1808	Childers and Lougen	29

Being aware that the convoy, of which the Childers was to have been the escort, would very soon approach, Captain Dillon felt it incumbent upon him, notwithstanding the evident superiority of the Danish brig, to strive his utmost to drive her into port. By way of defiance, therefore, the Childers fired a shot over the Lougen; who immediately hauled close to the wind, and stood in-shore. As soon as she had secured her prize and hoisted in her boats, the Childers followed the Danish brig ; and, when the two vessels were within half a mile of the shore, they exchanged broadsides, on opposite tacks, at about half gun-shot distance. Soon after the Childers had discharged her broadside, the Dane was discovered to be on fire forward ; and, had the Childers been near enough to profit by the confusion evidently caused by the accident, the contest might have been brought to a speedy termination.

The Lougen now kept so near to the Norwegian shore, that she became hid from the view of the Childers, and could not at any rate be weathered by her. It was only, indeed, by the flash of the Lougen's guns, that Captain Dillon knew in what direction to fire his own. In this manner the engagement lasted for three hours; during which the heavy metal and well-directed fire of the Dane did the Childers considerable damage. Many of the Danish 18-pounders struck the British vessel between wind and water ; while the shot of the Childers, being discharged from 12-pounder carronades, frequently fell short ; a circumstance which must have greatly reanimated her opponent.

Despairing of accomplishing any thing while the wary Dane hugged the land so closely, the Childers stood out under easy sail, in the hope of enticing the Lougen to sea ; where a close, and therefore a more equal, combat could not so well be avoided by the latter. At length the Lougen ventured from the land, and at 11 p.m. was three miles distant from it. The Childers now set her courses, and tacked, with the intention of weathering her antagonist ; but the wind presently headed her and defeated the attempt. As the only alternative, the Childers passed close under the lee of the Lougen, and poured into her a broadside of round and grape ; receiving in return many destructive shot, several of which entered between wind and water. The Lougen immediately tacked, and made sail to regain the shore ; and the Childers, having her lower masts and bowsprit badly wounded, five feet water in the hold, her magazine afloat, and the water gaining on the pumps, was not in a state to renew the action.

Of her crew of 56 men and boys, the Childers had her captain's clerk (Joseph Roberts) and one seaman killed, and her commander (severely in both legs and in his left arm), two midshipmen (John Batten and Charles Parker), three seamen, two marines, and one boy wounded. The Lougen, from declining to continue the engagement, must have suffered some loss ; but its amount we are unable to state.

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