amounted to 274 officers, seamen, boys, and supernumeraries, and 45 marines, total 319 ; of which number she had her commander, Don Francisco de Torris, the boatswain, and 13 men killed, and 41 men wounded.

The Gamo's was a force which was enough to alarm, and, in abler hands, might easily have subdued such a vessel as the Speedy. A crew of 280 or 300 was the lowest number of men that a ship, of the evident force and size of the Gamo, could be supposed to have on board; and yet Lord Cochrane, at the head of about 40 men, and, deducting the boys, the helmsman (who was Mr. James Guthrie, the surgeon), the eight killed and wounded, and one or two others, leaped into the midst of them. He and his 40 brave followers, among whom were Lieutenant Parker, midshipman the Honourable Archibald Cochrane, and the boatswain, found 319, or, allowing for some previous loss and for six or eight boys, 300 armed men to struggle with. But the British broadsword fell too heavily to be resisted ; and the Spaniards were compelled to yield to the chivalric valour of their opponents. * Accustomed as is the British navy to execute deeds of daring, Lord Cochrane's achievement has hitherto found in these pages but three compeers, the Surprise and Hermione, the Dart and Désirée, and the Viper and Cerbère; to which let

* During the action, and after Lord Cochrane had boarded the Gamo, he practised another ruse. The crew of the Speedy being nearly overpowered by the great superiority, in point of numbers, of her adversary, were once on the point of giving way, Lord Cochrane with the greatest coolness, hailed the Speedy, ordering fifty more men to be sent on board, although, at the time his vessel certainly did not contain more than three. The expected reinforcement to their adversaries, cooled the little courage remaining in the Gamo's crew, and having already experienced the bold daring of the first fifty men, they were by no means anxious to cope with fifty more, and consequently surrendered.-ED.

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