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sheltered by the rocks, and can retire under that shelter to the shore, unless they chuse to expose themselves in the different channels and openings of the reefs, for the purpose of annoying their enemies. Each of the gun boats mounts a heavy 18 or 26 pounder in the bow, and two brass howitzers on her quarters, and carry from 36 to 50 men. The gallies have each 100 men; schooners and brigs about the same number.

The weather was not favourable for anchoring till the 28th, when, the wind E. S. E., the squadron stood in for the coast, and at 3, P. M., anchored, Tripoli bearing south, two and a half miles distant. At this moment the wind shifted suddenly from E. S. E. to N. N. W., and from thence to N. N. E. At 5 o'clock, it blew strong, with a heavy sea, setting directly on shore. The commodore made the signal to prepare to weigh. At 6, the wind having considerably increased, the signal was made for the squadron to weigh and gain an offing; the wind continued veering to the eastward, which favoured their gaining sea room, without being obliged to carry so great a press of sail, as to lose any of their gun boats, though they were in great danger. The gale continued varying from N. E. to E. S. E., without increasing much, till the 31st, when it blew away the commodore's reefed fore-sail and close reefed main-top-sail; fortunately the sea did not rise in proportion to the strength of the gale, or they must have lost all their boats. On the first of August, the gale subsided and they stood towards the coast: every preparation was made for an attack on the town and harbour. August the 3d was pleasant weather, the wind east: the squadron stood in towards Tripoli. At noon they were between two and three miles from the batteries, which were all manned'; and several gun boats and gallies having advanced in two divisions without the rocks, it was resolved to take advantage of their temerity. At half past 12 o'clock,

the squadron wore off shore, and preparations were made for attacking the enemy's shipping and batteries. The gun and mortar boats were immediately manned and prepared to cast off; the gun boats in two divisions of three each: the first division commanded by captain Somers in No. 1, lieutenant Decatur in No. 2, and lieutenant Blake in No. 3. The second division commanded by captain Decatur in No. 4, lieutenant Bainbridge in No. 5, and lieutenant Trippe in No. 6. The two bombards were commanded by lieutenant commandant Dent, and Mr. Robinson, first lieutenant of the commodore's ship. At half past 1 o'clock, the ships wore, and stood towards the batteries; at three quarters past 2, the bombs commenced the action, by throwing shells into the town. In an instant, the enemy's shipping and batteries opened a tremendous fire, which was promptly returned by the whole squadron within grape shot distance; at the same time, the second division of three gun boats, led by the gallant Decatur, was advancing with sails and oars, to board the eastern division of the enemy, consisting of nine boats. These boats gave the enemy showers of grape and musket balls as they advanced; they, however, soon closed, when the pistol, sabre, pike, and tomahawk, came into play. Captain Somers being in a dull sailer, made the best use of his sweeps, but was not able to fetch far enough to the windward to engage the same division of the enemy's boats, which captain Decatur fell in with; he, however, gallantly bore down with his single boat on five of the enemy's western division, and engaged within pistol shot, defeated and drove them within the rocks, in a shattered condition, and with the loss of a great number of men. Lieutenant Decatur, in No. 2, was closely engaged with one of the enemy's largest boats, of the eastern division, which struck to him, after having lost a large proportion of men; and at the instant that brave officer was boarding her, to take possession, he

was treacherously shot through the head by the captain of the boat that had surrendered, which base conduct enabled the poltroon (with the assistance he received from other boats) to escape. The third boat of captain Somers' division kept to the windward, firing at the boats and shipping in the harbour; had she gone down to his assistance, it is probable several of the enemy's boats would have been captured in that quarter. Captain Decatur, in No. 4, after having with distinguished bravery, boarded and carried one of the enemy, of superior force, took his prize in tow, and gallantly bore down to engage a second, which, after a severe and bloody conflict, he also took possession of.

These two prizes had thirty-three officers and men killed, and twentyseven made prisoners, nineteen of whom were badly wounded. Lieutenant Trippe, of the Vixen, in No. 6, ran along side of one of the enemy's large boats, which he boarded, with only midshipman John Henly and nine men, his boat falling off before any more could get on board: thus was he left compelled to conquer or perish, with the odds of thirty-six to eleven. The Turks could not withstand the ardour of this brave officer and his assistants; in a few minutes the decks were cleared, and her colours hauled down. On board of this boat, fourteen of the enemy were killed and twenty-two made prisoners, seven of which were badly wounded: the rest of their boats retreated within the rocks. Lieutenant Trippe received eleven sabre wounds, some of which were very severe: he speaks in the highest terms of Mr. Henly and those who followed him. Lieutenant Bainbridge, in No. 5, had his latteen yards shot away early in the action, which prevented his getting along side of the enemy's boats; but he galled them with a steady and well directed fire within musket shot; indeed he pursued the enemy till his boat grounded under the batteries: she was fortunately soon got off. The

bomb vessels kept their stations, although covered with the spray of the sea occasioned by the enemy's shot; they were well conducted by lieutenants Dent and Robinson, who kept up a constant fire from the mortars, and threw a great number of shells into the town. Five of the enemy's gun boats and two gallies composing the centre division, and stationed within the rocks as a reserve, joined by the boats that had been driven in and supplied with fresh men from the shore to replace those they had lost, twice attempted to row out to endeavour to surround our gun boats and their prizes. The signal to cover them was promptly attended to by the brigs and schooners, all of which were gallantly conducted, and annoyed the enemy exceedingly; but the fire from the Constitution kept their flotilla completely in check. The grape shot of the assailants made great havoc among their men, not only on board their shipping but on shore. The ships were several times within two cables' length of the rocks, and within three of their batteries; every one of which, in succession, were silenced so long as they could bring their broad side to bear upon them. But the moment they passed a battery it was reanimated, and a constant heavy fire kept up, from all that the ships could not point their guns at. Our ships suffered most when wearing or tacking; it was then that the want of another frigate was most sensibly felt. At half past four, the wind inclining to the northward, the signal was made for the bombs and gun boats to retire from action, and, immediately after, the signal to tow off the gun boats and prizes, which was well executed by the brigs, schooners, and boats of the squadron, covered by a heavy fire from the Constitution. At three quarters past 4, P. M., the light vessels, gun boats, and prizes, being out of reach of the enemy's shot, the commodore hauled off to take the bomb vessels in tow. The squadron was two hours under the tre

of the enemy's batteries, and the only damage received by the Constitution was a twenty-four pound shot, nearly through the centre of the main mast, thirty feet from the deck, main royal yard and sail shot away; one of the quarter deck guns was damaged by a thirty-two pound shot, which at the same time shattered a marine's arm. Two lower shrouds and two back-stays were shot away, and the sails and running rigging considerably cut: so little damage must be imputed to their keeping so near, that the enemy overshot them, and to the annoyance received from the grape shot. They were, however, but wretched gunners. Gun boat No. 5 had the main yard shot away; and the rigging and sails of the brigs and schooners were considerably cut. Lieutenant Decatur was the only officer killed, but in him the service lost a valuable officer: he was a young man who gave strong promise of being an ornament to his profession; his conduct in the action was highly honourable, and he died nobly. The enemy must have suffered very much in killed and wounded, both among their shipping and on shore. Three of their gun boats were sunk in their harbour, several of them had their decks nearly cleared of men by our shot, and a number of shells burst in the town and batteries, which must have done great execution. The officers, seamen, and marines of the squadron, behaved in the most gallant manner. The Neapolitans in emulating the ardour of our seamen answered the highest expectations. The commodore confers high praise on the active exertions and officer-like conduct of lieutenant Gordon, and the other lieutenants of the Constitution. Mr. Harriden, the master, gave full satisfaction, as did all the officers and ship's company. Great praise was due to captain Hall, and lieutenant Greenleaf, and the marines belonging to his company, in the management of six long twenty-six pounders on the spare deck, which

were placed under his direction.Captain Decatur speaks in the highest terms of the conduct of lieutenant Thain, and midshipman M'Donough, of No. 4, as does captain Somers of midshipmen Ridgely and Miller, attached to No. 1.

The killed amounted only to one, who was slain in the base manner above-mentioned, and the wounded to thirteen.

On the 5th of August, the squadron was at anchor about two leagues north from the city of Tripoli, while the Argus was in chase of a small vessel to the westward, which she soon came up with and brought to. She proved to be a French privateer of four guns, which put into Tripoli for water, and left it that morning. The captain was prevailed on to return to Tripoli, for the purpose of landing fourteen very badly wounded Tripolitans, with a letter to the prime minister, leaving it at the option of the bashaw to reciprocate this generous mode of conducting the war.

The 7th, the French privateer came out, and brought a letter from the French consul, in which he observes, that the attack of the 3d instant had disposed the bashaw to accept of reasonable terms; and invited the commodore to send a boat to the rocks with a flag of truce, which was declined, as the white flag was not hoisted at the bashaw's castle. At 9, A. M., with a very light breeze from the eastward, and a strong current, which obliged the Constitution to remain at anchor, the light vessels weighed, and the gun and bomb boats cast off and stood in shore towards the western batteries, the prize-boats having been completely fitted for service, and the command of them given to lieutenants Crane of the Vixen, Thorn of the Enterprize, and Caldwell of the Syren; the whole advanced with sails and oars. The bombs were directed to take post in a small bay westward of the city, where but few of the enemy's guns could be brought to bear on them, but from whence they could annoy

the town with shells. The gun boats were ordered to silence a battery of seven heavy guns, which guarded the approach to that position, and the brigs and schooners to support them, in case the enemy's flotilla should venture out. At half past 1, P. M., a breeze from N. N. E., the Constitution weighed, and stood in for the town, but the wind being on shore made it imprudent to engage the batteries with the ship, as in case of a mast being shot away, the loss of the vessel would probably ensue, unless a change of wind should favour her getting off.

At half past 2, P. M., the bomb and gun boats having gained their stations, the bombs commenced throwing shells, and the gun boats opened a sharp and well directed fire on the town and batteries within point blank shot, which was warmly returned by the enemy. The seven gun battery in less than two hours was silenced, except one gun; the others were probably dismounted by the shot, as the walls were almost totally destroyed. At a quarter past 3, P. M., a ship hove in sight to the northward, standing for the town; the Argus chased; at half past 5, one of the prize gun boats was blown up, by a hot shot from the enemy, which passed through her magazine. She had on board twenty-eight officers, seamen, and marines; ten of whom were were killed, and six wounded, Among the killed were James R. Caldwell, first lieutenant of the Syren, and midshipman John S. Dorsey, both excellent officers; midshipman Spence and eleven men were taken up unhurt. Mr. Spence was superintending the loading of the gun at that moment, and, notwithstanding the boat was sinking, he and the brave fellows surviving finished charging, gave three cheers as the boat went from under them, and swam to the nearest boats, where they assisted during the remainder of the action. The enemy's gun boats and gallies, fifteen in number, were all in motion close under the batteries, and appeared to me

ditate an attack in their turn; the Constitution, Nautilus, and Enterprize were to windward, ready, at every hazard, to cut them off from the harbour, if they should venture down; while the Syren and Vixen were near to support and cover any of them that might be disabled. The enemy thought it most prudent, however, to return to their retreat behind the rocks, after firing a few shot.

The town must have suffered much from this attack, and their batteries, particularly the seven gun battery, must have lost many men. At half past 5, P. M., the wind began to freshen from the N. N. E. The gun and bomb boats retired from action, and the vessels to which they were attached took them in tow. In this day's action, No. 4 had a 24 pound shot through her hull; No. 6 her latteen yard shot away; No. 8 a 24 pound shot through her hull, which killed two men. Some of the other boats had their rigging and sails considerably cut. The assailants threw 48 shells, and about five hundred 24 pound shot into the town and batteries. All the officers and men engaged in the action behaved with the utmost intrepidity. At half past 6, all the boats were in tow, and the squadron standing to the N. W. At 8, the John Adams, captain Chauncey, from the United States, joined company. At 9, the squadron anchored, Tripoli bearing S. E., five miles distant. Gun boat No. 3 was this day commanded by Mr. Brooks, master of the Argus, and No. 6 by lieutenant Wadsworth, of the Constitution. The loss in this attack amounted to five officers and seven scamen killed, and six seamen, two of them mortally, wounded.

To be continued.

For the Literary Magazine.

CHINESE GARDENING. GARDENING is a term whose meaning is very different on this and

on the other side of the ocean: or, rather, one of the meanings of that word in use in England, is almost entirely unknown among us. Here a garden is a small space, divided into beds, planted wth flowers, and intersected with gravel walks; or it signifies a spot cultivated only with the spade. In England it possesses both these meanings, but it likewise includes a third meaning, from which all cultivation with the spade or plough, all flower plots and gravel walks are entirely excluded. The eye is designed to be delighted, not by the distribution of shrubs, but of trees, not by the arrangement of smooth turf and glistening gravel, but of rocks and rivers, hills and vallies. In this sense, the term gardening is usually qualified by the epithet landscape, and the art of gardening, in this sense, is nothing but landscape drawing, not on canvas, but on the face of nature itself; and not with oils and chalks, but with the original materials which nature supplies.

This art, which is one of the most sublime and striking which the human fancy can devise, has sometimes been claimed by the English, as an invention of their own; and yet such are the anomalies and varieties of human nature, that an art of such recent invention in Europe, and teeming with all the noblest images of grace, beauty, and sublimity, has flourished immemorially in China, a country famous for every thing but such fancy and genius as will stand the test of European criticism.

There is rarely to be met with a more exquisite specimen of description than in the following extract from the journal of lord Macartney, the British embassador to China. It relates to the gardens of the Chinese sovereigns in Tartary, and to Chinese gardening in general.

Of the Chinese palaces, situated on the road to Tartary, he tells us, that they are constructed upon nearly the same plan, and in the same taste. They front the south, and are usually situated on irregular ground

near the bases of gentle hills which, together with their adjoining vallies, are enclosed by high walls, and laid out in parks and pleasure grounds, with every possible attention to picturesque beauty. Whenever water can be brought into the view, it is not neglected; the distant hills are planted, cultivated, or left naked, according to their accompani ments in the prospect. The wall is often concealed in a sunk fence, in order to give an idea of greater extent. A Chinese gardener is the painter of nature; and though totally ignorant of perspective, as a science, produces the happiest effects by the management, or rather penciling of distances, if I may use the expression, by relieving or keeping down the features of the scene, by contrasting trees of a bright with those of a dusky foliage, by bringing them forward, or throwing them back, according to their bulk and their figure, and by introducing buildings of different dimensions, either heightened by strong colouring, or softened by simplicity and omission of ornament.

The emperor, continues he, having been informed that, in the course of our travels in China, we had shown a strong desire of seeing every thing curious and interesting, was pleased to give directions to the first minister to show us his park or garden at Gehol.

Having expressed my sense of this mark of his condescension in the proper manner, and my increasing admiration of every thing I had yet observed at Gehol, I retired, and, whilst he proceeded to his adorations at the pagoda, I accompanied the ministers, and other great colaos of the court, to a pavilion prepared for us, from whence, after a short collation, we set out on horseback to view this wonderful garden.

We rode about three miles through a very beatuiful park, kept in the highest order, and much resembling the approach to Luton in Bedfordshire; the grounds gently undulated and chequered with va

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