70 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



two hundred pieces of cannon 

 mounted on the butteries. 



Having well observed her situa- 

 tion on the 22d and 2.'3d ultimo, and 

 tlie evening of the g-lth being fa- 

 vourable, I turned the hands up to 

 acquaint the officers and ship's com- 

 pany of my intentions to lead them 

 to the attack, which was handsome- 

 ly returned with three cheers, and 

 that they would all follow to a 

 man ; this greatly increased my 

 hopes, and I had little doubt of svic- 

 ceeding ; the boats containing 100 

 men, including officers, at half past 

 twelve on the morning of the 25th 

 (after having beat the launch of the 

 ship, which carried a 24-pounder, 

 and 20 men, and receiving several 

 guns and small arms from the fri- 

 gate) boarded ; the forecastle was 

 taken possession of without much 

 resistance ; the quarter-deck dispu- 

 ted the point a quarter of an hour, 

 where a dreadful carnage took 

 place: the main deck held out much 

 longer, and with equal slaughter ; 

 nor was it before both cables were 

 cut, sail made on the ship, and 

 boats a-head to tow, that the main- 

 deck could be called ours ; they last 

 of all retreated to the 'tween decks, 

 and continued firing till their am- 

 munition was expended ; then, and, 

 not until then, did they cry for quar- 

 ter. At two o'clock the Hermione 

 was completely ours, being out of 

 gun-sliot from the fort, which had 

 for some time kept up a tolerable 

 good fire. From the captain, don 

 Romond de Chalas, I am informed 

 she was nearly ready for sea, mount- 

 ing 'i'i guns, with a ship's company 

 of 321 officers and sailors, 56 sol- 

 diers, and 15 artillery-men on 

 board. 



Every officer and man on this ex- 

 pedition behaved with an uncom- 



mon degree of valour and exertion ; 

 but I consider it particularly my 

 duty to mention the very gallant 

 conduct, as well as the aid and 

 assistance at a particular crisis I re- 

 ceived from Mr. John M'MuUen, 

 surgeon and volunteer, and Mr. 

 Maxwell, gunner, even after the 

 latter was dangerously wounded. 



As the frigate was the particular 

 object of your order of the 1 7th Sep- 

 tember, I have thought proper to 

 return into port with her. 



Enclosed, I transmit you a list of 

 captures during the cruise, also two 

 lists of killed and wounded. 



I have the honour to be, &c. 



E. Hamilton. 

 Sir Hyde Parker, knt. &c. &c. 

 Jamaica. 



LuHclon Gazelle, March 29- 



Copi/ of a Letler frmn Captain Sir 



IV. S. Smith, Captain, of his Ma- 



jestifs Ship Tigre, to Eran Ne- 



peaii, Esq. dated off Jaffa, the 



8th of November, 1799- ' 



I have the honour to enclose a 

 copy of my letter to the right hon. 

 lord Nelson (of this date), for the 

 information of the lords commis- 

 sioners of the admiralty. 



I have the honour to be, sir, &c. 

 W. S. Smith. 



Tigre, ojfjajf'a, 

 8lh November, 1799. 

 My lord, 

 1 lament to have to inform your 

 lordship of the melancholy death of 

 Patrona Bey, the Turkish vice- 

 admiral, who was assassinated at 

 Cyprus, in a mutiny of the Janissa- 

 ries, on the 18th of October; the 

 command devolved on Seid All Bey, 



