by John Marshall

“ Fortunately for us the frigate, by fore-reaching upon her second astern, caused a small opening in their line It was suggested to me by Mr. Martin, Master of H.M.S. Greyhound, that if we could close with the enemy whilst in that position, our attack might be made to advantage: accordingly, under French colours, we bore up, as if with an intention to speak the frigate; and when within hail, all further disguise being unnecessary, we shifted our colours, and commenced firing, which was instantly returned with a smartness and spirit that evinced they were fully prepared for the contest. ”

“ I easily made out one of them to be a frigate, and another a corvette; but a third had so much the appearance of a line-of-battle ship, that both Captain Troubridge and myself deemed it prudent to wait till day-light before we examined them. We accordingly lay-to during the night, at two miles distance to windward; and as the day broke, I had the pleasure of finding the ship which had forced us on cautionary measures, was a large two-decker, resembling an English Indiaman. ”

“ The Dutch had 12 killed and 39 wounded, 8 of whom mortally. We should here observe, that the force of the combatants would have been nearly equal, if the Indiamen had not been “armed for the purpose of war;” but, as they took an active part in the engagement, the preponderance was possessed by the enemy; the Greyhound being only a 32-gun frigate, and the Harrier a brig, mounting 16 carronades (32-pounders) and 2 long sixes.
Captain Troubridge’s father was, at this period, commander-in-chief of the naval force employed to the eastward of Ceylon ”