the south of the Chinese coast. On 6 August the missionary Vincent John Stanton was captured by the Chinese while swimming in Casilha Bay near Macao and Smith took a small squadron of ships to avenge this. Smith's force consisted of Druid, the sloops-of-war HMS Larne and Hyacinth, and two smaller vessels. On 19 August Smith with 120 Royal Marines, 80 seamen, and 180 local volunteers, successfully fought the Battle of the Barrier in which he attacked the Chinese works and barracks at Portas do Cerco, including destroying seventeen guns and two junks; casualties were light, with four of the British wounded. By 7 p.m. the entire force had reembarked on the ships and left the area ablaze, with so many cannonballs having been fired by the ships that they picked up their used shot to recycle it before leaving. It was said of Smith's actions at the battle that 'seldom has a more signal service been rendered in so short a space of time'. Druid continued after this to protect British trade and hunt down pirates, at one point having several men of a boarding party killed when the junk they were investigating blew up. Attacks on Canton On 8 January 1841 Smith commanded Druid in a force under Commodore Gordon Bremer at the Second Battle of Chuenpi. Simultaneous attacks were put in on the forts at Tycocktow and Chuenpi, which were on opposite peninsulas to each other, guarding the entrance to Canton. Druid was part of the squadron sent to attack Tycocktow. The ships anchored in succession around 200 yards out and silenced the fort's guns within a few minutes. The firing created a breach in the fort which was attacked by boats manned by the crews of the ships and quickly taken. Twenty-five cannons were destroyed and the casualties of the Chinese were suggested to be 'very severe'. Smith was praised by Bremer for his conduct during the attack. Second Chuenpi secured an opening into Canton. In February a larger attack was put forth to attack it; Smith and Druid assisted in the preparations for the Battle of the Bogue by convoying the force's transports from Hong Kong. Druid arrived off Canton to join with Bremer's main force on 24 February, after the initial stages of the battle had already taken place to the west of Canton. At 11 a.m. on 25 February Smith took Druid in