hip was out of gunshot of the batteries, the
towing-boats were called alongside, and her crews came on board. In
this wonderful enterprise the British had only 12 wounded, while the
Spaniards, out of a crew of 365, lost 119 killed and 97 wounded, most of
them dangerously. The cutting-out of the _Hermione_ may well be
considered one of the most desperate services ever performed, and no man
was ever more deserving of the knighthood he received than Captain
Hamilton, who had planned every detail, and personally led the bold
attack. He himself was among the most severely wounded; besides a blow
on his head, he received a sabre wound on the left thigh, another by a
pike in his right thigh, and a contusion on the shin-bone by grape-shot;
one of his fingers was badly cut, and he was also much bruised.

For some time previously to this, detectives, if they may be so-called,
were stationed at each of the ports to discover the members of the crew
who had been on board the _Hermione_ at the time of the mutiny. No
mercy was shown to those who had taken part in it. A large number were
hung; it used to be said, indeed, that more suffered than actually then
belonged to her, though they might have done so at some former period.

Sir Edward Hamilton long lived to enjoy his honours.

The days when fabulous amounts of prize-money were to be picked up had
not yet passed by, although the rich Spanish galleons which went to sea
in the times of Drake were seldom to be found. In October of this year,
1799, fortune smiled on the officers and ships' companies of two British
frigates. The _Naiad_, of 38 guns, Captain Pierrepoint, while cruising
in latitude 44 degrees 1 minute north, and longitude 12 degrees 35
minutes west, came in sight of two frigates, to which, notwithstanding
the disparity of force, he gave chase. They proved to be the Spanish
34-gun frigates _Santa Brigida_ and _Thetis_, from Vera Cruz, bound to
Spain. He followed them all night, when, early in the morning of the
16th, another ship was seen in the south-west, which hoisting her number
showed herself to be the 38-gun frigate _Ethalion_, Captain James Young;
and soon afterwards two other 32-gun frigates, the _Alcmene_, Captain
Digby, and the _Triton_, Captain J. Gore appeared. The Spaniards,
hoping to escape, steered different courses, but each were pursued by
two British frigates, which, before long coming up with them, compelled
them to haul down their colours. F