y minute, told me that the action was severe. The
orders of the negro captain were occasionally heard--they were cool and
determined. Every minute some fresh manoeuvre was executed, and the
guns still worked as if there was nothing else to attend to. At last,
the daylight came down the hatchway, and I left the cabin and walked
forward between decks; I found the deck strewed with wounded and dying
men, calling for water. I was glad to be able to do something which I
could consistently do, and I brought water from the cask and gave it to
them, one after another, as fast as I could; I think there were at least
thirty men lying about the lower deck, some in pools of their own blood,
and sinking fast, for there was no surgeon on board of the Stella.

Some more wounded men were brought down, and a conversation took place
between one of the mates of the schooner, who was hurt, and the men who
brought down the wounded, and listening to them, I found that at
daylight they had discovered that an English frigate was under all sail,
beating up to them, and about five miles to leeward; that in
consequence, the Stella was now carrying on a running fight with the
schooner (who was to windward of her), and trying to escape. This
accounted for the signals which I had perceived that the English
schooner was making the evening before. My anxiety at this intelligence
was naturally much increased. The Stella was trying to escape, and her
sailing powers were so remarkable, that I was afraid she would succeed.

The action was still continued between the two schooners, but now the
shot no longer hit the Stella, nor were there any more wounded men
brought down; it was evident that the two vessels were now firing at
each other's masts and rigging, the one to prevent, and the other to
effect her escape, by dismantling her antagonist. I felt as if I could
have given my left hand to have gone on deck. I waited half an hour
more, and then, curiosity conquering my fear, I crept gradually up the
fore ladder. The men were working the guns to windward, the lee-side of
the deck was clear, and I stepped forward, and got into the head, where
I could see both to windward and to leeward. To leeward I perceived the
frigate about four miles distant with every stretch of canvass that she
could set on a wind; I knew her directly to be the Calliope, my own
ship, and my heart beat quick at the chance of being once more on board
of her.

To windward, a