Leveret that it burst under her bow, producing a concussion which threatened serious damage. The same day, a heavy gale of wind broke most of the ships in the river adrift; but, with the exception of a few spars, little or no damage was done to the British squadron. Don Miguel was then preparing, not only to bombard the city, but to cut off all communication by land as well as by sea, with a view of eventually starving the inhabitants of Oporto. On the morning of the 14th, at day-light, Don Pedro’s troops made a sortie from the Sierra convent, with a view of supporting Sartorious’s seamen, who landed from their ships to storm a mortar battery on the summit of the Quarantine Ground. The sailors were repulsed, and their leader. Captain Morgul, was mortally wounded; but the troops, (under Colonel Schwallbach, a fine old German soldier,) though only twelve hundred strong, took one hundred and sixty prisoners. Had three or four thousand men been sent instead of twelve hundred, the probability is, the troops of Don Pedro would have destroyed all the batteries on the southern side. From the heavy cross fire of musketry to which H.M. ships were exposed. Commander Glascock was apprehensive some damage would have ensued; but from keeping their crews below, he was happy to report, that with the exception of stranding a shroud here and there, of the lower and top-mast rigging, not a single accident occurred.
On the 17th Nov. a sortie was made by the British and French troops in Don Pedro’s service, on the north of their lines. A few Miguelites were made prisoners, and several huts in their camp destroyed ; but this was no compensation for the number killed and wounded on the constitutional side. On the morning of the 19th, an occurrence took place which might have led to political consequences of the most serious nature.
Previously to the blockade of the Douro, which was fully established by the opening of the Sampaio battery, the Raven cutter, tender to the AEtna, had been sent to complete a survey of soundings without the bar; but bad weather coming on, she was compelled to procure an offing, and consequently
