1811	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	374

gun-boats lying in the port of Palinuro, together with a number of merchant vessels, also a quantity of spars hauled up on the beach, intended for the equipment of the Neapolitan navy. From the strength and situation of the harbour, Captain Duncan did not consider that he had a sufficient force to make the attack with a prospect of complete success. He therefore sent the Thames to Sicily, to request Lieutenant-general Maitland to lend him a detachment of soldiers. On the 28th the Thames returned, with 250 of the 62d regiment under Major Darby ; but, as this was just at the commencement of a south-west gale, no operation could for the present be carried on.

On the 1st of November, in the evening, the time proving favourable, the troops under Major Darby, together with the marines of both frigates under Lieutenant Pipon, and a detachment of seamen under Lieutenant Travers, the whole commanded by Captain Napier, were disembarked from the Thames at the back of the harbour. The British immediately ascended and carried the height in a very gallant style, under a heavy fire from the French, who had assembled in force to oppose them, and who, soon after dark, endeavoured to retake their position ; but one well-directed volley obliged the enemy to retire. The Impérieuse, meanwhile, had been endeavouring to occupy the attention of the gun-boats and battery in front ; but the light and baffling winds prevented the frigate, during the evening, from getting nearer than long range.

On the 2d, in the morning, finding that nothing could be done on the land side against the battery and a strong tower that protected the vessels on the beach, and within pistol-shot of which the gun-boats were moored, Captain Duncan ordered the Thames to close, and Captain Napier to return to her from the shore. This done, the two frigates bore up at the commencement of the sea-breeze, and, running along the line of gun-boats within halt musket-shot, sank two and obliged the remainder almost instantly to surrender. The Impérieuse, and Thames then, anchoring close to the fort, silenced it in 15 minutes, and in 15 minutes more compelled the garrison to haul down the colours. The fort was instantly taken possession of by Lieutenant Travers : who, on seeing the ships stand in, had most gallantly pushed down the hill with a party of seamen and marines, and was waiting almost under the walls of the fort, ready to take advantage of any superiority the ships might gain over it.

The guns at the fort, 24-pounders, being thrown into the sea, and the gun-boats secured, the crews of both frigates proceeded to launch the vessels and the spars. This could not be accomplished until the afternoon of the 3d ; when the troops, who had all this time remained in undisturbed possession of the heights, were re-embarked, and the marines withdrawn from the tower. The tower was then completely blown up, together with two batteries, and also a signal-tower on the hill. The two ships,

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