e he proceeded
the next day to cruise off Ushant, and watch the motions of the French
ships in Brest Harbour; other small squadrons being sent, as soon as
they were ready, off the other French ports, containing either ships of
the line or gunboats, of which Napoleon was collecting vast numbers for
the invasion of England. In a short time that war, which was to last
ten years, commenced in earnest. The French gunboats were, however,
kept pretty close prisoners by the English cruisers, and whenever any of
them ventured out from under the protection of their batteries, they
were attacked, captured, driven on shore, or compelled to seek shelter
in the nearest port under their lee; while many of them were gallantly
cut out and carried off in triumph, even when moored in positions where
they could receive assistance from the forts on shore.

Out of the numberless gallant deeds performed by the crews of boats and
small vessels engaged in this service, one must be instanced for its
singularity, and the bravery displayed by the commanding officer and his
followers. A hired cutter, the _Sheerness_, carrying 8 4-pounders and
30 men and boys, under the command of Lieutenant Henry Rowed, while
watching Brest Harbour, observed two chasse-marees close inshore.
Having sent a boat with seven men and the mate to cut off one of them,
the commander proceeded in the cutter in chase of the other, which was
about five miles off, under the protection of a battery. A calm coming
on, he, with the boatswain, John Marks, and three other men, jumped into
a small boat and pulled away for the chase. The latter, after some
time, ran on shore under the battery, where thirty soldiers were
observed drawn up on the beach. Notwithstanding the heavy fire they at
once opened, Lieutenant Rowed dashed alongside. The Frenchmen having
deserted their vessel, he began making efforts to get her off; in this,
as the tide was rising, he at length succeeded, and going ahead in the
boat, towed her away from the shore. He had pulled about a third of a
mile, when suddenly a French boat, with an officer and nine men armed
with muskets, were seen alongside, having pulled up in the wake of the
vessel. Before the French could have time to attack them, John Marks
sprang on board the chasse-maree, and seizing a boat-stretcher, stood
prepared to prevent any of the enemy from getting up the side. The
astonishment of the Frenchmen gave time to the lieutenant and his thre