Page 423 - INDIANNAVYV1

HISTORY OF THE INDIAX NAVY. 3'Jl

On the 24th of June the 'Antelope' arrived at Mocha, and, on
the 7th of July, Lord Valentia having, as he says, " resigned
his nominal eonnnand," proceeded on board H.M.S. 'Fox,'
Captain Vashoti, and, on the 9th, the ' Antelope' sailed for
Bombay, taking Mr. Salt with official letters from Lord Valentia
for the Governor, Mr. Duncan, and the Governor-General,
preferring charges against Captain Keys.
The Captain of tlie 'Antelope' was placed under arrest* on
his arrival at Bombay, and, on the 4th of December, l'S04,
Lord Valentia, who liad returned to Jiombay in the 'Fox,'
again sailed for the Red Sea, in the Hon. Company's cruiser
' Panther,' commanded by Lieutenant Charles Court, ap-
pointed, as his lordship observes, " in consequence of the very
high character which he bore as a seaman and a man of
science." The 'Panther' had for a tender the 'Assaye,' a
small schooner captured from the French, and purchased into
the Marine, to the command of which Lieutenant Ahixfield
was appointed. The other officers were, Acting-Lieutenants
Hard}^ Crawford, and Hurst, and Mr. Criddle, Midshipman,
all excellent observers. Lieutenant Court was of a more
compliant nature than Captain Keys, and no hitch occurred
to mar the success of the expedition. On the li>th ot
December they reached Mocha, and, on the 27th, Lieutenant
Maxtield sailed for Massowah On the 2nil of .Jainiary, LSO;'),
the 'Panther' proceeded to Dhalac, Lord Valentia noting that
he was "extremely surprised to ffnd how incorrectly the
Aroe Islands were laid down in Sir Home Popham's chart of the
Red Sea," adding that "Captain Court expressed his surprise
that Mr. Maxtield had been able to lay the places down so
accurately in his chart,"— referring to the former voyage of the
' Antelope.' On the Gth of January Lieutenant Court huidiid
at Dhalac, for the purpose of surveying the island, ac-
companied by Mr. Criddle, Midshipman, and also by Captain
Rudland, of the Bombay Army, and Mr. Salt. The survey
was completed by the i4th. and, on the following day, the
'Panther' proceeded to Massowah, where the ' Assaye' lay at
anchor. On the 21st tif January the shii)s sailed, and, on the
28th and 2i)th, Lieutenants ('oin-t and Maxtield were engaged
on the survey of Port Moniington, (of which, and of Dlialae
and Valentia Islands, and environs, there are charts in Vol. ii.
of his lordship's work) the bay in which they were anchored
being named Panther Bay. The sm-vey of the coast and ad-
jacent islands, was continued; the 'Panther' at one time run-
ning on a rock, whence she was only war|)ed off after the guns,
stores, and top hamiier had been removed into a dhow, the
* Captain Keys was not long; in disgmco, liowovcr, niul, for uy.wy ycfirs
held the post of Master-Attendant at Hoinbiiy, ami Mi'inber of tno ilurino
Board.