heir boats one only remained. Yet, even during this
time of trial and danger, discipline was not for a moment abandoned;
no man's heart appeared to fail him; each one performed his duty with
cheerfulness and alacrity; and nobly did they all earn the praise
bestowed on them by their commander.

'I cannot help paying here,' said Captain Bland, 'the last tribute of
praise to my crew; they behaved with order, respect, and perfect
coolness to the last moment; nor would they quit the ship's side in
the barge, though at the risk of her being dashed to pieces, till I
took the place they had reserved for me.'

The gallantry and seamanship displayed by Captain Otway Bland, when in
command of the Espoir, 14-gun brig, in his attack and subsequent
capture of a Genoese pirate, well deserve a place in these pages.

On the 7th of August, 1798, the Espoir was sailing near Gibraltar in
charge of part of a convoy, when a large vessel, which appeared to be
a man-of-war, was seen steering apparently with the intention of
cutting off some of the convoy. Captain Bland, notwithstanding the
superiority of the force with which he had to contend, determined upon
attacking the stranger, which proved to be the Liguria, mounted with
26 guns of various calibres.

On approaching within hail, an officer on board the Liguria ordered
the commander of the Espoir to surrender, or he would sink his ship,
enforcing the demand by one shot, and afterwards by a whole broadside.
The fire was returned in a spirited manner by the Espoir, and was kept
up on both sides by the great guns and musketry for upwards of three
hours, when the captain of the Liguria hailed the Espoir, begging her
captain not to fire any more, as he was a Genoese. Upon this, Captain
Bland desired him to lower his sails, and come on board. As no
attention was paid to this demand, and the Genoese appeared to be
attempting some manoeuvre, the Espoir poured in another broadside,
which the Liguria returned; but on the Espoir tacking to fire her
opposite broadside, her opponent surrendered.

The crew of the Liguria consisted, of one hundred and twenty men of
all nations, whilst that of the Espoir was but eighty men, of which
the master was killed, and six men wounded.

Captain Bland died in 1810.

THE AJAX.

On the evening of the 14th of February, 1807, H.M. ship Ajax, 74 guns,
commanded by Captain the Hon. Sir Henry Blackwood, lay at anchor off
the mouth of the Dardanelles, in c