was gone, they
too cried out for quarter.

"Quarter! Yes, we'll quarter you!" cried Mr Bitts the boatswain.
"Come on, lads! We shouldn't let such ruffians as these live."

Lord Reginald, however, interposed, and speaking French well, directed
his hard-pressed foes to throw down their swords and they should be
safe. It was not without difficulty, however, that he restrained the
merchant seamen from rushing in and cutting them down. Unfortunately,
some Frenchmen who had leapt below, maddened by their defeat, fired up
the hatchway, when the victors, springing down after them, followed them
round the deck, killing all they met with.

On the lanterns being brought, the deck presented a fearful scene, for
more than half of the crew lay dead or desperately wounded. The
survivors, with their officers, three of whom only had escaped, were
mustered, and being deprived of the pistols and long knives generally
worn in their belts, were conveyed across the deck of the trader into
the boats. A savage, sunburnt crew they appeared as the light of the
lantern fell on their countenances, and doubts were entertained whether
they could claim to be even privateersmen, so greatly did they resemble
the most desperate of pirates.

The deck of the merchantman had even a more fearful aspect than that of
her foe. Besides the Frenchmen who had been killed, and whose bodies
lay thick under the starboard bulwarks, nearly a fourth of her people
had been shot or cut down, while bravely defending their ship. Among
them was the master, who had been nearly the last to fall, just before
the man-of-war's men leaped on board.

His body presented several wounds; one through his breast had evidently
been fatal. He was a strongly built man, with a sunburnt visage.
Probably he had been endeavouring, by his courageous resistance, to
redeem his fault in not more carefully attending to his sailing
directions.

The first officer presented himself with his arm hanging loosely by his
side, from a severe cut in the shoulder and another wound in his leg,
while the second and third were both more or less hurt.

The first officer informed Mr Jager that they had taken the privateer
for one of the convoy. That when hailed a reply was given in English,
and that the same voice inquired whether they had a surgeon on board, as
their own had gone mad, and they had three sick people who required
immediate attendance. While the surgeon was preparing to go, and