icer. My party, who were abaft, not being so numerous, were beaten
back to the taffrail of the vessel, where we stood at bay, defending
ourselves against the furious assaults of the Frenchmen. But if we
lost, the other party gained, for the whole body of the Frenchmen were
between us and them, and those who faced Philip's party were driven
back to abaft the mainmast. It so happened that Philip was thrown down
on the deck, and his men passed over him; and while in that position,
and unable to rise from the pressure upon him, he heard a calling out
from below: this told him that the English prisoners were in the hold;
and as soon as he could rise he threw off the hatches, and they rushed
up, to the number of twenty-three stout fellows, to our support,
cheering most manfully, and by their cheers announcing to the French
that we had received assistance. This gave fresh courage to my men,
who were hard pressed and faint with their great exertion. We cheered,
and rushed upon the enemy, who were already weakened by many of them
having turned round to resist the increased impetus from forward. Our
cheers were replied to by Philip's party and the prisoners, and the
French were losing the day. They made another desperate rush upon
Philip's men, and succeeded in driving them back to before the
main-hatches; but what they gained forward, they lost abaft, as we
pushed on with vigour. This was their last attempt. The main-hatch
being open, several of them in the confusion fell into it, others
followed them of their own accord, and at last every one of them was
beaten down from the deck, and the hatches were put over them, with
three cheers.

"Now, for the privateer--she is our own," cried Philip; "follow me, my
men," continued he, as he sprang upon the bulwarks of the prize, and
from thence into the main rigging of the lugger alongside.

Most of my men followed him; and as there were but few men left on
board of the lugger, she was soon in our possession, and thus we had
both the enemy and the prize without firing a cannon-shot. It was
strange that this combat between two privateers should thus be decided
upon the deck of another vessel, but such was the fact. We had several
men badly wounded, but not one killed. The French were not quite so
fortunate, as seven of their men lay dead upon the decks. The prize
proved to be the Antelope West-Indiaman, laden with sugar and rum,
and of considerable value. We gave her up to the captain an