e escaped
uninjured. As we looked astern thick wreaths of smoke were issuing from
every part of our gallant frigate.

"Her fighting days are over," I observed.

"Not just yet, sir,--not just yet. Wait a minute and you'll see,"
exclaimed the coxswain.

He was right. Before we landed the flames had reached the guns, and her
whole broadside, pointed towards the Frenchmen, went off in rapid
succession.

"Hurrah! hurrah!" shouted all the men; "the old girl dies game to the
last."

What damage the guns of our ship effected on the French frigates we
could not discover, but they were seen to haul their wind and to stand
off as fast as they could from the land. We soon gained the shore,
which was as captivating in appearance as any shipwrecked mariner has
ever landed on. It seemed like a perfect garden, with churches and
planters' houses peeping out from among the trees, in the midst of the
most picturesque scenery. In the centre rose a lofty cone, surrounded
by a ruff of trees, below which all was one mass of verdure. We had
little time or inclination just then to admire the beauties of nature.
The crew having been mustered, none being missing except the poor
fellows who were known to have been killed, the wounded were placed on
litters formed of sails, and we were set off to march towards
Charlestown, the smart little capital of the island, whence Captain
Macnamara expected to be able to send intelligence of the disaster to
the admiral.

We had gone some distance, and were all feeling hungry and thirsty, when
we came in sight of the house of a planter. Our approach was perceived.
The master of the mansion came forth, and, addressing Captain
Macnamara, insisted on our halting, and taking such refreshment as he
could provide. His offer was gladly accepted. As the house wouldn't
hold us all, we youngsters stopped in the shade of of a grove of trees
close to it, the captain and gun-room officers being invited inside.
The men threw themselves on the ground, in every variety of attitude,
waiting for the expected feast. We of the midshipmen's berth formed a
group by ourselves a little way from the men, close to a fountain, which
sent up a jet of water into the quivering air. The sight of it alone
was calculated to cool us, and we needed cooling, for our march had been
hot and fatiguing. Some of the men suffering most from thirst rushed to
the fountain, and baled the water into their mouths, or lapped it up
like