Mons. Etienne, who generously allowed the passengers to remain in her, as prisoners of war, on their parole, his own ship not affording suitable accommodation for so many gentlemen of rank.
After beating about for 21 days, the French prize-crew came aft one night, confessed that they did not know in what quarter the land lay, and requested Captain Evans to take charge of the navigation. This being approved of by Major General Baird and the other prisoners, he complied with their wishes, directed them how to steer, and at day-light next morning pointed out the coast of Spain, near Cape Finisterre.
Owing to the light and variable winds, 24 hours more elapsed before the ship arrived near Corunna; and when stretching off in order to fetch that port, a frigate was discovered, which Captain Evans very soon made out to be British. He then advised the prize-master, as escape was impossible, to hoist the English colours, union downwards; but whilst the Frenchman was deliberating, a shot from the stranger passed through the gangway netting, not more than a foot from the heads of the British, (who happened to be assembled there) and went out through the breastwork on the opposite side. The frigate proved to be the Sirius, commanded by Captain William Prowse, and attached to the squadron employed off Ferrol, under the orders of Sir Edward Pellew, who immediately granted Major-General Baird and his companions a cutter for their conveyance to Falmouth, where they were all landed in safety, at the commencement of Nov. 1803[1].
In April, 1804, the twelve judges having decided that the commander of a privateer had no right to take the parole of his prisoners, Captain Evans was appointed to a command in
- ↑ As another instance of the vicissitudes of fortune, we cannot refrain from stating that Dr. Coley, now an eminent physician at Cheltenham, was surgeon of the whaler in which Captain Evans sailed from St. Helena; and that on their being recaptured by the Sirius he begged him to speak to Sir Edward Pellew in his favor. This request Captain Evans complied with; the young man was instantly received on board the Tonnant, and in little more than a year he became a full naval surgeon.
