both: there were five feet
water in the hold, and though it was moderate from the explosion
of so much gunpowder, yet the three pumps that remained could
with difficulty only keep the water from gaining. The fire broke
out in various parts of the ship, in spite of all the water that
could be thrown to quench it, and at length broke out as low as
the powder magazine, and within a few inches of the powder. In
that dilemma, I took out the powder upon deck, ready to be thrown
overboard at the last extremity, and it was 10 o'clock the next
day, the 24th, before the fire was entirely extinguished. With
respect to the situation of the Bonhomme Richard, the rudder was
cut entirely off the stern frame, and the transoms were almost
entirely cut away; the timbers, by the lower deck especially,
from the mainmast to the stern, being greatly decayed with age,
were mangled beyond my power of description; and a person must
have been an eye witness to form a just idea of the tremendous
scene of carnage, wreck, and ruin that everywhere appeared.
Humanity cannot but recoil from the prospect of such finished
horror, and lament that war should produce such fatal
consequences.

After the carpenters, as well as Capt. de Cottineau, and other
men of sense had well examined and surveyed the ship (which was
not finished before five in the evening), I found every person
to be convinced that it was impossible to keep the Bonhomme (p. 107)
Richard afloat so as to reach a port if the wind should
increase, it being then only a very moderate breeze. I had but
little time to remove my wounded, which now became unavoidable,
and which was effected in the course of the night and next
morning. I was determined to keep the Bonhomme Richard afloat,
and, if possible, to bring her into port. For that purpose, the
first lieutenant of the Pallas continued on board with a party of
men to attend the pumps, with boats in waiting, ready to take
them on board, in case the water should gain on them too fast.
The wind augmented in the night and the next day, on the 25th, so
that it was impossible to prevent the good old ship from sinking.
They did not abandon her until after 9 o'clock; the water was
then up to the lower deck, and a little after ten, I saw with
inexpressible grief the l