son, and allowed to depart from Java (without any condltions being imposed upon them) in la Piedmontaise frigate, Captain Charles Foote, by whom Mr. Grace was directed to do duty as lieutenant. His appointment to the Greyhound had been confirmed at home on the 28th February preceding. The following is an extract of a journal kept on board la Piedmontaise:–
“Sept. 30th, 1809. – P.M., at 2-40, boarded a Chinese junk, bound to Malacca, and were informed that the proas in shore, under Mount Muir, were pirates, and twenty in number. At 5, came-to with the stream-anchor, in 7¼ fathoms. Sent two boats to reconnoitre, under the command of Lieutenants Grace and Turner. At sunset, observed the boats tire at the proas, and shortly after hoard the two sternmost. Fired signal guns for the boats to return. At 6-30, weighed and made sail in shore. At 8, the boats returned, with the loss of two men killed; Lieutenant Grace, Lieutenant Fanner, R.M., Messrs. West and Foster, midshipmen, Mr. Hyde, gunner, and fifteen men wounded, chiefly with spears and creases. Found that the boats had gained possession of the two proas, and were conducting them to the ship, for examination, in the quietest manner; but as soon as it became dark, the Malays rose upon our people, and by superior numbers obliged them to retreat.”
On this occasion. Lieutenant Grace received a barbed spear in the thigh, near the groin, from whence the wound extended to the hip joint: the weapon could not be extracted for several days, owing to excessive haemorrhage, and only then with exceeding difficulty. He subsequently proceeded to Pulo-Fenang and Madras, at each of which places he remained a considerable time, waiting in vain for an opportunity of returning to England on board a man-of-war. He was consequently obliged to return home at his own expence; but, although strongly recommended by Captain Foote for his conduct in the affair with the Malay pirates, and even now occasionally suffering much from the effects of the very dangerous wound he then received, no pension, gratuity, nor reimbursement has ever yet been granted him. He arrived at Portsmouth in the Sarah Christiana Indiaman, in Dec. 1810.
Lieutenant Grace’s next appointment was. Mar. 16th, 1811, to the Semiramis frigate. Captain Charles Richardson. In the night of Aug. 24th following, he commanded one of
