130 ON THE TRACK OF THE MAIL-COACH 



I will do no more than preserve the names of two 

 gallant men — the Captam, Norman, who fought and 

 died, and the Master, Watkins, of twenty years' 

 service, who fought and lived, on board the Falmouth 

 packet Montagu. 



' Teneriffe, Nov. 9, 1813,' writes Watkiiis. ' We arrived at 

 Madeira on the 1st, and landed the mail. At four a.m. on the 2nd 

 were attacked bj' an American privateer schooner — exchanged 

 broadsides. The above quitted at nine p.m. 



[A broadside more or less seems to have been of httle moment 

 to the old salts of the Montagu, and all in the day's work.] 



' The 3rd at eight a.m., a schooner astern, coming up fast. At 

 three-ten commenced action. At tlu-ee-twenty-five schooner 

 boarded wdth a large body of men on the starboard quarter ; her 

 jib-boom in our main rigging. Captain Norman, sm-geon, two 

 seamen, killed, and four wounded. We at last succeeded m clear- 

 ing our decks; three-tlmty-two p.m., the schooner got on our 

 larboard quarter and boarded with great superiority of men. The 

 Montagu only thu-teen men left ; myself at that moment wounded 

 in left hand and thigh. I ordered the mail to be simk ; (aided by 

 Ahnightj' God) we succeeded in clearing our decks. We maimed 

 the guns on the side of the enem^^, and had soon the satisfaction 

 to see the schooner walk off from us, leaving us without a brace 

 or bowling unshot.' 



The stout Montagu's losses in the action were four 

 men killed and twelve wounded — eight, including the 

 brave master, dangerously. Only five sound seamen 

 were left to fight and sail the ship. Before Watkins, 

 disabled, quitted the deck to go below, he ' gave 

 orders to the gunner, who came out of the magazine 

 at that moment, that the colours were never to be 

 hauled down as long as a man remained ; that I 

 would be with them presently.' 



