GARLAND
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Built in 1779, Buckler's Hard. SIBYL until July 1795. Wrecked in 1798. |
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- 1795 Capt. John Erskine DOUGLAS, 07/1795, North Sea.
He removed into BOSTON at the beginning of 1798. - 1798 Capt. James Athol WOOD.
Cape of Good Hope. He was sent by Sir Hugh CHRISTIAN to cruise off Mauritius and Bourbon with a small squadron and there received intelligence that two large French frigates, which had been causing great depredations in the Indian Ocean, were sailing towards Madagascar. The squadron went in pursuit and Capt. WOOD discovered a large vessel anchored near the former French settlement of Fort Dauphin on 26 July. Because the rest of the ships were to windward and unable to work against the current, GARLAND went in to examine her. When she arrived within about a mile, GARLAND struck on a pointed rock about 15 feet below the surface. Water immediately poured in through the midship ports on the main deck and the hawse holes and all Capt. WOOD could do was get the whole crew into the boats and save the stores and rigging. - The enemy ship was not a frigate but a large merchant ship pierced for 24 guns and with a complement of 150 men.
They had run her ashore when GARLAND approached, but as soon as they saw she was in trouble, they tried to regain their vessel. GARLAND's boats, being to windward, reached and secured her first. - Capt. WOOD was successful in befriending the natives, and they delivered most of the Frenchmen to him as prisoners.
0ver the next four months he built one vessel of 15 tons and had made good progress on another when the STAR sloop of war arrived at St. Luce and the French prisoners of war were taken to the Cape of Good Hope in her. The GARLAND's officers and men returned in their prize. During his time in Madagascar Capt. WOOD surveyed the coast from Fort Dauphin to St. Luce and discovered an anchorage within the reef capable of holding a fleet of line of battle ships. - Fort Dauphin is on the south-east point of Madagascar, the Bay of St. Luce between there and Manantenina.
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