ds of
the English, and was the scene of the wreck of the Grappler in that
year.

On the 23rd December, 1803, Lieutenant Abel Thomas, commanding His
Majesty's brig Grappler, then stationed at Guernsey, was directed by
Admiral Sir James Saumarez to proceed, with some French prisoners on
board, to Granville, in Normandy, and there to set them at liberty;
after which he was to touch at the islands of Chaussey, on his return
to Guernsey, in order to supply twelve French prisoners who were on
the Maitre Isle with fifteen days' provisions.

On the evening of the 23rd,--the same day that they sailed from
Guernsey,--the Grappler anchored off the north side of Chaussey, but a
heavy gale of wind which came on during the night rendered her
position so dangerous, that Lieutenant Thomas thought it advisable
either to return to Guernsey, or to run into one of the small harbours
formed among the rocks, which afford a safe shelter during the
severest gales, but are by no means easy of access, and are available
only to small vessels, and with the aid of an experienced pilot. Into
one of these natural harbours, Lieutenant Thomas, by the advice of his
pilot, determined to run the Grappler, and succeeded in anchoring her
in safety under the Maitre Isle. There they remained four or five
days, keeping a sharp look-out by day from the top of one of the
adjacent rocks, to guard against a surprise from the enemy's cruizers;
while for their better security at night, a guard-boat was stationed
at the entrance of the harbour. As the weather still continued too
boisterous to trust the brig with safety on a lee shore, her commander
determined to return to Guernsey, and offered his prisoners the
alternative of returning with him, or remaining with their countrymen
at Chaussey. As they all chose to remain, they were promptly landed,
and furnished with a boat and a week's supply of provisions, in
addition to what had already been left for the use of the inhabitants.
To enable his prisoners to land with greater security at Granville,
Lieutenant Thomas read aloud and sealed in their presence a letter,
addressed by Sir James Saumarez to the Commissary of Marine at that
port, containing an explanation of his reasons for liberating these
Frenchmen,--with his hopes that the French authorities would act in
the same manner towards any English who might fall into their
hands,--and entrusted it to one of them, with another letter from
himself, in which he stat