hman's main-top-mast having just gone over his side. It
was not a time to make my report, nor was any needed just then; so I
walked aft as far as the taffrail, in order to get out of the way, and to
make my observations as much removed from the smoke as possible. This was
the only opportunity I enjoyed of noting the relative positions, as well
as conditions, of the two vessels.

The Briton had suffered heavily aloft; but all her principal spars still
stood. On the other hand, her antagonist had lost both main and
mizen-top-masts, and her fire had materially slackened within the last
fifteen minutes. She was falling more under a quarter-raking fire, too,
from her people's losing command of their ship; the two frigates having,
some time before, come by the wind--the Englishman a little on the
Frenchman's weather-quarter. As is usual, in a heavy cannonade and a
moderate breeze, the wind had died away, or become neutralized, by the
concussions of the guns, and neither combatant moved much from the
position he occupied. Still the Briton had her yards knowingly braced,
while those of her enemy were pretty much at sixes and sevens. Under such
circumstances, it was not difficult to predict the result of the
engagement; more especially as the spirits of the Britons seemed to be
rising with the duration of the combat.

I was still making my observations, when I heard the crack of a shot, and
the ripping of plank, on the forward part of the quarter-deck. A little
group collected around a falling man, and I thought I caught a glimpse of
Captain Rowley's uniform and epaulettes, in the sufferer. In an instant I
was on the spot. Sure enough, there was my old friend grievously wounded.
Clements was also there. Catching my eye, he observed--

"As you are doing nothing, sir, will you assist in carrying Captain Rowley
below?"

I did not like the manner in which this was said, nor the expression of
the first-lieutenant's eye while saying it. They seemed to me to add, "I
shall now command this ship, and we shall see if new lords don't produce
new laws," I complied, however, of course, and, aided by two of his own
servants, I got the poor old man into the gun-room. The instant the
surgeon cast his eyes on the injuries, I saw by his countenance, there
was no hope. His words soon confirmed the bad news.

"The captain cannot live half an hour," this gentleman said to me aside,
"and all we can do will be to give him what he asks for. At pres