ENGLISH “LETTRE DE MARQUE.” 71 
was looking through the window of the dining-room, try- 
ing to persuade myself at least that the captured vessel 
was not one of much importance. But one must yield to 
evidence. It was pierced for a great number of guns. 
All at once, the wind having displayed the flags, I per- 
ceived with surprise the French flag over the English 
flag. I communicated what I observed to Mr. Blankley. 
He answered immediately, “ You do not surely pretend 
to observe better with your bad telescope than I did with 
my Dollond?” 
“ And you cannot pretend,” said I to him in my turn, 
“to see better than an astronomer by profession? Iam 
sure of my fact. I beg M. Thainville’s permission, and 
will go this instant to visit this mysterious prize.” 
In short, I went there; and this is what I learnt :— 
General Duhesme, Governor of Barcelona, wishing to 
rid himself of the most ill-disciplined portion of his gar- 
rison, formed the principal part into the crew of a vessel, 
the command of which he gave to a lieutenant of Babas- 
tro, a celebrated corsair of the Mediterranean. 
There were amongst these improvised seamen a hus- 
sar, a dragoon, two veterans, a miner with his long beard, 
&e. &e. The vessel, leaving Barcelona by night, escaped 
the English cruiser, and got to the entrance of Port 
Mahon. An English “lettre de marque” was coming 
out of the port. The crew of the French vessel boarded 
her; and a furious combat on the deck ensued, in which 
the French got the upper hand. It was this “lettre de 
marque ” which had now arrived at Algiers. 
Invested with full power by M. Dubois Thainville, I 
announced to the prisoners that they were about to be 
immediately given up to their Consul. I respected even 
the trick of the captain, who, wounded by several sabre- 
