rs 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
companion, and were entering the cabin in search of plunder, when we
found opposed to our entrance the gallant French gentleman, supported by
his son, the captain of the vessel, and five of the French sailors;
behind them was the French gentleman's wife, to whose protection they
had devoted themselves. The lieutenant, who headed us, offered them
quarter, but, stung to madness at the prospect of the ruin and of the
captivity which awaited him, the gentleman treated the offer with
contempt, and rushing forward attacked our lieutenant, beating down his
guard, and was just about to pierce him with the lunge which he made,
when I fired my pistol at him to save the life of my officer. The ball
entered his heart, and thus died one of the bravest men I ever
encountered. His son at the same time was felled to the deck with a
pole-axe, when the remainder threw themselves down on the deck and cried
for quarter. So enraged were our men at this renewal of the combat that
it required all the efforts and authority of the lieutenant to prevent
them from completing the massacre by taking the lives of those who no
longer resisted. But who could paint the condition of that unhappy lady
who had stood a witness of the horrid scene--her eyes blasted with the
sight of her husband slain before her face, her only son groaning on the
deck and weltering in his blood; and she left alone, bereft of all that
was dear to her; stripped of the wealth she was that morning mistress
of, now a widow, perhaps childless, a prisoner, a beggar, and in the
hands of lawless ruffians, whose hands were reeking with her husband's
and offspring's blood, at their mercy, and exposed to every evil which
must befall a beautiful and unprotected female from those who were
devoid of all principle, all pity, and all fear! Well might the frantic
creature rush as she did upon our weapons, and seek that death which
would have been a mercy and a blessing. With difficulty we prevented
her from injuring herself, and, after a violent struggle, nature
yielded, and she sank down in a sw