soundings. When arrived abreast of Breskins, a thick fog coming on, the marks could no longer be seen. The tide was then setting over on the Cabot; on which, should the ships by any chance have been thrown, inevitable destruction must have been the result. This, together with the wind having occasionally headed them, induced Captain Butcher to approve the suggestion of the master of the fleet, then on board the Antelope, and sanction her being kept on the weather shore. Having, at length, passed the batteries, and had it reported to him that the Antelope was nearly advanced far enough to anchor, to await the arrival of a pilot from one of the frigates at Borselen, Captain Butcher was busily employed on the quarter-deck in reducing the heavy press of sail, which it had been necessary to carry, when all at once the water shoaled from seven to four fathoms. The helm was instantly put a-weather, and the after-sails ordered to be taken off, but before this could be done, or the ship could be influenced by the helm, she grounded on the tail of the Hoogplaat, between two spits of sand, where, notwithstanding every possible exertion, she remained immovable, within range of the enemy’s mortar batteries, from about 5 p.m. on that day until 10 a.m. on the third, a period of forty-one hours. In his official report of this trying accident. Captain Butcher, after acknowledging the very great assistance he received from Captain John Hancock, of the Nymphen frigate; and the zeal, ability, and unbounded exertions of Commanders Payne and Warde, of the Cretan and Banterer sloops, says:– “The constant attention and activity of Mr. Herbert (first lieutenant), and every other officer and person on board the Antelope, can never be surpassed. During upwards of thirty-six hours, not an individual had a moment’s relaxation from the severest toil, even to admit the taking of the smallest sustenance; and at the expiration of that time two hours only (while waiting the return of tide) until, on the third, the ship was hove off.”
In Oct. 1814, the Antelope being then at Quebec, Lieutenant Herbert volunteered to take the command of a party of seamen going to Lake Ontario, where he joined the St.
