lope had been waiting the opportunity. The instant
he hove in stays, we, who had been reserving our fire, poured in our
broadside, raking him fore and aft with murderous effect.

"All hands about-ship!" was now the cry. So cut up was our rigging,
however, that we had no little difficulty in getting her about. Our
masts also were badly wounded. It was a question whether they would
carry our canvas.

"Hands aloft!--reef topsails!" was the next order given. Up we sprung,
most unwillingly leaving our gnus, while the French ships, one after the
other, stood away from us, glad to get out of reach of our fire though
they did not fail to give us a parting salute.

We were as smart as we could in reefing topsails, but as much of our
running-gear was cut up, we were longer than usual; and the Frenchmen,
finding that we had ceased firing, took it into their heads. I suppose,
that we were going to strike, for they all tacked and once more stood
back towards us.

"To your guns, my lads! to your guns!" was the cry, as we swung down off
the yards; and then didn't we open fire again upon them in fine style!
In a few minutes they had had enough of it, and hauled off as fast as
their legs could carry them. If they hadn't so cruelly wounded our
masts and spars we should have caught some of them. We made all the
sail we could venture to carry; but they had faster keels than we could
boast of, so we had no hope of success.

They stood away for Flushing, and I afterwards heard that one of them
sunk as soon as she got there, and that all had their decks completely
ripped up, besides losing a great number of men, and suffering terribly
in other ways. Strange as it may seem, we had not a single man killed,
but one captain of marines and one marine only were wounded. We had to
go into harbour to repair damages; and when the news of the action
reached London, the merchants were so pleased with it, that, in
commemoration of it, they presented Captain Trollope with a handsome
piece of plate. He deserved it, for a braver or more dashing officer
did not exist, as I had many opportunities of proving.

Some time after this, occurred those events in the navy which might have
proved the destruction of the British Empire. I speak of the mutinies
which broke out at the Nore, at Spithead, and elsewhere. The
particulars are generally so well-known, that I will not attempt to
describe them; but the circumstance I am about to mention is know