which held on, although they were
half-dead with fright and half-drowned with water. After we had cleared
the islands forming the Bahama group, we fell in with a low,
rakish-looking schooner, which gave us a chase of seven hours, although
our shot went over her. At length two of her men were killed, and the
spyglass knocked out of the skipper's hand, when he, finding it was
useless holding out any longer, hove to. She proved a Spanish privateer of
six guns and forty men, with a number of sheep on board, but the mids
declared they were more like purser's lanterns. When killed, one of them
weighed only fifteen pounds. Nothing further occurred during the remainder
of our passage to Jamaica, where we anchored two days after with our
prizes. Before the sails were furled, half the inhabitants of Port Royal
were round the ships making a most hideous noise with their squalling and
banjos. Our five prizes made their eyes shine like a dollar in a bucket of
water, and their mouths water like a sick monkey's eyes with a violent
influenza. The last time we had anchored we returned prizeless, and no
boat came off but an old washerwoman's; we now paid them off in their own
coin, and desired all the canoes with the exception of two to paddle to
some other ship, as we should not admit them on board. After lingering for
about half an hour in the hope that we should change our minds, they
paddled away looking blacker than their skins. Soon after our arrival we
heard that the _Hermione_ frigate had been taken and carried into Porto
Bello on the Spanish Main by her crew, after having killed their captain
and all the officers. This dreadful news gave me real concern, as one of
my late messmates was third lieutenant of her. Captain Hamilton, of the
_Surprise_ of twenty-eight guns, offered to bring her out from where her
rebellious crew had anchored her, and a few days after he sailed for that
purpose. We were refitting very leisurely, and had been in harbour nearly
five weeks, when one afternoon we saw the _Surprise_ towing in the
_Hermione_. Captain Hamilton had kept his word to the letter. He was three
days before the port where she lay before he attempted his purpose. She
was at anchor very close in shore, protected by a heavy half-moon and
triangular battery. On the evening of the third day Captain Hamilton made
his will, and after consulting with the officers he armed and manned the
boats, and took with him the lieutenants, surgeon, a propo