by a nest of
Greek pirates, on the southern coast of Candia. Sir John Pechell set
sail immediately in quest of these lawless and desperate men. On Sunday,
the 18th of June, 1826, at daylight, two misticoes were observed under
sail, near Cape Matala, standing towards the frigate; but on discovering
their mistake, they made for the land, and were followed by the Sybille,
into a narrow creek formed by a rocky islet and the mainland of Candia.
On this islet were posted from 200 to 300 armed Greeks, chiefly the
crews of three or four piratical misticoes at anchor in the creek; and
in a desperate attempt to cut out these misticoes, with the boats,
Midshipman J.M. Knox and twelve men were killed; and the first
lieutenant, Gordon, dangerously; Lieutenant Tupper, mortally; Midshipmen
William Edmonstone and Robert Lees, both very severely; and twenty-seven
men were wounded, of whom five died in a few days. Two of the misticoes
were afterwards sunk, and many of the pirates were killed and wounded by
the frigate's guns.[169]

Lieutenant Tupper commanded the launch, and although severely wounded in
three places, he stood up the whole time, and retained the command of
her until he returned to the ship. The bullet, which proved fatal,
entered his right breast, and was extracted from under the skin over the
false ribs. He lingered until the 26th June, when he breathed his last,
in a state of delirium, on board the Sybille, at Malta, where his
remains were interred, and a monument was erected to his memory by his
captain and messmates. In person he was rather above the middle height,
with a pleasing and intelligent countenance; and when his brother
Charles and he were midshipmen together in the Victory, in the Baltic,
they were designated on board as the handsome brothers.[170]

The surgeon of the Sybille, in a letter to the family in Guernsey, wrote
of Lieutenant Tupper:

"When I first saw him he was firm and cool. He asked me to
give my opinion without reserve, and knowing him to be
possessed of
great fortitude, I told him that the wound in the chest was of a
most _dangerous_ nature, but not _necessarily_ fatal. He had by
this time lost a great deal of blood, but the internal hemorrhage,
though the most alarming, was slight. He remained so low for three
days, that it was expected he would have sunk, though he still
continued collected and firm. On the fourth day he rallied, his
pulse became more distinct, and he evid