and ably executed by the brave officers and men under his command. The capture of la Leda, Venetian gun-boat, at Rovigno, on the 1st April, and of la Pugliese, French national schooner, in the harbour of Barletta, on the 7th Sept. 1809, will be found amply described in our forthcoming memoir of Captain Watkin Owen Pell, who commanded the boats on each of those occasions.
In April, 1809, Captain Duncan co-operated with the Austrian forces in obtaining possession of Capo d’Istria, a town near Trieste, during the course of which service the Amphion and Mercury were obliged to anchor on a lee shore, in a gale of wind, and to destroy the signal posts in order to prevent the enemy having a knowledge of their situation, and bringing guns against them from Venice.
Subsequent to this event, the Mercury assisted at the attack of Pesaro and Cesenatico, the result of which was the destruction of the enemy’s fortifications at the entrance of those harbours, and the capture of twenty-five sail laden with oil, hides, hemp, almonds, grain, &c., besides one large vessel loaded with iron, burnt in the latter port; and the seizure of a large quantity of hemp and iron, which had been collected in the magazines on shore[1]. Captain Duncan’s conduct in these attacks is thus noticed by Sir Jahleel Brenton, the gallant officer under whom he was then serving:–
“As the enemy made no active resistance (at Pesaro), I can only express my admiration of the zeal and promptitude with which Captain Hoste and the Hon. Henry Duncan executed the orders they received, and the manner in which they placed their ships.
“The Mercury, from Captain Duncan’s anxiety to place her as near the town (of Cesenatico) as possible, took the ground, but in so favorable a position as gave the fullest effect to her fire: she was, however, hove off by 6 P.M. without having sustained any injury. I never witnessed more zeal and energy than were evinced by Captain Duncan on this occasion.”
Returning down the Adriatic, on his way to Malta, Captain Duncan observed seven large trabacolos and several smaller ones, hauled upon the beach at Rotti, near Manfredonia, and sent a flag of truce to desire them to be given up, as he was unwilling to hurt the town; which being refused, the Mercury was anchored within half gun-shot, in four fathoms;
