others were
afterwards towed back by the frigate and sent to Bermuda.

The American captains were quartered with the petty officers, such as
midshipmen, captain's clerks, &c. and were treated with gin, segars, &c.
and passed their time very jovially in telling stories, bragging of our
naval engagements, &c. I must here tell a story related to me by one of
the officers of the Dragon.

He said the Americans ought to be damned if they did not make an admiral
of one Captain Turner, who commanded a Baltimore schooner. He said that
while they were blockading the coast of France they captured him and his
schooner; they put a prize-master and crew on board, and the crew of the
schooner were put on board the Squadron, except Captain Turner and the
cook, who remained on the schooner, which was ordered to sail for
England. The next day Turner succeeded in getting the prize-master and
crew drunk, killed the prize-master and part of the crew, and confined
the remainder. He then returned to France with his vessel, shipped a new
crew, and put to sea again. One morning they discovered from the
Squadron, a schooner in company with two frigates, being between the
schooner and the land. The Dragon steered directly for the schooner,
while the frigates steered in different directions, to prevent the
schooner from going back again into port. The Dragon by setting all her
light sails was fast coming up with her, and commenced firing her bow
guns, to which the schooner paid no attention. They soon came within
musket-shot and fired a number of volleys which riddled the schooner's
sails. The captain of the Dragon then gave orders to cease firing, as he
considered it cold-blooded murder. On coming within a few rods of the
schooner they saw but one man on board, and standing at the wheel. When
within a short distance he suddenly put down her helm, which brought her
broad side across the ship's bow, intending that the ship should run
over her. But the ship's helm was immediately put up, which caused her
to strike the schooner near the bow and brought her alongside of the
ship. They then hailed, "What schooner is that?" To which the man at the
helm replied, "The Prize, Captain Turner, the very man you are looking
for." On boarding the schooner, they found the crew all below, except
the captain, who said he did not wish to expose his crew to their fire.
He said the excitement was great on board the ship: that all the
officers signed a petition to mi