As The Prisoners, Though 170 In Number,
Were Secured In The Bark, Without Sails, Arms, Rudder, Or Boat, And
Moored Near A Mile Distant From Our Prize, There Were More Than
Sufficient For Guarding Them And Giving Them Provisions And Drink During
Our Absence.
This being arranged, we immediately weighed and stood to
sea, in order to assist our consorts in attacking the great ship.
Captain Dover thought proper to go on board the prize, instead of one of
our lieutenants, whom he sent to me.
I was still in a very weak
condition, my head and throat being very much swelled, so that I spoke
with great pain, and not loud enough to be heard at any distance;
insomuch that all the chief officers and our surgeons wished me to
remain in the prize, but I would not consent. We got under sail about
seven p.m. and saw lights several times in the night, which we supposed
to be false fires in the boats of our consorts. In the morning of the
27th at day-break, we saw three sail to windward, but so far distant
that it was nine o'clock before we could make out which were our
consorts and which the chase. At this time we could see the Duchess and
the chase near together, and the Marquis standing to them with all the
sail she could carry. We also made all the sail we could, but being
three or four leagues to leeward, and having a very scant wind, we made
little way. At noon they bore S.E. from us, being still three leagues
right to windward. In the afternoon we observed the Marquis get up with
the chase, and engage her pretty briskly; but soon fell to leeward out
of cannon shot, where she lay a considerable time, which made us
conclude that she was somehow disabled.
I sent away my pinnace well manned, with orders to dog the chase all
night, making signals with false fires that she might not escape us; but
before our boat could get up to them, the Marquis made sail again
towards the chase, and went to it again briskly for more than four
glasses. At this time we saw the Duchess steer ahead to windward, clear
of the enemy, as I supposed to stop her leaks or repair her rigging.
Meanwhile the Marquis kept the enemy in play, till the Duchess again
bore down, when each fired a broadside or two, and left off because it
grew dark. They then bore south of us in the Duke, which was right to
windward, distant about two leagues; and about midnight our boat came to
us, having made false fires, which we answered. Our people had been on
board both the Duchess and Marquis, the former of which had her foremast
much disabled, the ring of an anchor shot away, one man killed and
several wounded, having also received several shots in her upper works
and one in her powder-room, but all stopt.
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