t. I felt that but for God's great mercy I might have been among
the hapless men who were struggling now in mid air. I sickened as I
gazed at them, and hid my eyes with my hands, as did many another
stout-hearted fellow.

After a time they were lowered down. The doctor pronounced them dead,
and they were placed in shells and taken on shore to be buried. The
ropes were unrove, the hands were piped down, and the boats returned to
their respective ships. The fearful drama was over.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

THE CREW OF THE CULLODEN DISTRIBUTED--DICK AND I HAVE TO GO ON BOARD THE
MARS--CRUISE OFF USHANT--FALL IN WITH THE ENEMY--A NARROW ESCAPE--
MASTERLY RETREAT OF ADMIRAL CORNWALLIS--A RUSE DE GUERRE--A SEVERE
STRUGGLE--THE MARS RESCUED BY THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE--RETURN TO ENGLAND--
STATE OF THE SHIPS--MY EXPECTATIONS OF LEAVE DISAPPOINTED--WE ARE
DRAFTED ON BOARD THE GALATEA.

The _Culloden_ having gained a bad name for herself, in consequence of
the late event and her behaviour on the 1st of June, her officers and
crew were distributed among several ships; I, with Dick Hagger and other
men, being sent on board the _Mars_, seventy-four, one of the squadron
under Vice-Admiral the Honourable William Cornwallis, whose flag was
flying on board the _Royal Sovereign_, of one hundred guns. The other
ships were the _Triumph, Sir Erasmus Gower_, the _Brunswick_, and
_Bellerophon_, seventy-fours, the _Phaeton_ and _Pallas_ frigates, and
the _Kingfisher_, an eighteen gun brig.

We sailed at the end of May from Spithead, for a cruise off Ushant. On
the 8th of June we made the land about the Penmarcks on the French
coast, and soon after the _Triumph_ threw out the signal of six sail
east by north.

We immediately gave chase. After some time, one of the frigates, with
the little _Kingfisher_ and the _Triumph_, being considerably ahead,
commenced firing at the enemy, while we were crowding all sail to get up
with them, the admiral having made the signal to close.

Before we had done so, however, the admiral ordered us and the
_Bellerophon_ to chase two French frigates to the south-west, one of
which had a large ship in tow. This, after a short time, they abandoned
to us, and we took possession of her. We stood so close in that the
batteries at Belle Isle opened upon us, and shoaling our water, the
signal for danger was made.

Thereupon Admiral Cornwallis recalled us, and we stood off the land with
the prizes we had take