hed to rest. In the afternoon
it became clear, when we saw an armed schooner close to us, which hoisted
English colours and sent a boat to us. The captain of her came on board
and informed us that his vessel was a Nassau privateer, and he tendered
all the assistance in his power to get us afloat. As the ship appeared
disinclined to detach herself from her resting-place, we sent most of the
shot and some of the stores on board this vessel, when we began to lift,
and in a short time she was again afloat, and as she did not make water we
presumed her bottom was not injured. On examining the chart, we found it
was the Carisford reef that had so abruptly checked the progress of His
Majesty's ship. Nothing dismayed, we cruised for a week between Capes
Sable and Florida, until we were one night overtaken by a most tremendous
thunderstorm, which split the fore and maintop-sails, carried away the
jib-boom and maintop-sail yard, struck two of the men blind, and shook the
ship fore and aft. It continued with unabated rage until daylight. We soon
replaced the torn sails and got another yard across and jib-boom out.

The following day we were joined by a frigate, and proceeded off the Bay
of Matanzas. Towards evening we perceived three dark-looking schooners
enter the bay. As it was nearly calm, we manned and armed four boats, two
from the frigate, under the direction of her first lieutenant and my
senior officer, and two from our ship, under my orders. We muffled our
oars and pulled quietly in. The night was very dark and the navigation
difficult, owing to the numerous coral reefs and small mangrove islands.
At length we discovered them anchored in a triangle to support each other.
We gave way for the largest, and when within about half pistol-shot they
opened their fire on us. Two of the boats were struck and my commanding
officer knocked overboard, but he was soon afterwards picked up, and,
except a slight wound in the knee, unhurt. We persevered and got alongside
the one we had singled out. She received us as warmly as if she had known
us for years. I took the liberty of shooting a man in her main rigging who
was inclined to do me the same kind office, had I not saved him the
trouble. We attempted cutting away her boarding netting, and in so doing
three men were severely wounded. Her decks appeared well filled with men:
some of their voices were, I am certain, English. After a struggle of some
minutes, in which one of the boats ha