eceived a ball in his thigh, and fell back again. The rest
refused to stir; but after a few moments' hesitation, another of them
ventured up, was taken aft by the captain, and secured. A third
followed, and, as he came up, he extended his arms and cried: "I
surrender; spare me." Either this motion was mistaken by the soldiers,
or some of them were unable to restrain their passion, for at this
instant the man's head was literally blown off. The captain hastened to
the spot, and received the others, who were secured without further
injury.

"When we reached the vessel, the dying, dead, and wounded, were lying in
every direction. In the launch astern, we saw the body of one wretched
man who had leaped over the taffrail, and reached the boat badly
wounded; he was seen lying in it when the deck was regained, and was
then pierced through with many balls. Nothing could be more horrible
than his appearance; the distortion of every feature, his clenched
hands, and the limbs which had stiffened in the forms of agony into
which pain had twisted them, were appalling. The countenance of every
man on board bore evidence of the nature of the deadly conflict in which
he had been engaged. In some, sullenness had succeeded to reckless
daring, and exultation to alarm in others.

"Nothing could have been more desperate than such an attempt to seize
the vessel. The most culpable neglect could alone have encouraged it;
and it is difficult to conceive how it could have succeeded, if anything
like a proper stand had been made by those in charge of her when it
commenced.

"The wounded were immediately landed, and conveyed to the hospital, and
the dead bodies were afterwards brought on shore.

"The burial ground is close to the beach. A heavy surf rolls mournfully
over the reef. The moon had just risen, when, in deep and solemn
silence, the bodies of these misguided men were lowered into the graves
prepared for them. Away from home and country, they had found a fearful
termination of a miserable existence. Perhaps ties had still bound them
to the world; friends whom they loved were looking for their return,
and, prodigals though they had been, would have blessed them, and
forgiven their offences. Perhaps even at that sad moment, mothers were
praying for their lost ones, whom in all their infamy they had still
fondly loved. Such thoughts filled my mind; and when a few drops of rain
at that moment descended, I could not help thinking that they