ABLE OCCURRENCES TAKE PLACE IN THE LETTER OF MARQUE--OLD
FRIENDS WITH IMPROVED FACES--THE CAPTOR A CAPTIVE; BUT NOT CARRIED AWAY,
THOUGH THE CAPTIVE IS, BY THE SHIP'S BOAT--THE WHOLE CHAPTER A MIXTURE
OF LOVE, WAR, AND MERCHANDISE.

We had had possession of the vessel about an hour, when the man who was
sentry over the hatchway told me that one of the prisoners wished to
speak with the English commanding officer, and asked leave to come on
deck. I gave permission, and a gentleman came up, stating that he was a
passenger; that the ship was a letter of marque, from Bordeaux; that
there were seven lady passengers on board, who had come out to join
their husbands and families; and that he trusted I would have no
objection to put them on shore, as women could hardly be considered as
objects of warfare. As I knew that O'Brien would have done so, and that
he would be glad to get rid of both women and prisoners if he could, I
replied, "Most certainly;" that I would heave-to, that they might not
have so far to pull on shore, and that I would permit the ladies and
other passengers to go on shore. I begged that they would be as quick
as possible in getting their packages ready, and that I would give them
two of the boats belonging to the ship, with a sufficient number of
French seamen belonging to her to man the boats.

The Frenchman was very grateful, thanked me in the name of the ladies,
and went down below to impart the intelligence. I then hove-to, lowered
down the boats from the quarters, and waited for them to come up. It
was daylight before they were ready, but that I did not care about; I
saw the brig in the offing about seven miles off, and I was well clear
of the batteries.

At last they made their appearance, one by one coming up the ladder,
escorted by French gentlemen. They had to wait while the packages and
bundles were put into the boats. The first sight which struck them with
horror was the many dead and wounded Englishmen lying on the decks.
Expressing their commiseration, I told them we had attempted to take the
privateer and had been repulsed, and that it was coming out of the
harbour that I had fallen in with their ship and captured it. All the
ladies had severally thanked me for my kindness in giving them their
liberty, except one, whose eyes were fixed upon the wounded men, when
the French gentleman went up to her, and reminded her that she had not
expressed her thanks to the commanding officer.