by John Marshall

“ The cause of this dreadful accident in all probability will never be discovered, as it is most reasonable to suppose that the person from whose imprudence it was occasioned, shared the fate of his miserable companions.
Captain Pellew afterwards commanded the Cleopatra frigate, stationed in the Channel, where he captured l’Emilie, French privateer, of 18 guns and 110 men. Towards the latter end of 1798, he escorted a fleet of merchantmen to Halifax, where he continued until the year 1800, and then proceeded to Jamaica. ”

“ The number of persons on board at the time, including visitors of both sexes, was at least 300, not more than 40 of whom were saved, and several of these severely wounded. Captain Pellew, his first Lieutenant, and Captain Swaffield of the Overyssel, were in the cabin at dinner; hearing a kind of rumbling noise immediately preceding the blowing up, the two former ran into the quarter gallery nearest the sheerhulk, on whose deck Captain Pellew was instantaneously thrown, whereby he received a severe blow on the head, and a contusion on his breast. ”

“ Early in 1801, the Cleopatra got aground on the island of Abaco, one of the Bahamas, where she remained three days and nights, and was forced to throw her guns and part of the ballast overboard before she could be got afloat. During the same cruize, and some time previous to this accident, Captain Pellew being off Cuba, in company with the Andromache, sent the boats of the two frigates into Levita Bay’, for the purpose of cutting out some vessels which lay at anchor there under the protection of three armed gallies. The enemy, expecting an attack, was prepared for their reception ”