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CHAPTER VII. ——
1793—1810.

Gallant Action of the ' Vigilant,' Lieutenant Hayes, with Sanganian Pirates
Lieutenant Hayes' Services Ashore and Afloat— Services of the Company's Ships
during tlie Eevolutionary War—The Eeduction of Ceylon and the Eastern
Islands—The Bombay' frigate at Coupang—Brilliant Defence of the ' Intrepid'
'
—Eeduction of Teruate by Captain Hayes, and Action with Magandanao Pirates
—Eeorganization of the Bombay Marine— Strength of the Sei'vice in 1802
Occupation of Perim—The Expedition to Egypt—Services of the Marine in
Sumatra and in the Persian Gulf—Loyalty of the ' Aurora's' Marines—The
Eeduction of Mauritius—The Services of Lieutenant D. Macdonald.
LIEUTENANT HAYES, after his return to Bombay from the
prosecution of his surveys, which ended so disastrously in
the capture of all his charts and memoirs, was appointed first
lieutenant of the ' Jehangire,' which, in conjunction with the
Hon. Company's ships ' Exeter' and ' Brunswick,' sailed from
Bombay with the object of intercepting a French Republican
squadron, nnder Commodore Renaud, consisting of the frigates
*Cybele,' 'Prudente,' and 'Moineau,' which had appeared off
Diu and threatened the destruction of that settlement. In 1796,
he was actively employed as Commander of the cruiser ' Princess
Augusta,' and was soon after selected to carry out a diplomatic
mission requiring no less tact than courage. A potentate
known as the Hakim of Sonmeanee* had seized a British
trading ship, and carried her off to a port in his dominions, and
it was to eft'ect her release from that Prince that Lieutenant
Hayes set sail from Bombay in the first week of 1797. To
enable him to carry out this service, he was furnished with only
one small vessel of six guns, called the ' Vigilant.'
On the 13th of January, while crossing the entrance of the
Gulf of Cutch, Lieutenant Hayes was attacked by four sail of
Sanganian pirates, each more than double the size of the
'Vigilant,' and carrying twice her number of men. A desperate
* Sonmeanee, a name derived from two words signifying "neat" and "fishing
station," is a small town in Beloochistan, situated on the sea-coast on a bay formed
by the projection of Cape Monze on the east. In 328 B.C., Nearchus anchored
here with his fleet after leaving the mouth of the Indus, aud as the harbour was
safe and commodious, he ordered it, says Dr. Vincent in his " Voyage of Nearchus,"
to be called " the port of Alexander."