might be overpowered and cut off before we
could sufficiently repair damages to go to her assistance. She obeyed
the order, and the Frenchmen didn't follow her. She had received less
damage aloft than we had, though, as we afterwards found, she had lost
several men killed and wounded. As she came within hail, she reported
that the largest of the French frigates was pumping hard, and had
evidently received much damage, while the second was not in a much
better condition.

This accounted for their not wishing to continue the combat, and
standing away, while it seemed doubtful whether they would venture to
renew it.

We had plenty of work in repairing damages, clearing away the wreck of
the fore-top mast, and getting a new one ready to send aloft. We could
distinguish the convoy hull down to leeward, waiting the result of the
fight.

I asked Nettleship whether he thought, as soon as we had got to rights,
that we should follow the enemy.

"If our captain were to act as his feelings prompt him, I should have no
doubt about it," he answered. "Fighting Macnamara, as he is known in
the service, would not let an enemy escape if he could help it; but duty
before all other things, and our duty is to protect the convoy under our
charge. If we were to go in chase of the enemy, we might lose sight of
the merchantmen, and any rascally privateers might pounce down and carry
off the whole lot of them. My belief therefore is, that we shall bear
up and let the Frenchmen go their way. It is not likely, after the
taste they have had of our quality, that they'll again molest us."

Nettleship was right. The captain ordered the corvette to run down to
the convoy to direct them to stand on under easy sail till we should
join them. The captain and Mr Saunders, and the other officers, were
exerting themselves to the utmost to get the ships to rights. The
former sent me down into the cockpit, to learn from the doctor how the
wounded men were getting on, and how many had been killed. I turned
almost sick as I entered the place. There was anything but a fresh
smell there now. I can't properly describe it,--perhaps it was more
like the odour of a butcher's shop in the dog days, when the
blue-bottles are revelling in the abundance hung up for their
inspection. One poor fellow lay stretched on the table. The doctor was
just then too busy to speak to me. I saw a foot sticking out of a
bucket. It belonged to a leg which had just b