the Donegal district of Sea Fencibles, whicb he continued to hold, being unable to obtain more active employment, for a period of four years.
In April, 1808, through the kind interference of Sir Arthur Wellesley, now Duke of Wellington, Captain Evans was appointed to the Leveret brig, employed on the Baltic station. Whilst in that sloop, he convoyed a fleet of nearly 300 sail to Carlscrona, and returned from thence with an equal number under his protection, passing through the Belt each time without losing a single vessel, although constantly watched and harassed by numerous Danish gun-boats.
His next appointment was to the Satellite, of 16 guns; in which brig, after serving for some time off Flushing, he assisted in escorting about 400 sail of merchantmen from Spithead to Barbadoes; and was then ordered to afford protection to 120 of the same fleet, bound to St. Vincent’s, Grenada, Curaçoa, and Jamaica; on which latter station we find him very actively employed, under the orders of Vice-Admiral B. S. Rowley, who had been directed by Lord Mulgrave to place him at the head of the Admiralty list for promotion. Early in May, 1809, a merchant ship arrived at Port Royal, with intelligence of several French privateers having committed great depredations on the south side of St. Domingo, and afterwards taken shelter within the islands of Beata and de Vache. On the preceding day, (Thursday) the Satellite had returned from a four months’ cruise, during which she had sprung her main-mast so badly as to require it to be replaced. There being no other man of war then in port, the Vice-Admiral enquired by telegraph when she could be got ready for sea. and was told in reply, that every thing depended upon the dock-yard. On that and the ensuing day, the decks were caulked, the shipwrights’ and carpenters’ work completed, the new main-mast taken in, and three months’ provisions and stores, received and stowed away: on Sunday morning she went out of harbour, with her men on the yards bending sails; and on Wednesday following the enemy, seven in number, were discovered in their nest, between Beata and the main.
