| | 1 | Author: | Cooper
James Fenimore
1789-1851 | Add | | | Title: | The wing-and-wing, or, Le Feu-follet  | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Modern English collection | UVA-LIB-Text | University of Virginia Library, Early American Fiction, 1789-1875 | UVA-LIB-EarlyAmFict1789-1875 | | | | Description: | The charms of the Tyrrhenian Sea have been sung since
the days of Homer. That the Mediterranean, generally,
and its beautiful boundaries of Alps and Apennines, with its
deeply indented and irregular shores, forms the most delightful
region of the known earth, in all that relates to climate,
productions, and physical formation, will be readily enough
conceded by the traveller. The countries that border on
this midland water, with their promontories buttressing a
mimic ocean—their mountain-sides teeming with the picturesque
of human life — their heights crowned with watch-towers—their
rocky shelves consecrated by hermitages, and
their unrivalled sheet dotted with sails, rigged, as it might be,
expressly to produce effect in a picture, form a sort of world
apart, that is replete with delights to all who have the happy
fortune to feel charms, which not only fascinate the beholder,
but which linger in the memories of the absent like visions
of a glorious past. My Lord—I have the satisfaction of reporting, for the
information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty,
the destruction of the Republican privateer, the le Few-Folly,
commanded by the notorious Raoul Yvard, on the night of
the 22d inst. The circumstances attending this important
success, are as follows. Understanding that the celebrated
picaroon had been on the Neapolitan and Roman coasts,
doing much mischief, I took His Majesty's ship close in,
following up the peninsula, with the land in sight, until we
got through the Canal of Elba, early on the morning of the
21st. On opening Porto Ferrajo bay, we saw a lugger
lying at anchor off the town, with English colours flying.
As this was a friendly port, we could not suppose the craft
to be the le Few-Folly; but, determined to make sure, we
beat in, signalling the stranger, until he took advantage of
our stretching well over to the eastward, to slip round the
rocks, and get off to-windward. We followed, for a short
distance, and then ran over under the lee of Capraya, where
we remained until the morning of the 22d, when we again
went off the town. We found the lugger in the offing; and
being now well satisfied of her character, and it falling calm,
I sent the boats after her, under Messrs. Winchester and
Griffin, the first and second of this ship. After a sharp
skirmish, in which we sustained some loss, though that of
the Republicans was evidently much greater, Monsieur
Yvard succeeded in effecting his escape, in consequence of a
breeze's suddenly springing up. Sail was now made on the
ship, and we chased the lugger into the mouth of the Golo.
Having fortunately captured a felucca, with a quantity of
tar, and other combustible materials on board, as we drew
in with the land, I determined to make a fire-ship of her, and
to destroy the enemy by that mode; he having anchored
within the shoals, beyond the reach of shot. Mr. Winchester,
the first, having been wounded in the boat-affair, I
entrusted the execution of this duty to Mr. Griffin, who
handsomely volunteered, and by whom it was effectually
discharged, about ten last evening, in the coolest and most
officer-like manner. I enclose this gentleman's report of
the affair, and beg leave to recommend him to the favour of
my Lords Commissioners. With Mr. Winchester's good
conduct, under a sharp fire, in the morning, the service has
also every reason to be satisfied. I hope this valuable officer
will soon be able to return to duty. Cuffe read this report over twice; then he sent for Griffin,
to whom he read it aloud, glancing his eye meaningly at his
subordinate, when he came to the part where he spoke of
the young man's good conduct. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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