by John Marshall

“ Captain Edgcumbe hoisted American colours and hove too; he then dressed a young Midshipman in white, so as to resemble a lady passenger, caused him to be raised on a platform, and one of the crew to hold an umbrella over his head. The deception took, for the schooner hoisted French colours and ran down close to the Heron’s lee quarter. An English ensign and pendant were now hoisted, the half-ports knocked out, and a volley of musketry was fired; but this failed of the expected effect, for the enemy, instead of surrendering to her, attempted to board the British sloop of war. ”

“ The effects of this wind on the human body are, an immediate dryness and parching of the skin, producing a total stop to perspiration; appetite fails; respiration is impeded; to sleep is impossible, and a general restlessness, uneasiness, and anxiety are felt, which it is impossible to describe: all these effects result from a total suppression of perspiration, which is a cooling process, and nature’s chief mean for carrying off redundant heat. ”

“ As far as you are individually concerned, your health prevents you from discharging the duties of Captain of the Psyche, and I am sorry that there is little prospect of recovery in this climate; it almost becomes a duty upon you to take the necessary means of recovery, for without health no advantages of service can be enjoyed. ”

“ The schooner was afterwards taken by the Cambrian frigate, and proved to be la Matilde, French privateer, of 18 guns and 130 men, commanded by “a very clever and notorious fellow,” who did not surrender until after that ship’s bow-guns had been playing upon him for several hours. This portion of our information is derived from a letter written by Captain J. W. Deans Dundas, who was then a Lieutenant of the Cambrian.
From Oct. 1805 until Dec. 1806, we find Captain Edgcumbe constantly employed conducting fleets of merchantmen to and from Halifax, Newfoundland, and Bermuda. ”

“ Company’s Ambassador did not proceed to the capital, but thought it necessary to leave Captain Pasley as chargé-d’affaires, at Abusheer, under Captain Edgcumbe’s protection; and to proceed himself in the Doris frigate, to Bengal for fresh instructions. During his absence. Captain Pasley proceeded in the Psyche to the mouth of the Euphrates, and from thence Captain Edgcumbe accompanied him, first in a company’s cruiser, and afterwards in boats, to Bussorah, where he remained with the embassy several days, and then returned to Bombay, his protection being no longer requisite. ”

“ In this, however, they failed; and if Captain Edgcumbe could have depressed his guns sufficiently to fire into so low a vessel whilst along-side of him, the schooner might yet have been captured. This not being the case, a grapnel and chain attached to a hawser were lowered by a whip from the cross-jack-yard, which hooked something about her bowsprit; but fortunately for the enemy that spar was carried away by the Heron’s excessive rolling, and they were thus enabled to effect their escape, after killing one man, who was shot whilst standing close to Captain Edgcumbe. ”

“ I remain. Sir, your obedient humble servant,
(Signed) ⁠“J. W. Jordan, Agent for Barbadoes.” “To Captain Edgcumbe, R.N.”
The fleet which sailed from Barbadoes under the Heron’s protection consisted of twenty-eight merchantmen and four transports; five of the former, being bound to Halifax and Newfoundland, parted company when in a proper latitude: the remainder, and the transports, arrived at their different ports in safety; those bound up St. George’s Channel being given in charge to the Argus sloop of war, off Cape Clear ”

“ The British, we know, were only 18-pounders [3] . The opinion entertained by the Admiralty of this gallant action may be inferred from the immediate promotion of the Carysfort’s first Lieutenant, and (as soon as the regulations of the service would admit) Mr. Edgcumbe, the senior Master’s Mate. Captain Laforey himself was also rewarded with an appointment to a larger frigate.
In June 1804, Captain Edgcumbe was appointed to the Heron, of 16 guns and 89 men: at the close of that year we find him employed escorting a fleet of merchantmen from England to Barbadoes. ”

“ It will be seen by reference to our memoir of Sir Francis Laforey, that the subject of this memoir served in a tropical climate both as midshipman and lieutenant. On each of those occasions, as also when commanding the Heron, he suffered a severe attack of fever; but notwithstanding he had so little prospect of escaping disease in the East Indies, he immediately took up his appointment, and proceeded thither as a passenger on board the St. Albans 64.
Captain Edgcumbe joined the Blanche, at Bombay, early in 1808 ”