the crew from below: I instantly ordered her to be hauled close up under the quarter, fired a carronade into her and musketry, which they returned by throwing spears and firing pistols, &c. I then got a gun out of the stern-port and fired into her, the sparks of which most unfortunately reached some powder (which must have been carelessly handed out of some of the proas abaft), and blew the after-part of the ship up: at this alarming moment the guard over the prisoners dropped their arms, and ran to extinguish the fire. The prisoners instantly seized their arms, and picked up several spears and knives which hud been thrown on board, and attacked the ship; by this time (eight P.M.) the fire, most providentially, by the great exertions of officers and men, was got under, proas cut adrift, and the attention of all hands directed to the defence of the ship, which was admirably performed, for in little more than half an hour eighty of them lay dead in a most mangled state, the rest driven overboard; but sorry am I to add, not without a severe loss on our side, including those thrown overboard and those who have since died of their wounds, a list of which I herewith enclose for your Excellency’s satisfaction.”
On this occasion, the Victor’s first Lieutenant (H. Blaxton) and 5 of her crew were killed outright; her commander, gunner, and 24 men, either wounded by the weapons of ihe Malays, or dreadfully injured by the explosion: Captain Bell himself was so much burnt that he was obliged to be taken below; and most of the wounded men died after the Victor’s arrival at Penang.
Captain Bell’s commission as a Commander was confirmed by the Admiralty, Oct. 12, 1807; and he subsequently had the gratification of reading a letter from their Lordships’ secretary, wherein the thanks of the Board were conveyed to him and his surviving officers and men, for their determined courage in the above sanguinary contest.
We next find Captain Bell commanding the Culloden, and assisting at the destruction of two Dutch 70-gun ships, a cutdown two-decker, fitted as a sheer-hulk, an Indiaman of 1000 tons burthen, and a large transport, lying at Griessee; which service completed the entire destruction of the naval force of Holland in the eastern hemisphere[1]. His post commission bears date July 31, 1809.
Captain Bell married, Dec. 23, 1822, Lucy Martha, daughter of the late T. Michael M‘Donogh, Esq. formerly commander
