The "Peacock" and the "Hornet." 99 



ing day, the Espiegle, all unfit as she was, put to sea in 

 search of the Hornet. 



The sail which had been edging down for the Hornet 

 had hoisted English colours. She was the Peacock. 



Shall the stripes and stars, or tricolor, in triumph sweep the sea 

 While the flag of Britain waves aloft, the fearless and the free? 



Ten minutes afterwards, or about half-past four o'clock, 

 they beat to quarters on board the Hornet and cleared 

 the ship for action. In order to get the weather gauge, 

 she was hauled close to the wind. At ten minutes after 

 five she hoisted the stars and bars. The Hornet having 

 tacked, the two ships of war now stood for one another. 

 At 5*25, in passing each other, they exchanged broadsides 

 within pistol shot. The Peacock now wore, and gave 

 the enemy her starboard broadside. Then the Hornet 

 bore up close on the starboard quarter, and kept up a 

 deadly fire for fifteen minutes. Early in the action the 

 Peacock's master, LUTT, had fallen stunned. As he was 

 being carried below, Captain Peake said, " Poor Lutt ! 

 I did not think that you would have been the first." 

 But the master soon returned to his quarters, having 

 merely been deprived of his senses for a time. All 

 hands exerted themselves to the utmost, cheered on by 

 their gallant captain. While, however, the shot from 

 the English guns cut up the rigging of the Hornet, the 

 latter's fire went smashing into the Peacock's hull. And 

 now fell that brave man Captain Peake, while encourag- 

 ing his men to continue the fight. A 25-pounder shot 

 passed through his breast. The man at the helm, splashed 

 with his blood, sprang forward, took the dead Commander 

 in his arms to carry him below, but was himself knocked 

 down by a splinter. Wright, the First Lieutenant, at 



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