Captain Duncan

“ Having put that gentleman on board the Amphion frigate, and placed himself under the orders of Captain Hoste, the subject of this memoir resumed his former station in the Adriatic, where the Mercury’s boats, imitating those of the Porcupine, distinguished themselves by several gallant enterprises, judiciously planned by Captain Duncan, and ably executed by the brave officers and men under his command. The capture of la Leda, Venetian gun-boat, at Rovigno, on the 1st April, and of la Pugliese, French national schooner, in the harbour of Barletta, on the 7th Sept. ”

“ If the Captain of a British frigate meets an enemy’s ship of that description, he fights her, and he can do no less: the officer who goes out of his way to cut out work for himself, has the credit of the planning to be added to that of the execution of any particular enterprise. Having found it impossible to specify every individual capture made by Captain Duncan, or at which he assisted, while commanding the Porcupine, Mercury, and Imperieuse, we must content ourselves with giving the grand total of vessels taken and destroyed in his presence between Sept. ”

“ On the 17th Aug. following, Captain Duncan then reconnoitring Naples, a squadron consisting of a 74-gun ship, bearing a Commodore’s broad pendant, a frigate, a corvette, thirteen large cutter-rigged gun-boats, and nine smaller ones, got under weigh, apparently with an intention of attacking the Imperieuse and her consort, the Cephalus brig of 18 guns. Captain Duncan allowed them to approach nearly within reach, when the frigate and gun-boats, which formed the lee division, shewed an inclination to annoy him with long shot, and he ordered the brig to wear and meet them ”

“ Henry Duncan actually went to sea, was the Maidstone of 32 guns, commanded by Captain Ross Donnelly (an officer possessing the esteem and confidence of all his superiors) , whom he joined at Spithead, about the 6th of April, 1800.
A few days after his embarkation, the subject of this memoir had a second narrow escape: a boat which he had just before left, in consequence of his obtaining leave to remain on shore, having upset on her return to the ship, by which accident one man perished, and the rest of her crew were for some time placed in a state of imminent danger. ”

“ The captain had deliberately subjected her to the chances in an effort to rescue the men for whom he was accountable to the women and children of Green Bay. She was caught; and if the wind should drive the fields together, her case would be desperate, indeed. The slow, mighty pressure exerted by such masses is irresistible. The ship would either be crushed to splinters, or—a slender chance—she would be lifted out of danger for the time.
Had there been no broken ice about her, destruction would have been inevitable. Her hope now lay in that ice ”

“ Next morning he wrote a letter to Sir W___ D___ , saying that he thought the duke going to the fleet would leave the Admiral no alternative but that of sending him on; and it would therefore be better to write to Vice-Admiral Thornbrough, and let him know what his Highness’s wishes were, and that the Halcyon brig would sail at 12 o’clock for the fleet, but could not wait longer, even for his despatches. Captain Duncan prevented further remonstrance with himself, by going to sea in the Porcupine. ”

“ From thence he proceeded off Ragusa, where he took sixteen sail of merchantmen, during a cruise of only 10 days.
A short time subsequent to the capture of la Pugliese, (already adverted to) , Captain Duncan was selected by Lord Collingwood to command a squadron employed in guarding Sicily from an invasion then threatened by the usurper of the Neapolitan throne; but the Mercury, on being surveyed, was found to be too defective for further active service; and indeed declared to be even in an unfit state to go home at that season of the year. ”

“ Sir, in attempting to pass encomiums on the very superior judgment and heroic gallantry of the commandant Captain Duncan, as also in the gallant manner of laying his ship alongside a strong battery and fortified tower, flanked by several gun-boats, which were shortly silenced by a powerful and well-directed fire, in conjunction with Captain Napier, of H.M.S. Thames, whereby the commandant was left in possession of the enemy’s flotilla, convoy, battery, and tower. ”

“ There is one—now a captain of a coastal boat on the Newfoundland shore—who takes his steamer into a ticklish harbour of a thick, dark night, when everything is black ahead and roundabout, steering only by the echo of the ship’s whistle! There is another, a confident seaman, a bluff, high-spirited fellow, who was once delayed by bitter winter weather—an inky night, with ice about, the snow flying, the seas heavy with frost, the wind blowing a gale. ”

“ Out to sea, the night-light now revealed a floe advancing with the wind, threatening to seal tight the narrow harbour entrance.
"If we have t' cut our way out," muttered the captain, "we'll cut as little as we can. Mr. [235] Girth!" he roared to the second mate, "get the bombs out. An' pick a crew that knows how t' use 'em."
The Dictator moved forward through the gathering ice towards Skull Head; and the three other steamers, whose owners had chosen to make the start from Long Tom, followed slyly on her heels, evidently hoping to get to sea in her wake, for she was larger than they. ”

“ Archie remarked.
"Cap'n Hand," said Billy, as though trying to revive his faith in the old skipper, "he's a clever one. 'Tis all right."
"Make fast below," the captain shouted over the bridge rail.
The word was passed in a lively fashion. Tackle, boats, and all things loose, were lashed in their places, as if for a great gale.
"Stop!" was the next signal. Then: "Full speed ahead!"
The blow had been launched! A moment later, the Dictator was ploughing forward, charging the pan, which she must strike like a battering ram, and shiver to pieces. ”

“ After cruising for some time off Tunis, and to the westward of Sicily, where he re-captured one British merchantman and prevented several others from falling a prey to four French privateers, which he discovered dogging a large convoy, Captain Duncan conveyed Mr. Hill, his Majesty’s minister to the court of Sardinia, from Palermo to Cagliari, where he was landed on the 4th June, 1808. The Porcupine then proceeded to cruise between Naples and Toulon, where she was frequently engaged with the enemy’s land batteries^ while capturing and destroying vessels under their protection. ”

“ Captain Duncan told me jocularly never to take a naval captain's word on shore, and quoted Sir William Scott, who used to say, waggishly, that there was nothing so accommodating as a naval captain on shore; but when on board he became a peremptory lion. Henry Duncan has behaved very kindly, and says he only discharges the wishes of his service in making me as easy as possible, which is very handsome. No danger of feud, except about politics, which would be impolite on my part, and though it bars out one great subject of discourse, it leaves enough besides. ”

“ She proved to be la Conceptione, mounting 4 guns, from Genoa, bound to the island of Cyprus, with bale goods. The British, on this occasion, had 2 men killed and 8 wounded; among the latter was Lieutenant James Renwick, R.M., a most excellent and gallant officer, who received three musket-ball wounds, but happily neither of them proved mortal [10] .
Captain Duncan continued in the Porcupine till Oct. 2, 1808, when he left her at Malta, and proceeded in the Spider brig to join the Mercury of 28 guns, at Messina, the Admiralty having appointed him, without application, to that frigate ”

“ Total loss on the part of the British, 5 killed and 11 wounded. ↑ The high approbation of the Admiralty was conveyed to Captain Duncan in a letter from their Lordships’ Secretary, dated Jan. 23, 1812. ↑ See p. 293 of this volume. ↑ See Captain Duncan’s official letter to Sir Edward Pellew. ↑ See memoir of Commander Eaton Travers, and p. 423 et seq. of this volume. N.B. Previous to this event, one of Captain Duncan’s squadron had taken a convoy, consisting of 3 gun-boats and 12 merchant vessels; and another captured a large French brig, and a privateer of 3 guns and forty men. ↑ See p. 1001. ”

“ Duncan was rated "captain of the car", so all questions were referred to him.
"It really looks a little like it," was the reply, "unless the island down yonder, with our dear friends on it, has broken adrift, and is bound for the mainland."
They could talk lightly, almost joyously now, so bracing was the air, and so delicious the sensation of floating through space.
"I say, captain," said Frank, "hadn't we better put another man to the wheel, and tack and half tack for a time. Or suppose we lie to, eh?"
"Providence is at the wheel, Frank, but we're at the mercy of every breeze that may blow." ”

“ Unfortunately they never had an opportunity of displaying their skill in so highly desirable a manner; but no battery they were ever opposed to could stand their fire many minutes. We should here remark, that very few of Lord Cochrane’s men were then remaining in the Imperieuse: it is true his Lordship first taught that frigate’s crew how to use great guns with skill and dexterity: it is also certain that Captain Duncan completed them in that important science ”

“ Little by little, Paul Duncan had worked his way up from the position in which we left him ten years before, to the command of one of the finest ocean steamers that sailed out of New York. He was exceedingly popular with the public, and was often quoted as the noblest specimen of a gallant captain, and, at the same time, a true Christian gentleman. He is not rich, as wealth is measured in our day, though he has some property, and receives a liberal salary from the Steamship Company ”

“ The captain shaped a course for it, eyeing it carefully as he drew near. It was low—not higher than the ship's spars—and broad, with the impression of stability strong upon it.
"See that berg, b'y?" said the captain. "Well," decisively, "we'll lie in the lee o' that in half an hour. You see, b'y," he went on, "the wind makes small bother for a solid berg. It whips the pan ice along, easy enough, but the bergs float their own way, quiet as you please. In the lee of every big fellow like that, there's [254] open water. We'll lie there, tied up, till mornin'." ”

“ He had many times done and dared things that only a brave and self-regardless man could have done and dared. To-night the old enthusiasm of war came back to his soul, but with a difference. He had often fought to destroy. He was facing danger now with saving and the rescue of imperiled human lives for his purpose.
As the tug quitted her moorings and began her voyage up the river, Duncan caught a glimpse of Captain Hallam's form hurrying toward the landing. ”

“ Towards the latter end of the same year, Captain Duncan requested and obtained permission to accompany a squadron under the present Sir Josias Rowley, who was then about to make a descent on the coast of Italy. “The ready and useful assistance” he afforded that officer “on every occasion,” during the subsequent operations at Via Reggio and Leghorn, was duly acknowledged by him in his official despatch, a copy of which will be found at p. ”

“ Soon she made no progress whatever. The screw was turning noisily; the vessel throbbed with the labour of the engines; but she was at a standstill.
"Stuck, sir!" exclaimed the mate.
"Ay, mate," the captain said, blankly, "stuck."
The ship struggled bravely to force her way on; but the ice, wedged all about her, was too heavy.
"God help the men!" said the captain, as he [313] signalled for the stopping of the engines. "We're stuck!"
"An' God help us," the mate added, in the same spirit, "if the fields come together!"
Conceive the situation of the Dictator. ”

“ Entering the office, where, at this hour, the clerks were assembling, Captain Hallam said, in his figurative fashion:
"That fellow Duncan has got more cogs in his gearing wheels than all the rest of you put together. You call him a freak; you call him eccentric, because he isn't like you. Now let me tell you that that's a sort of eccentricity that you'll do well to cultivate. The less you are like yourselves and the more you're like him, the better it will be for you. He thinks. You don't. He does all he can. You do as little as you can. ”

“ When he looked at the black clouds rising from behind the coast, he doubted that the Dictator could do it in [310] time. An appalling fortune seemed to be descending on the men on the ice.
"But we may make it, mate," said the captain, "if——"
"Ay, sir?"
"If they's no ice comin' with the gale."
The ship had been riding the open sea, skirting the floe. Now she came to the mouth of a broad lane, which wound through the fields. It was the course; along that lane, at all hazards, she must thread her way. The danger was extreme. The wind, blowing a gale, might force the great fields together. ”

“ Nine hours out from Snook's Arm and six with the school without pointing a gun!
"Agh!" the captain exclaimed, jumping from the gun platform, at last, "the whale captain have the worst business of all men. Agh! but I wish for rough seas. But I wish I had my harpoon in the back of some whale."
All days are not blue. Before the summer was over, Billy Topsail learned there were times when the Viking put out from the shelter of Snook's Arm to a sea that is rough. A gale from the northeast, gray and gusty, whips up the white horses, and frost gives new weight to the water. ”