I had scarcely time to observe all this, when a round shot came through the
head of the mainsail, grazing the mast, and the very next instant a bushel
of grape, from one of the bow guns, a 32--pound carronade, was crashed in
on us amidships. I flung down the glass, and dived through the companion
into the cabin--I am not ashamed to own it; and any man who would
undervalue my courage in consequence, can never, taking into consideration
the peculiarities of my situation, have known the appalling sound, or
infernal effect of a discharge of grape. Round shot in broadsides is a
joke to it; musketry is a joke to it; but only conjure up in your
imagination, a shower of iron bullets, of the size of well--grown plums, to
the number of from sixty to one hundred and twenty, taking effect within a
circle, not above ten feet in diameter, and that all this time there was
neither honour nor glory in the case, for I was a miserable captive, and I
fancy I may save myself the trouble of farther enlargement.
I found that the crew had by this time started and taken up the planks of
the cabin floor, and had stowed themselves well down into the run, so as to
be as much out of harm's way as they could manage, but there was neither
fear nor flinching amongst them; and although totally devoid of all
gasconade--on the contrary, they had taken all the precautions men could do
in their situation, to keep out of harm's way, or at least to lessen the
danger--there they sat, silent, and cool, and determined.
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