driving another on shore; and captured the Tigre, a Spanish schooner letter of marque. On the 6th Aug. 1807, he chased three armed polacres into the harbour of Begu, on the coast of Catalonia, and having reconnoitred them on the following morning, deemed an attempt on them practicable, although they were under the protection of a battery, mounting four 26-pounders, and a tower on one side of the anchorage, and of rocks and bushes admirably calculated for musketry on the other. At fifty minutes past noon the Hydra was anchored, with springs on her cables, at the entrance of the port, and began the attack. A smart fire was returned by the enemy, which however considerably slackened after somewhat more than an hour’s action; on perceiving which, Captain Mundy ordered 50 seamen and marines, under the command of Lieutenant Edward O’Brien Drury, to land on the flank of the enemy, and drive them from their guns, whilst the frigate kept up a heavy fire to cover the boats as they approached the shore. Disregarding the heavy fire to which they were exposed from the shipping and fort, as well as musketry from the rocks, the detachment mounted the cliff which was most .difficult of access, and attacked the fort with such intrepidity, that the enemy did not think proper to await their closing, but spiking the guns, rushed out on the one side as the assailants entered on the other. The bravery and success of his men on shore gave Captain Mundy an opportunity of employing the Hydra’s broadside solely on the polacres, from which a constant fire was still kept up on the land party. On gaining the battery, Lieutenant Drury advanced with the seamen and a few marines to the town, leaving the remainder of his people to retain possession of the guns, and to occupy the heights that commanded the decks of the vessels. As soon as the town was cleared of the enemy, the crews of the polacres landed and formed in groups among the rocks and bushes, firing on the British seamen, who had now seized the boats on the beach, and were boarding the vessels, while another part of the enemy had gained a height above the marines, and kept them engaged, notwithstanding some guns were continually playing on them from the Hydra. At half-past three, observing Lieutenant Drury in full possession of the polacres, Captain Mundy sent the rest of the boats under
