they were now labouring under the
great disadvantage of carrying more than a barrel of water, which was
washing about in the bottom of their cutter, rendering her both heavy
and unsteady.

So intense was the interest we all felt in the result of this struggle,
that our feelings during the battle could not be compared to it. I could
see Marble move his body, as a sitter in a boat is apt to do, at each jerk
of the oars, under the notion it helps the party along. Diogenes actually
called out, and this a dozen times at least, to encourage the men to pull
for their lives, though they were not yet within a mile of us. The
constant rising and setting of the boats prevented my making very minute
observations with the glass; but I distinguished the face of my
second-mate, who was sitting aft, and I could see he was steering with one
hand and bailing with the other. We now waved our hats, in hopes of being
seen, but got no answering signal, the distance being still too great.

At that moment I cared nothing for the guns of the English ship, though we
were running directly for them. The boat--the boat, was our object! For
that we steered as unerringly as the motion of the rolling water would
allow. It blew a good working breeze; and, what was of the last importance
to us, it blew steadily. I fancied the ship did not move, notwithstanding,
though the rate at which we drew nearer to the boat ought to have told us
better. But, anxiety had taken the place of reason, and we were all
disposed to see things as we felt, rather than as we truly found them.

There was abundant reason for uneasiness; the cutter astern certainly
going through the water four feet, to the other's three. Manned with her
regular crew, with everything in order, and with men accustomed to pull
together, the largest boat, and rowing ten oars to the six of my mate's, I
make no doubt that the cutter of the Black Prince would have beaten
materially in an ordinary race, more especially in the rough water over
which this contest occurred. But, nearly a tenth full of water, the boat
of the fugitives had a greatly lessened chance of escape.

Of course, we then knew no more than we could see; and we were not slow to
perceive how fast the pursuers were gaining on the pursued, I really began
to tremble for the result; and this so much the more, as the larger
cutter was near enough, by this time, to permit me to discover, by means
of the glass, the ends-of several muskets, r