g off a poor fellow's leg. It was a horrible
sight and made me sick and faint. As soon us the bone had been sawed
off, he said--

"You will find all the wounded I have dressed in the steerage; those
they have brought me down dead are in the cockpit. There have been five
amputations already the master is badly wounded, and Mr Williams the
mate, is killed: those whom I have not been able to attend to yet, are
here in the gun-room. You must ascertain what the captain wishes to
know yourself, Mr Keene. I cannot, leave a leg with the arteries not
taken up, to count heads. Mr Rivers, the tenaculum--ease the
tourniquet, now."

As I felt what the doctor said to be true, I got a lantern and commenced
my examinations. I found fourteen wounded men waiting the doctor's care
in the gun-room, which was almost a pool of blood. In the steerage
there were nine who had been dressed, and four in their hammocks, who
had undergone amputation of the arm or leg. I then went down into the
cockpit, where I counted eleven of our best men lying dead. Having
obtained the information required, I was proceeding up the cockpit
ladder, when I turned towards the purser's steward's room, and saw Mr
Culpepper, the purser, on his knees before a lantern; he looked very
pale--he turned round and saw me.

"What's the matter?" cried he.

"Nothing, sir; only the captain wishes to know how many men are killed
and wounded."

"Tell him I do not know: surely he does not want me on deck?"

"He wants to know how many men are hurt, sir," replied I, for I
perceived that he thought that the message was sent to him.

"Mercy on me! Stop a minute, Mr Keene, and I'll send up word by you."

"I can't stop, sir," replied I, going up the ladder.

Mr Culpepper would have called me back, but I preferred leaving him in
his error, as I wished to see which he most dreaded, the captain's
displeasure or the shot of the enemy.

I returned on deck and made my report. The captain looked very grave,
but made no reply.

I found that the two frigates were now lying stern to stern, and firing
occasional guns, which raked fore and aft. Except the men who worked
the guns aft, our people were lying down at their quarters, by the order
of the captain.

"If we only had but a capful of wind," said the captain to the first
lieutenant, "but I see no appearance of it."

I touched my hat and said, "The moon will rise in about ten minutes,
sir, and she often brings the wi