At half past three, P. M. all hope was given up of our escape, and anxious glances were turning towards the captain, who, from the commencement of the chase had taken his station on the trunk, walking back and forth, with a hurried and quick pace, giving his orders in a low tone to his first lieutenant, to be transmitted through him to the different stations. For some time, all were anxiously expecting each moment he would surrender — not only the crew, but some of the officers were heard muttering at the foolhardiness of holding out longer, without the least hope of escaping, but with the certainty of drawing the leeward frigate's broadside upon us ere long, the effect of which must be fatal to all on board; for no relief could be expected from the enemy, should the brig be crippled by their shot, so as to be in a sinking condition, however humane their intentions, with the weather and sea so boisterous as the present.
The order was again given for the twentieth time, to lay aloft, and loose the foretop-gallantsail, which had been furled but a few moments before, to prevent its being blown from the yard, by the increased violence of the wind. To facilitate the order, the men not moving with the same alacrity as during the day, a red whiskered diminutive spitfire, who held post as prize master, seized a rope's end, the first specimen of corporeal coercion to duty since sailing, and began to lay about him with an earnestness of purpose, but little suited to the present disposition of the crew, till stopped short by one who had seen better days. This man had been master of his own vessel out of Salem, had been unfortunate by losing his all soon after war was declared, and he knew no other mode of obtaining a living except this, of going to sea. The man that had been twenty years commander now stood a common sailor, under the upraised hand of this despicable one of authority, who was not worthy to loose the other's shoe latchets, in the way of knowing or doing his duty. The rope's end fell not where it was intended, for the former captain, when he saw the hand raised for the blow, with a firm look and a deep-meaning voice, said, "hold," pointing with his finger at the nearest frigate to leeward, "in half an hour we shall be upon an equality, either as prisoners there, or drawn down with the whirl-pool of our sunken brig." Like an abashed school-boy, from the reprimand of his teacher, turned the pigmy, shrinking from the man of years and experience.
A messmate of mine went aloft to loose the sail required, cut the lashing to save time, in his anxiety to get below, and sang out, holding the end of the cut basket in his hands:
"All ready to let go!"
"Hold on till the wind slackens," was the answer he received. He obeyed, but with evident uneasiness, by the furtive glances he was casting towards the frigate, and the nicety he was measuring the distance between him and the deck below; as though the former would prevent the coming grist of language, by its eagerness, or the latter could ease the expected fall, by its accuracy. The first shower of grape that came whistling about the region he was in, caused him to let go the sail before those below could sheet it home, and make his way to the deck with all the haste the fear of the moment inspired him. When within ten or twelve feet of the landing, a round shot cut the shroud in two, within twenty inches below his foot, on which he was holding in his descent. He gave himself a sudden swing inside, and came down prostrate on deck, with the supposition of those who saw him fall, that he was dead.
My messmate did not know whether he was hurt or not, till gathering himself up, when he found the greatest pains to proceed from his too rapid a descent from a twelve-foot leap, and the unceremonious thrashing he gave the deck with his body's length. He had the consolation of knowing, however, that his labours at the top-gallant-yard were ended for the present, as the wind had stripped the sail to ribbons, long before he reached the deck, notwithstanding the speed with which he had travelled.
Here I may as well finish the remarks began in a former chapter, in the comparison of the green hands with the older seamen. In the former I saw many of as undaunted spirits as in the latter; and they showed as much willingness to exposure and severe duty during the chase, as those who were accustomed to such for a livelihood, from their youth upwards.
Up to four o'clock, p. M., the firing had been more like target shooting than a serious matter of the enemy; it being evidently their wish to get possession of the brig, with as little damage to her as possible; and, therefore, they had confined the range of their shot, so as to cripple her sailing, rather than to destroy the hull. Yet so far the enemy had succeeded but poorly in their aim; for we had lost nothing of importance in our spars or rigging, neither had we a man hurt on board, which was the more remarkable, as within the captain's height, and the range of his walk on the trunk of the quarter deck, were more than forty shot holes in the mainsail, of both grape and round. In all probability shot had crossed the brig, in the same proportion, throughout her length. Had the enemy's intentions been different from what I have suggested, it was within the power of either of the three frigates to sink us with their broadsides, at any time during the last two hours, by the position each held.
Now, however, it was manifest their tempers could not longer be trifled with, by dallying after a cock-boat picaroon, in comparison to their proud frigates; for they were making preparations for the much dreaded broadside, as could plainly be seen from the deck of our ill-fated craft, by every one who had the curiosity to keep in view such interesting events. We were so near the New-Castle, the leeward frigate, as to see the men distinctly taking the tampions from the muzzles of the guns, run them out, and elevate or depress them to their liking; whilst the idlers were climbing the rigging, or listlessly lying over the hammock-cloths, to see the effect of their shot from the intended broadside, now in readiness to belch forth upon the unfortunate brig, which was labouring her last few moments, still obedient to the will of those in command, and as diligently as she had through the whole of this long, arduous and disheartening chase.
The short time while the frigate's preparations for the broadside were making, was one of inconceivable anxiety, dread, and suspense, which was suddenly relieved by our rounding to, firing a gun to leeward, the only discharge during the day, and the signal of our surrender. The brig carried no colours, nor showed any emblem of the country she hailed from, throughout the chase.
II
Now commenced a scene, which to me, a novice in such matters, seemed strange, and was entirely beyond my comprehension. Some turned to with their knives, and began cutting the running rigging and such sails as were on deck, whilst others as zealously cast overboard everything within their reach — shot, muskets, pistols, and boarding-pikes followed each other in quick succession, as well as cordage, spars, oars, and such provision casks as were near by and easy to handle, till the deck was nearly cleared of every thing moveable upon it, This devastation was not only carried on and indulged in by the men, but, the more to my astonishment, the officers first led the way with their charts, side-arms, nautical instruments, and whatever else they wished not to fall into the hands of the enemy. Ample time had they for this, as the sea was so rough, none supposed the frigates would attempt to take possession of us, till the wind fell and the surface became somewhat smoother.