what they could catch and capture. However, during war I suppose all
must be considered as fair play. While on the subject, I will recount
one or two exploits performed by these enterprising mail-boats. When
lying off Sulina, one of the ironclad corvettes under my command arrived
from Constantinople, where her captain reported having chased a
well-known Russian mail-steamer called the 'Vesta'; that they had
exchanged a few shots, that he had not followed her because his deck was
loaded with guns for the Sulina batteries. I thought no more about it
till about a fortnight afterwards I saw in the 'Times' a paragraph
headed, 'Turkish ironclad driven off and nearly destroyed by the Russian
mail-boat cruiser "Vesta."' This paragraph, which was founded on the
official report of the captain of the 'Vesta,' was most sensational. It
gave a graphic description of how the 'Vesta' had engaged at close
quarters a Turkish ironclad, killing her crew; how officers in European
uniform had been seen directing the working of the ironclad's guns, &c.;
how her sides were crimson with the torrents of blood pouring from her
decks, and how she would have been surely captured had the 'Vesta' been
provided with sufficient ammunition to enable her to continue the bloody
fight. It added that the gallant Russian commander was received with the
greatest enthusiasm on his arriving at Sebastopol, and immediately
promoted to high rank and covered with decorations.

I could hardly believe my eyes when I read this utter nonsense. I know
the Russians; they are brave and loyal fellows, and few indeed are there
among them who have done (to say the least of it) so foolish an act as
to make so unfounded a report.

However, the commander, whose name I will not mention, did not long wear
his laurels. I suppose he trusted to the Turks saying nothing about it;
but the truth was at last made public. A court-martial was assembled to
try the case, and I believe he was dismissed from the service and
deprived of his decorations. At all events I know for certain that he
was disgraced by his superiors, and held up to ridicule by his brother
officers. Serve him right! Swagger is always an error, and I don't think
naval officers are generally given to it.

The next exploit of these cruisers I shall refer to was one that came
under my own eyes, and was exceedingly interesting.

I was anchored with my flag-ship, a fine thirteen knot ironclad, and a
couple of other vessel