In 1805, the Narcissus was attached to an expedition sent against the Cape of Good Hope; and while proceeding thither, in advance of the fleet under Sir Home Popham, she captured the French privateer brig Prudent, of 12 guns and 70 men; retook the English merchant ship Horatio Nelson, mounting 22 guns, with a cargo of rum, tobacco, slaves, ivory, &c. ; and drove ashore, in the midst of a heavy surf, where all her masts soon went by the board, a ship of 32 guns and 250 men, having on board the ordnance and stores of l’Atalante frigate, recently wrecked in Table Bay. She also intercepted a Dutch sloop, bound with naval stores from Cape Town to a line-of-battle ship in Simon’s Bay.
After the reduction of the above colony, the Narcissus proceeded to the Rio de la Plata, from whence she brought home despatches, announcing the conquest of Buenos Ayres, and specie to a considerable amount, forming part of the captured property.
Towards the end of Sept. 1806, Mr. Charles Irby followed Captain Donnelly into the Ardent 64; which ship escorted a reinforcement of troops to the little army in South America, and formed part of the squadron under Rear-Admiral Stirling, at the siege of Montevideo. During the operations against that fortress, her captain commanded the seamen and marines employed on shore; and the subject of this sketch was wounded, while serving in an advanced battery.
On the surrender of the citadel of Montevideo, which made but little resistance after the storming of the town. Captain Donnelly was again charged with the official despatches, and the Leda frigate ordered to convey him to England, Mr. Charles Irby also returned home in the same ship, April 11th, 1807; and remained on shore from that period till July following; when, his health having been re-established, he joined the Theseus 74, Captain (now Sir John P.) Beresford, employed in the Bay of Biscay. We next find him serving under Captain Donnelly, in the Invincible 74, on the North Sea station, where he remained till promoted into the Sirius 36, Captain Samuel Pym, Oct. 13th, 1808.
In this ship. Lieutenant Irby again proceeded to the Cape
