6o THE LOG OF THE BON HOMME RICHARD

were kept constantly going, and the cranks attached to them were
double manned and were often relieved. Two chain pumps, the
number the Serapis then had, if kept at work as fast as possible
would deliver about a ton of water in a minute; the reader may
therefore according to this computation, form some judgment how
much water must have been pumped out of the Serapis in four
hours, the time taken with the pumps constantly going, for sucking
her out. The carpenters at this time employed in stopping shot
holes &c.
"But to return to the Good Man Richard where we were
busily employed in getting out the wounded and embarking them
on board of the boats belonging to the squadron — when the alarm
was given that the English prisoners to the number of about fifty,
and who had been let out of confinement after the battle, had
taken possession of our ship and were running her on shore; and
they were at this time absolute masters of the quarter deck, spar
deck and forecastle, and had got the ship before the wind and her
yards squared by the braces steering directly in for the land, the
wind being about east. In consequence of this another battle en
sued, but we having in our possession the greater part of the arms
suitable for a close fight, and although they outnumbered us, we
soon overpowered them and again became masters of the ship;
not, however, until we had killed two of them, and wounded and
drove overboard several others. These last, about thirteen in
number, took possession of one of the boats laying alongside of
our ship and made their escape to land. After this, the rest of
these desperate Englishmen were ordered into the boats and trans
ported on board the Pallas.
"I now took a full view of the mangled carcasses of the slain
on board our ship, especially between decks where the bloody scene
was enough to appal the stoutest heart. To see the dead lying in
heaps — to hear the groans of the wounded and dying — the entrails
of the dead scattered promiscuously around — was enough to move