oung midshipman
who had charge of her asked me if he might return on board and take the
prisoners. I then went on deck, and seeing the whole of them, with
their chests and bags, seated very quietly in the boat, and ready to
shove off, I desired the captain and one of the American seamen to come
on board again, and to bring their clothes with them. I did not remark
the unwillingness of the captain to obey this order, until told of it by
the midshipman; his chest and goods were immediately handed in upon
deck, and the signal from the frigate being repeated, with a light for
the boat to return (for it was now dark), she shoved off hastily, and
was soon out of sight.

"Stop the boat!--for God's sake stop the boat!" cried the captain.

"Why should I stop the boat?" said I; "my orders are positive, and you
must remain with me."

I then went below for a minute or two, and the captain followed me.

"As you value your life, sir," said he, "stop the boat."

"Why?" asked I, eagerly.

"Because, sir," said he, "the ship has been scuttled by the men, and
will sink in a few hours: you cannot save her, for you cannot get at her
leaks."

I now did indeed see the necessity of stopping the boat; but it was too
late: she was out of sight. The lantern, the signal for her return, had
been hauled down, a proof that she had got on board. I hoisted two
lights at the mizen peak, and ordered a musket to be fired; but,
unfortunately, the cartridges had either not been put in the boat which
brought me, or they had been taken back in her. One of my lights went
out; the other was not seen by the frigate. We hoisted another light,
but it gained no notice: the ship had evidently made sail. I stood
after her as fast as I could, in hopes of her seeing us that night, or
taking us out the next morning, should we be afloat.

But my vessel, deeply laden, was already getting waterlogged, and would
not sail on a wind more than four miles an hour. All hope in that
quarter vanished. I then endeavoured to discover from the captain where
the leaks were, that we might stop them; but he had been drinking so
freely, that I could get nothing from him but Dutch courage and
braggadocio. The poor black man who had been left with the captain was
next consulted. All he knew was, that, when at Bordeaux, the captain
had caused holes to be bored in the ship's bottom, that he might pull
the plugs out whenever he liked, swearing, at the same time, that she