%i TRAVELS IN 
Englifli flag. In vain fhould I attempt to de« 
fcribe the ftupefadion and aftonifliment of the 
whole crew upon this unforefeen event, la 
the veflel there v^as not perhaps one man who 
had ever been in an action. The captain and 
the officers, accuftomed to purfue their voy- 
age in profound peace, had never commanded 
in the like circumftances ; one may therefore 
eafily imagine what muft have been the con- 
fternation pf thefe poor people, unexpectedly 
attacked in this manner, and without having 
time to make any preparation, or even to bar- 
ricade the quarter deck. Terror, and above 
all, confufion, were painted on their counte- 
nances. The officers bawled out as loud as 
they could ; while the foldiers, all recruits, 
none pf whom had ever loaded a mufket, 
knew not what to anfwer, or whom to obey ; 
in a word, at feyen in the evening we had not 
wafted a fmgle grain of powder, l^ht privar 
teer, in the mean time, kept up a conftant 
fire ; and, prdering us to ftrike, threatened to 
fmk us if we carried our refiftance any further, 
pur captain, in a convulfive agitation, contir 
nually cried oijt that he had not power to fur- 
jcader at difcretion j and that it would be ne- 
ceffary 
