vessels were to be seen, having been compelled to bear up in the night, and
to run before it under bare poles.

At length, as the sun rose, we got before the wind, and it soon moderated
so far, that we could carry reefed topsails and foresail; and away we all
bowled, with a clear, deep, cold, blue sky, and a bright sun overhead, and
a stormy leaden--coloured ocean, with whitish green--crested billows,
below. The sea continued to go down, and the wind to slacken, until the
afternoon, when the Commodore made the signal for Torch to send, a boat's
crew, the instant it could be done with safety, on board the dismasted
ship, to assist in repairing damages, and in getting up a
jury--fore--topmast.

The damaged ship was at this time on our weather--quarter; we accordingly
handed the fore--topsail, and presently she was alongside. We hailed her,
that we intended to send a boat on board, and desired her to heave--to, as
we did, and presently she rounded to under our lee. One of the
quarter--boats was manned, with three of the carpenter's crew, and six good
men over and above her complement; but it was no easy matter to get on
board of her, let me tell you, after she had been lowered, carefully
watching the rolls, with four hands in. The moment she touched the water,
the tackles were cleverly unhooked, and the rest of us tumbled on board,
shin leather growing scarce, when we shoved off. With great difficulty,
and not without wet jackets, we, the supernumeraries, got on board, and the
boat returned to the Torch. The evening when we landed in the lobsterbox,
as Jack loves to designate a transport, was too far advanced for us to do
anything towards refitting that night; and the confusion, and uproar, and
numberless abominations of the crowded craft, were irksome to a greater
degree than I expected even, after having been accustomed to the strict and
orderly discipline of a man--of--war. The following forenoon the Torch was