belonged. The cheers of the Queen Charlotte
were loudly echoed by those of the Leander, and the contents of her
starboard broadside as quickly followed, carrying destruction into the
groups of row-boats; as the smoke opened, the fragments of boats were
seen floating, their crews swimming and scrambling, as many as escaped
the shot, to the shore; another broadside annihilated them. The enemy was
not slack in returning this warm salute, for almost before the shot
escaped from _our_ guns, a man standing on the forecastle bits, hauling
on the topsail buntlines, received a musket bullet in his left arm, which
broke the bone, and commenced the labours in the cockpit. The action
became general as soon as the ships had occupied their positions, and we
were engaged with the batteries on either side; so close were we, that
the enemy were distinctly seen loading their guns above us. After a few
broadsides, we brought our starboard broadside to bear on the Fish-market,
and our larboard side then looked to seaward. The rocket-boats were now
throwing rockets over our ships into the mole, the effects of which, were
occasionally seen on the shipping on our larboard bow. The Dutch flag was
to be seen flying at the fore of the Dutch Admiral, who, with his
squadron, were engaging the batteries to the eastward of the mole. The
fresh breeze which brought us in was gradually driven away by the
cannonade, and the smoke of our guns so hung about us, that we were
obliged to wait until it cleared; for the men took deliberate and certain
aims, training their guns until they were fully satisfied of their
precision. But our enemies gave us no reason to suppose that they were
idle; so great was the havoc which they made amongst us, that the surgeon
in his report stated, that sixty-five men were brought to him wounded
after the first and second broadsides.

About four o'clock, a boat, with an officer, came with orders from the
admiral to cease firing, as an attempt to destroy the Algerine frigates
was about to be made. Accordingly three boats pushed into the mole,
running the gantlet in gallant style; they boarded the outermost frigate,
which was found deserted by her crew; and in a few minutes she was in a
blaze; in doing this the boats' crews suffered severely. The smoke of our
last broadside had scarcely left us, when the Algerines renewed their
fire of musketry upon our decks, fortunately the men were lying down by
the guns, and the officers alon