1815     PENGUIN AND HORNET     385

in the action off Lissa, Captain Dickinson bore up in chase. At 1 h. 45 m. p.m., Tristan d'Acunha bearing south-west distant three or four miles, the Penguin hoisted her colours, a St:-George's ensign, and fired a gun, to induce the stranger to show hers. The Hornet immediately luffed up on the starboard tack, hoisted American colours, and discharged her broadside ; and the Penguin, on rounding to upon the same tack, fired hers in return. Thus the action commenced, within about pistol-shot distance. The Hornet's star and bar shot soon reduced the Penguin's rigging to a state of disorder; and a tolerably well directed discharge of round and grape, meeting no adequate return, especially as the carronades, owing to their insecure mode of mounting, turned half round almost every time they were discharged, made a sensible impression upon the Penguin's hull. At 2 h. 15 m. p.m., as the Penguin drifted nearer, the Hornet bore away, with the semblance of retiring from the contest, but in reality to take a more favourable position for doing execution with her gunnery. Captain Dickinson, on this, bore up with the intention to board. Before, however, this gallant officer could put his plan into execution, he received a mortal wound.

Lieutenant James M'Donald, who now succeeded to the command, aware of the brig's disabled state, saw that the only chance of success was to attempt his captain's measure. Accordingly, at 2 h. 25 m., the Penguin ran her bowsprit between the Hornet's main and mizen rigging on the starboard side. The heavy swell lifting the ship a-head, the brig's bowsprit, after carrying away the Hornet's mizen shroud, stern-davits, and spanker-boom, broke in two, and the foremast went at the same moment, falling in-board directly upon the foremost and waist guns on the larboard or engaged side. These guns becoming, in consequence, completely disabled, and the after guns being equally so from the drawing of the breeching-bolts, an attempt was made to bring a fresh broadside to bear; but the Penguin was in too unmanageable a state to be got round. In this dilemma no alternative remained ; and at 2 h. 35 m. p.m. Lieutenant M'Donald hailed to say, that the Penguin surrendered. After a lapse of 25 minutes, an officer from the Hornet came on board to take possession.

Out of a crew, as already stated, of 105 men and 17 boys, the Penguin lost her commander, boatswain, and four seamen and marines killed, four others mortally wounded, and her second lieutenant (John Elwin, very severely), one master's mate (John Holmes Bond), one midshipman (John Noyes, each of whom lost a leg), purser's clerk, and 24 seamen and marines wounded, for the most part slightly. Even the Hornet was beginning to fall off in her gunnery. Most of the Penguin's men were wounded by musketry ; and the bowsprit, and the foremast along with it, fell chiefly owing to the two vessels getting foul in the manner they did, while so heavy a sea was running.

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