ACTION WITH A FSENCIÏ SQUADRON. 29 
tiie ^Otîi we were busy in repairing our damages, especially cur 
driver-boom, tlirough which a twelve poiuid shot had passed. 
At tive P. M. we made sail for Goree, baviiig our prize in com- 
paiiy. 
January 3d. We unfortimately took the powder out of our 
prize: and were informed by one of our people, that when tho 
captain was killed an olTicer was seen pisttiug has bauds in his 
pocket, and pulling out a liaudf'd of money, llsis led to farther 
enquiries; anci we found they had sold a prize for 600 doubloons, 
MÎjich, in searching, wv. found auiong the jieople. 
Mouday, January 6'îh, 1806. ALout six o'clock we cast off 
Our prize, and ordered her to proceed on her voyage. Three 
vessels now appeared N. E, of us: we v; eut down to overh';ul 
theuî;, they standing towards us about half past eight. We found 
they were French. We then immediately woi-e, they tacked, 
and commenced tiring, llieir force cosrsisted of one 74, two 
frigates, and a brig. The 74 came up, and gave us three broad- 
sides, us well as the frii^ates, one of which v> e found afterwards 
iiad expended ]30 shot. We cut away our anchors, bul this 
made the ship worse. 1 was ordered below. At tliis moment 
we received a large shot from the commodore just on the quar- 
ter, which was near sinking her, aud allialf past eleven, haviug no 
possibility of escapirtg by resistusg lunger, we struck. The scene 
we now wilr.essed it is not in îlîe pow'er of my pen' to describe* 
The purser thïew open the slop-roou), and every man 
helped himself to what clothes he cljose. 1 put on two 
shirts, two pair of trowsers, aiid my best clothes. I he captain 
declared they would strip us ; and my boy put into a hag my 
shirts and a case of instruments, which, by good forîur.e, were 
those presented me by Sir Sidney Smith, and which I used at 
the siege of Acre when employed ou shore with him ; he also 
put up my cot, in which he wrapt a quadrant. When thef 
boarded us, all was in confusion. Our chests, hsovvever, were 
ordered on deck; and the officers declared ihey sliould be sa-^ 
cred, and that no plunder should be allowed. As to njyself, I 
was peremptorily ordered into the boat ; but managed to take 
my cot and bag with me, though I was riOt permitted to get my 
chest up from below\ When I arrived on board the commo- 
dore's ship, he ordered me back again to take care of the sick and 
wounded, in which time my chest was stove to pieces, and all 
the instruments and clothes stolen, even my bed-Ciirtams. What 
they could not take away, they tore to pieces and threw over- 
board: in a word, the plunder was general. Mr. Odium, whom 
1 have before mentioned, and his wife, were also pnlfiged whilç 
present; the women they left with the wounded and sick. A 
Jfrench officer^ a Lieutenant Vaisseau, now joined us, whg 
