officers to man the boat. Away we pulled, and had time to save a good
many people from the vessel, which had sunk before we reached her. We
were exposed all the time to the shot, which came splashing into the
water close to us. I heartily hoped that none would come aboard, for,
crowded as the boat was, a number of the people must have been killed.
There was no necessity to tell the Spanish crew to give way, for they
were eager enough to get back.

Soon after returning on board, the admiral, having received intelligence
from the shore that the attack had again failed, threw out a signal to
his ships to discontinue the action. Fortunately the wind enabled us to
stand off the shore, in spite of the shattered condition of many of the
ships, when we anchored out of range of the enemy's guns. As soon as we
had brought up, Nettleship and I went down to see Vernon. Though the
surgeon had told him that the wound was a bad one, he didn't complain.

"I fear, after all, that we shall not succeed, and I advise you,
Nettleship, to return on board your brig, and get her into a condition
to put to sea," he said. "The admiral may not be able to help you as I
could wish, and you will have to look out for yourself."

Nettleship thanked him for his advice, saying that he intended to follow
it, as we could not further assist the cause, and that it was our duty
to get the brig to Gibraltar as soon as possible.

The admiral had invited both of us to supper in the cabin. He spoke in
the highest terms of Vernon, and said that he had intended to give him
command of one of his ships, that he might lead the next attack.

"I wish, gentlemen, also to show you my high sense of the assistance you
have rendered me by coming on board," he added.

When I translated this to Nettleship, he said--

"Tell the old fellow that I shall be obliged to him if he'll send a
dozen of his best hands, with such spars and rigging as we require, to
set up jury-masts."

"It shall be done to-morrow," replied the admiral. "I intend to give
the crew of my ships a short breathing-time before I again renew the
attack."

Though we were ready enough to fight, we were not sorry to find the next
day that the old Don was as good as his word, and had sent us on board a
sufficient number of spars, which, with the aid of his men, enabled us
to set up jury-masts, and to get the brig into condition for putting to
sea. The Spaniards worked very well, and as soon as t