“Captain Bolton anchored his ship in the most masterly and gallant manner, and just in the position I could have wished, which was on his weather-quarter, at a quarter of a cable distance, and so as to have enabled me, had it been necessary, to give the enemy a broadside in passing, without annoying the Wolverene; and after heaving on his spring until his broadside bore on the brig, fired one shot just to try his disposition, upon which the enemy fired three guns to leeward, and hauled down his colours.
“I made the signal for the Wolverene to take charge of the prize, and desired the officer sent on board to send her pilot to conduct the Arrow to the ship (my Dutch pilots having declined the charge), and requested of Captain Bolton to follow me to the Jetting Passage, where the ship lay, and then pushed on towards her. We had to turn to windward towards the enemy against a strong lee-tide, which retarded our progress much; she lay with springs on her cables, and her broadside opposed directly to our approach, and for twenty minutes before we could bring a gun to bear with effect on her, annoyed us very much, and cut us up a good deal in the hull, sails, and rigging; but after bringing the ship up by the stern and head in a very narrow passage at about a quarter of a cable from him, the contest became smart, but was short; for she struck in about fifteen minutes after we commenced our fire upon her, and just before the Wolverene (which was pressing on in the most gallant manner to my aid) came up. I sent my first lieutenant to take possession of her. and found her to be the Batavian guard-ship De Draak, commanded by Captain-Lieutenant Van Esch, mounting 24 guns, sixteen of them long Dutch 18-pounders, two long English 32-pounders, six 50-pound howitzers, and 180 men. From the howitzers I rather suppose langridge was fired, as several pieces of iron were picked up in the ship after the action was over. Our loss in killed and wounded (considering the length of time we had to advance on her under every disadvantage, such as being exposed to her raking fire for about twenty minutes, working the ship in a very narrow navigation, shortening sail, and anchoring) h very small, having only to lament at present the death of one brave man. There are nine wounded, some of them badly, and myself slightly in the left knee.
“The loss of the enemy I have not as yet been able to ascertain; but two dead and three badly wounded were found on board her, and from the appearance of great quantities of blood, &c. covered with taupaulins, which Captain Bolton discovered, I am led to think it has been very considerable: indeed some of them confess that a number of men[errata 1] were put into a boat and sent to Harlingen immediately upon the ship striking; and from the number they at present muster not agreeing with the establishment, I am induced to believe that was the case.
“On my going on board the Draak I found that she had been built for a sheer hulk, and converted into a guard-ship; she being extremely old, her masts and rigging very much cut, and the vessel altogether unfit for his Majesty’sErrata:
- ↑ Correction: number of men should be amended to number of wounded men
