xlv 



protection for their men which it was scarcely possible for our shot 

 to penetrate. We knew, however, that one man was wounded, by the 

 doctor's acknowledgment, and had reason to suppose that there were 

 more, from an observation of the lieutenant : ' That three or four 

 young hands had fancied themselves hurt.' We were repeatedly told 

 both by the officers and crew of the privateer that they wished we 

 had never fallen in with them, both in consequence of the expendi- 

 ture of powder and shot, and of the injury done to their foremast. 

 We fired above 400 rounds. They must have fired many more." He 

 mentions that every gun of the enemy was loaded with a double- 

 headed shot and a bag containing sixty grape-shot. 



The Americans behaved very well. Sabine commended their 

 discipline. They respected private property, and treated their 

 prisoners with every respect. The master, mate, and crew were 

 transferred a couple of days later to another prize. The captain and 

 passengers remained on board in charge of a prize-master, and with a 

 crew of seven men set sail for New York. As good fortune would 

 have, they fell in with the "Maidstone" frigate on Sunday, 18th 

 July, and were recaptured ; the privateer herself having been taken 

 by the "Maidstone" on the previous day. Thus this little episode 

 came to an end. Instead of being landed prisoners at New York, 

 Sabine and his companions were set on shore at Halifax, his port of 

 destination, and after a week's delay he was sent round to Quebec. 



It was during his service at Quebec in the winter of 1813-14, that 

 an incident occurred,* which Sabine was fond of quoting in later 

 life, in illustration of the value of sometimes thinking for one's self. 

 Among the little frontier operations of 1814 was an advance of some 

 American militia on Quebec ; and he was sent with a small party to 

 garrison an outpost. He was directed to take a 4-pr. gun with him ; 

 but finding in the arsenal a light 24-pr. howitzer, which had been 

 left there by General Burgoyne when he went on the Saratoga 

 Expedition, he thought he could manage to transport that ; and with 

 or without permission he did so. He found some coehorn shells, and 

 took those, and a supply of fuzes. He reached his blockhouse 

 before the Americans, under a Colonel Williamson, appeared : who, 

 arriving in the evening, were settling in their camp and busy about 

 cooking, when, to their great astonishment, one of these extemporised 

 shrapnels was fired at them with considerable effect. They forth- 

 with retreated to, what they thought, a safe distance ; but another 

 shell burst among them, and seemed to throw them into great 

 confusion, - They still further retreated, until fairly out of range. 

 In the morning, when Colonel Williamson ordered them to advance 

 to attack the post, a man stepped forward and declared he would 



* This incident the writer learned from the late Eev. T. E. Robinson, D.D., 

 F.R.S. 



