rigging, leaving him with
his ship entirely disabled, and more than half his crew killed and
wounded. On the approach of the British frigate to renew the action, he
surrendered.

Sir Edward was a warm admirer of the brave prisoner, whose character so
much resembled his own, and who returned his friendship with equal
warmth and sincerity. There is not often such a scene on board a
man-of-war as occurred when the two officers first met on the
quarter-deck of the _Culloden_. Both were deeply affected, and the
struggle of their feelings, from meeting under such circumstances, drew
tears from many who witnessed the interview.[11]

Sir Edward was not always so happy as to meet with enemies thus
deserving of his sympathy. A French frigate, the _Piedmontaise_, was
guilty of conduct which would have-disgraced a pirate. Cruising off the
Cape, on the 17th of February, 1805, she fell in with the _Warren
Hastings_, one of the China fleet which on a former voyage so gallantly
bent off the squadron of Admiral Linois; and after a very long and
severe action, in which the Indiaman was dismasted, and otherwise
completely disabled, took her. Her brave defence appears to have excited
the fury of the enemy, probably because her very crippled state
increased the probability of recapture. Before taking possession of the
prize, the frigate, by her own mismanagement, fell on board.
Immediately, the first lieutenant, with a party of ruffians, many of
whom, like their leader, were intoxicated, rushed on the deck of the
Indiaman with horrid imprecations and drawn daggers, accusing the
prisoners of having run foul of the frigate intentionally. The
lieutenant himself wounded Captain Larkins dangerously, and stabbed a
young midshipman in several places; and the second officer, the surgeon,
and a boatswain's mate, were wounded by his followers. Sir Edward did
not become acquainted with these facts for two years, as Captain Larkins
and his crew could not depose to them until they reached St. Helena,
after they had been liberated from the Isle of France. The
_Piedmontaise_ was then cruising in the Indian seas, and Sir Edward
transmitted copies of the depositions to every ship on the station,
with a general order, in which "the attention of the respective captains
and commanders of H.M.'s squadron is especially called to the statement,
in order that the ferocious conduct of the first lieutenant, and part of
the crew of the _Piedmontaise_, may receive