our hull. It was
reported that the _Director_ fired blank cartridges or she might have
done us more injury; but I believe that her crew, struck with awe at the
idea of firing on their countrymen, and also with admiration of their
bravery, fired wide. In little more than two hours the bulkheads were
cleared away from the cabin door to the break of the quarter-deck, the
whole space having been fitted up with cabins for the suite of her royal
highness, the guns on both sides being also down in the hold. The guns
were mounted and we were ready for action. The men now came aft and
begged that, should the mutineers come after them, they might go down
with the ship rather than return to the fleet at the Nore. Our master,
although a good pilot, did not feel himself justified in taking charge
of the ship within the boundaries of a branch pilot. We were therefore
on the look-out for a pilot-vessel, when a lugger was discovered on the
lee bow, and we were on the point of bearing down on her, when we saw
the North Sea Fleet coming with the red flag flying, having left their
station in a state of mutiny, the admiral and all the officers being
under arrest. A frigate bore down to us, when Sir Harry gave the
speaking-trumpet to the quartermaster Stanley, and when she hailed as to
what we were doing there, he replied that we were looking out to stop
the ships with provisions for the fleet. She then proceeded, and joined
the fleet again, and we made sail after the lugger. The necessary
signals were made, but not being answered, we gave chase, and, after a
run of four hours, captured the _Castor and Pollux_, a French vessel of
16 guns. We were proceeding to Portsmouth with our prize, when she,
being to windward, spoke a brig, who informed us that the mutiny had
again broken out at Spithead. Sir Harry on this thought it prudent to
anchor under Dungeness until he could communicate with the Admiralty.
During the night, as we lay there, a ship was seen bearing down towards
us, which, however, answered the private signals; but that could not be
depended upon, as it was probable that the mutineers would have
possessed themselves of them. We accordingly beat to quarters. The men
again repeated their request to sink rather than surrender to the
mutineers. The stranger appeared high out of the water, and we could
not be certain whether she might not be a line-of-battle ship. The wind
being very light, she closed slowly. The suspense