tish nation to Napoleon Buonaparte, the tyrannical ruler of France against such indefensible conduct.
The French frigates which Captain Manby had so long watched, being at length dismantled and passed through the inland canal to Flushing, the Africaine was ordered to reinforce the squadron off the Texel, where she continued several months under the command of that most worthy officer, the present Admiral Russell. Previous to his quitting the blockade of Helvoetsluys, Captain Manby, who had never molested the Dutch fishing-vessels, was much mortified on observing several shot fired by order of the French General at Scheveling at the Africaine’s jolly boat, in which four boys had been sent to take shrimps from a sandbank near the Maas. By way of retaliation, he that night seized sixty large vessels employed in the fishery, most of which were sent to Yarmouth, and then addressed the following brief letter to the French myrmidon:
“Monsieur le General. As you have prevented my having Shrimps to my Turbot, I will deprive you of Turbot to your Shrimps, by taking every fishing vessel you have.I am, &c.“T. Manby.”
The Hague was thus deprived of the usual supply of fish for many weeks.
During the period Captain Manby was employed off the Texel; and while the Africaine, with three cables an end, was riding out a heavy gale of wind, the main piece of her rudder broke near the water line, and before it could be got clear off, occasioned serious injury to the stern post. On the storm abating, the Glatton was ordered to see her over to Yarmouth; and accordingly towed her into the entrance of St. Nicholas’ Gat; but it being the first of a flood tide when she arrived there, secure anchorage could not be obtained. In the night, a furious gale sprang up from the eastward, two cables parted, and she was only saved from destruction by cutting away all her masts. After refitting at Sheernees, she escorted a large fleet of merchant vessels to Surinam, Essequibo, Demerara, Trinidad, and other islands in the West Indies, and arrived at Barbadoes with a crew of 340 men, in perfect health. There Captain Manby received orders from Sir Alexander Cochrane, to take charge of the homeward bound trade, and to receive on board some invalids from the
