enant info the boat, and we pulled on board of
our antagonist. A junior officer received us on the deck, and presented
his sword. His left arm was bound up, and he was very pale from loss of
blood. He spoke pretty good English; and we found that we had captured
the Dort, Dutch frigate, of thirty-eight guns, bound to Curacao, with a
detachment of troops for the garrison, and a considerable quantity of
ammunition and specie on board for the use of the colony.

We inquired whether the captain was much hurt, as he did not appear on
deck.

"He is dead, gentlemen," replied the young officer: "he was my father.
Our loss has been very great. I am only a cadet, yet I am commanding
officer."

A tear rolled down his cheek as he said that the captain was his father,
and I felt for him. Shortly afterwards he staggered to a carronade
slide, and dropped down on it, and very soon was in a state of
insensibility.

The carnage had been dreadful, and the bulwarks of the vessel had been
shattered to pieces. The scene was almost as had as the Stella's decks
before she was blown up by the negro captain. Several of the guns were
dismounted and two of them had burst. I had only time to go round the
gun-deck, and then I ordered two hands into the boat, that I might make
my report to Captain Delmar.

I asked the third lieutenant to allow me to take on board the young
officer, who still remained lifeless on the carronade slide, and, as it
was proper for me to bring back with me the commanding officer, he
consented. We lowered him with a rope into the boat, and then I
returned on board of the Calliope, and went up to the captain to make my
report, and present him with the sword of the officer commanding the
prize.

Just as I was commencing my story, Mr Culpepper came up without his
wig, and in a state of great disorder, with a piece of dirty paper in
his hand. He trembled very much from the effects of his alarm, but made
a very profound bow, and said to Captain Delmar--

"Here is the state of killed and wounded, Captain Delmar, as far as I
have been able to collect them. I could not possibly get them
ascertained before, although I have been an hour or two employed--ever
since Mr Keene came down."

The captain, who did not like the interruption, replied very haughtily,
"Mr Culpepper, it's the duty of the surgeon to send in the report of
killed and wounded. You had better go down below, get your dress in a
little better order.