directions lay the bodies of the slain, and several
wounded men who had not yet been conveyed below. They were all of them
too much injured to be removed to the _Cynthia_, and they were therefore
carried below. The prisoners were at once ordered to get up their bags,
and to enter the boats, which immediately conveyed them on board their
captor.

Some time was occupied, however, in this work, as the heavy sea which
now ran prevented them from making a rapid passage. The Dutch officer
commanding the ship, had given up his sword to Lieutenant Denham, who
remained on board, ready to take charge of the prize. He himself had
not had time to go below, to observe the damages that the prize had
sustained, but from the report made to him by the late commander, he was
under the apprehension that they were very severe. Indeed, from the
peculiar way the ship rolled, he dreaded that she had taken in a large
amount of water. He accordingly requested the Dutchman, who spoke
English very well, to send his carpenter below, to make a report of her
condition. The man in a short time returned on deck with a pale face,
declaring he did not believe she would float for many hours longer. By
this time the wind had increased so much, and so heavy a sea was
running, that it was a matter of danger to pass between the two ships,
which were at some distance from each other. The boats, with the last
cargo of the prisoners, had left her, and were close alongside of the
_Cynthia_. Denham therefore ordered his own crew to make every effort
to stop the leaks, but they soon found, from the amount of water which
was pouring in, that this would be difficult, if not impossible.

"Well," he remarked to the Dutchman, after every effort had been made to
put a stop to the entrance of the water, "as soon as the boats return,
we must, I fear, abandon the ship. You have defended her nobly, and
perhaps have less cause to regret this occurrence than we have, who
hoped to carry her into port in triumph."

"You of course will return to your own ship as you please," answered the
Dutch officer; "but for my part I cannot desert my poor wounded fellows
below, and unless there is time to remove them, should the ship sink
beneath my feet, I must go down with her."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

In vain Denham urged the brave Dutchman to save his own life, and
promised to use his best exertions in removing those who were least hurt
among the wounded men. He was look