Cyril had sounded the passage as he went through, and it was found
that two of the frigates could not enter it. These were left at the
anchorage, and, on arriving at the mouth of the harbour, the
_Tiger_, Sir Robert Holmes's flagship, was also obliged to anchor,
and he came on board the _Fan Fan_, on which he hoisted his flag.
The captains of the other ships came on board, and it was arranged
that the _Pembroke_, which had but a small draught of water, should
enter at once with the five fire-ships.
The attack was completely successful. Two of the fire-ships grappled
with the men-of-war and burnt them, while three great merchantmen
were destroyed by the others. Then the boats dashed into the fleet,
and, with the exception of four or five merchantmen and four
privateers, who took refuge in a creek, defended by a battery, the
whole of the hundred and seventy merchantmen, the smallest of which
was not less than 200 tons burden, and all heavily laden, were
burned.
The next day, Sir Robert Holmes landed eleven companies of troops on
the Island of Schonevelt and burnt Bandaris, its principal town, with
its magazines and store-houses, causing a loss to the Dutch,
according to their own admission, of six million guilders. This, and
the loss of the great Fleet, inflicted a very heavy blow upon the
commerce of Holland. The _Fan Fan_ had been hit again by a shot from
one of the batteries, and, on her rejoining the Fleet, Prince Rupert
determined to send her to England so that she could be thoroughly
repaired and fitted out again.
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