Page 33 - Gulf Precis (1-B)_Neat

229
CLXXI.
Extract from the Basrah Factory Diary No. 5 of 1867-68.
Arrived the Salamander Bomb commanded by Lieutenant Gago, who brings Ormu« •iptditioo
ns the melancholy account of the loss of tho Dcfianco Commodoro Fountain DetUod P
Brice, that ship having blown up, under the 15th November, on an expedition
against Ormuso, in sight of the island of Kishmec: as tho following extract from
Lieutenant Gage’s .Journal particularizes tho event, it is here with melancholy
transcribed.
Extract from Lieutenant 0aye's Journal with respect to the blowing up of the
Ship Defiance.
Saturday 14th. Pleasant land and Sea breezes at 4 P. M., observed tlie
Commodore haul up with an intention of going between the island of Kishmee
and the Main*d. haul up after her, at 8 P. M., anchored in } less 4 fathom by
the Defiance at day light the Southermost end of Kishmee S.E.B.E. off shore
about 4 leagues.
Sunday I5tli. At 1 P. M., weighed in Company with the Defiance Launoh,
and Trankcy, steered E.N.E. till 9 P. M., then anchored by the Defiance.—At
11 P. M., the fleet weighed, wind N.B.E., at i past 1 A. M. the Defiance was
taken aback, and came to an anchor—at the same time the Commodore ordered
me to stand on as long as the flood run. At -i past 2 A. M., observed some
thing on shore of us, took it to be a large trankey under sail; fired a shot at her
to bring her too, soon after heard a great noise on board her; at 3clo. fired 3
shot more at her, discoverd her to be a large ship at Anchor, she fired several
musquets at us out of her tops; we past her about a musquet shot distance, and
anchored to the Eastward of her within Gun 6hot; made the signal to the
Commodore of seeing a strange ship, and immediately despatchd Lieutenant
Kerr to the Commodore to acquaint him that we was at Anchor by a strang0
ship. At this time the Defiance xoas at Anchor by a stratige ship. At thi8
time the Defiance was at anchor distance from us about 4 miles. Lieutenant
Kerr acquainting the Commodore that we was at anchor by the ship, weighed
and stood towards us and we at times burnt blue lights to let the Commodore
sec where we was—there being little wind and the tide of ebb against him, he
could not get near us, and a little after day light the Defiance anchored, distanoe
from the ship about a mile and from us about 1-J miles—found with the ship 3
Gallwats and four armed Trankeys. At 7 clo. Lieutenant Kerr returned
acquainting me that tho Commodore intended attacking the ship, and board her
as soon as possible, and to keep our boats manned and armed, in case he should
make the signal for her—all this time the ship and Gallwats making prepara­
tions. At 8 A. M. the Launch with the Commodores boats was along side him
taking the Military upon boarding the ship. At J past 8 saw a smoke from the
!
Defiance took it to be a gun fired from her, but to our great surprize she blew
up in less than two minutes after— we were then about a mile and a half distance
irom her, but to our great surprize she blew up in less than two minutes afte\ 1
we wre then about a mile and a half dista?ice from her, but could not observe
any men living about the wreck ; indeed the explosion was so great that we
could not think it was possible that there was any men saved from her—the enemy
immediately on seeing this, manned their ship and Gallwats, with a number
of men that was not soen before, which prevented us from getting under sail
and making towards the wreck, but if we had weighed, we should have dropt
on board the ship, it being strong tide of Ebb, and no mind at 9 A. 11. observed