ded together that
very few of them were able to use their weapons to any advantage. They
fought well for the first two or three minutes; but when they found that
the shore battery remained silent, they became confused and
disheartened, as I easily gathered from their ejaculations and
exclamations, and at length, after a really stubborn resistance of some
ten minutes' duration, they threw down their arms and surrendered.

The prisoners were at once sent below and the hatches clapped on over
them, after which immediate steps were taken to remove the two ships
from their somewhat perilous position, which was that of embayment upon
a lee shore.

A strong prize crew was placed on board the "Artemise," leaving only
just sufficient hands on board the "Astarte" to work her sails, and then
the latter set her canvas, cast off her fasts and grapplings, and canted
to the southward. So close to the shore had the French frigate been
moored, and so completely within the shelter of the bight, that there
was very little room for manoeuvring, and the "Astarte," short-handed as
she was, narrowly escaped leaving bones to bleach on the rocky point.
She managed, however, to scrape clear by the skin of her teeth, and once
fairly outside and clear of danger she went about and hove-to on the
starboard tack, to wait for her prize.

The "Artemise" had been placed in charge of Mr Flinn, who had selected
me for his first and Smellie for his second lieutenant; Mr Woods acting
as first on board the "Astarte." Mr Vining, the third lieutenant, and
Carter, were, it will be remembered, both absent in the prizes we had
taken at the Roccas.

As soon as we saw that our own noble frigate was safe, Paddy--who never
liked to lose anything--gave the order to pass the messenger and get the
anchor, instead of cutting the cable. The ship was riding by her best
bower, and I was rather doubtful whether we should manage the job. The
men, however, walked her manfully up to her anchor, until the cable was
straight up and down, when they left the capstan-bars and flew aloft to
loose the canvas, being as fully aware as their officers of the critical
position of the ship, and of her liability to drive ashore unless the
work were smartly executed, they achieved their task in an incredibly
short time, and by almost superhuman exertions on their part the sails
were set almost as quickly as though we had been fully manned.

"Well done, lads!" shouted Paddy encouragi