still survives (1889), Sir Provo
Wallis, an admiral of the fleet.
It was not till three or four days after our capture that I was
permitted to come upon deck, and the sight brought tears to my
eyes. Our tight little frigate looked a complete wreck, and all
confusion some of the guns not properly secured, others in their
wrong place. I asked permission of the prize captain to let me
have a few men, and I would soon alter the appearance. He did.
We soon made the deck look shipshape. In the collision we lost,
our fore and mainmasts, only having a mizzenmast and two temporary
rigged jury masts; these we made the more secure, and by the course
we were steering were making the best of our way to France. After
we had been captured about seven or eight days, being on deck,
I saw the prize captain and several others looking earnestly at
what appeared to be a sail. It rapidly gained on us, when he walked
towards me, asking me what nation that ship belonged to ? "
Is it Espaniole?" said I. Half indignant he replied, "No;
Espaniole in these seas?" When she approached
