y two remaining boats we had left
out of eight, and sent Lieutenant Parker, 1st of the
Constitution, to take possession of the enemy, which proved to be
His Britannic Majesty's frigate Java, rated 38 but carried 49
guns, and manned with upwards of 400 men, commanded by Captain
Lambert, a very distinguished officer, who was mortally wounded.
The action continued, from the commencement to the end of the
fire, one hour and fifty-five minutes. The Constitution had 9
killed and 25 wounded. The enemy had 60 killed and 101 certainly
wounded, but by a letter written on board the Constitution, by
one of the officers of the Java, and accidentally found, it is
evident the enemy's wounded must have been considerably greater
than as above stated, and who must have died of their wounds
previously to their being removed. The letter states 60 killed
and 170 wounded. The Java had her own complement of men complete,
and upwards of one hundred supernumeraries, going to join the
British ships-of-war in the East Indies; also several officers,
passengers, going out on promotion. The force of the enemy in
number of men, at the commencement of the action, was no doubt
considerably greater than we have been able to ascertain, which
is upwards of 400 men. The officers were extremely cautious in
discovering the number. By her quarter bill she had one man more
stationed at each gun than we had.

"The Constitution was very much cut in her sails and rigging, and
many of her spars injured. At 7 P.M. the boat returned with
Lieutenant Chads, the first lieutenant of the enemy's frigate,
and Lieutenant-General Hyslop (appointed governor of Bombay),
Major Walker and Captain Wood, belonging to his staff. Captain
Lambert, of the Java, was too dangerously wounded to be (p. 170)
removed immediately. The cutter returned on board the prize for
the prisoners, and brought Captain Marshall, master and commander
of the British navy, who was passenger on board, as also several
other naval officers, destined for ships in the East Indies.

"The Java was an important ship, fitted out in the completest
manner, to carry Lieutenant-General Hyslop and staff to Bombay,
and several naval officers for different ships in the East
Indies; and had despatches for St. Helena, Cape of Good Hope, an