, with his own hand killed two of our stoutest seamen, and
mortally wounded a third, and, encouraged by his example, his people
fought with such resolution, that after a severe struggle we were
obliged to give it up, and retreat precipitately into our own vessel,
leaving eight or ten of our shipmates weltering in their blood.

Our captain, who had not boarded with us, was much enraged at our
defeat, stigmatizing us as cowards for allowing ourselves to be driven
from a deck upon which we had obtained a footing; he called upon us to
renew the combat, and leading the way, he was the first on board of
the vessel, and was engaged hand to hand with the brave French
gentleman, who had already made such slaughter among our men. Brave
and expert with his weapon as Captain Weatherall undoubtedly was, he
for once found rather more than a match in his antagonist; he was
slightly wounded, and would, I suspect, have had the worst of this
hand-to-hand conflict, had not the whole of our crew, who had now
gained the deck, and were rushing forward, separated him from his
opponent. Out-numbered and over-matched, the French crew fought most
resolutely, but notwithstanding their exertions, and the gallant
conduct of their leader, we succeeded in driving them back to the
quarter-deck of the vessel. Here the combat was renewed with the
greatest obstinacy, they striving to maintain this their last hold,
and we exerting ourselves to complete our conquest. The Frenchmen
could retreat no further, and our foremost men were impelled against
them by those behind them crowding on to share in the combat. Retreat
being cut off, the French struggled with all the animosity and rage of
mingled hate and despair; while we, infuriated at the obstinate
resistance, were filled with vengeance and a thirst for blood. Wedged
into one mass, we grappled together, for there was no room for fair
fighting, seeking each other's hearts with shortened weapons,
struggling and falling together on the deck, rolling among the dead
and the dying, or trodden underfoot by the others who still
maintained the combat with unabated fury.

Numbers at last prevailed; we had gained a dear-bought victory--we
were masters of the deck, we had struck the colours, and were
recovering our lost breaths after this very severe contest, and
thought ourselves in full possession of the ship; but it proved
otherwise. The first lieutenant of the privateer and six of us, had
dashed down the compan