e within
long gun-shot a little before eleven, and seeing no other chance of
overtaking the stranger in the short distance that remained, Captain
Bainbridge opened fire in the hope of cutting something away. For near
an hour longer the chase and the fire were continued; the lead, which
was kept constantly going, giving from seven to ten fathoms, and the
ship hauling up and keeping away as the water shoaled or deepened. At
half-past eleven, Tripoli then being in plain sight, distant a little
more than a league, (satisfied that he could neither overtake the
chase nor force her ashore,) Captain Bainbridge ordered the helm
a-port to haul directly off the land into deep water. The next cast of
the lead, when this order was executed, gave but eight fathoms, and
this was immediately followed by casts that gave seven and six and a
half. At this moment the wind was nearly abeam, and the ship had eight
knots way upon her. When the cry of 'half-six' was heard, the helm was
put hard down and the yards were ordered to be braced sharp up. While
the ship was coming up fast to the wind, and before she had lost her
way, she struck a reef forwards, and shot on it until she lifted
between five and six feet."

Every effort was made to get her off, but in vain. The noise of the
cannonading brought out nine gun-boats; and then, as if by magic,
swarms of wreckers slipped by the inner edge of the shore, stole from
some rocky inlet, or rushed from mole and galley, and keeping beyond
range, like vultures near a battle-field, awaited the surrender of the
ship. A gallant fight was made with the few guns left mounted, but at
last the enemy took up a position on the ship's weather quarter, where
her strong heel to port forbade the bearing of a single piece. "The
gun-boats," continues the historian, "were growing bolder every
minute, and night was at hand. Captain Bainbridge, after consulting
again with his officers, felt it to be an imperious duty to haul down
his flag, to save the lives of his people. Before this was done the
magazines were drowned, holes were bored in the ship's bottom, the
pumps were choked, and everything was performed that it was thought
would make sure the final loss of the vessel. About five o'clock the
colours were lowered." The ship was looted, the officers and men were
robbed, half stripped in some cases, and that night the crew was
imprisoned in a foul Tripolitan den. Within a week the rovers, aided
by favourable winds a