It would be difficult to describe the horrors which now presented themselves. The carnage was dreadful—the dead and dying lying about in every direction; the cries of the latter were most lamentable and piercing. The surgeon, a herculean man, with an apron and his shirt-sleeves tucked up, attended by his assistant and others, bore a conspicuous part in the tragedy, being busily employed in examining wounds, ascertaining the bodies from whom the vital spark had actually fled, and superintending their interment, or rather launching out of the ports!
Strange to say, every man stationed at one of the guns had been killed, and as it was supposed by the same shots,[42] which passed through both sides of the ship into the sea. At another gun the skull of one poor creature was actually lodged in the beam above where he stood, the shot having taken an oblique direction: in short, the scene was heart-rending and sickening.
The prisoners assembled on the quarter-deck, and among them were a number of soldiers seated on their knapsacks, apparently in expectation of following their officers on board the British commodore. I addressed them, and assured them they should be treated with kindness, but that, in the first instance, each must return immediately to his station and assist with a good will in putting the ship in an efficient state to encounter the Borea, or north-east gale, with the approach of which we were now threatened; and I added that I was aware they must be to a certain degree in want of food and exhausted, but the work must be first done, and after that they should have double allowance. To my proposal they assented; and to work they went most cheerfully, some shaking and kissing my hands, declaring they would most willingly obey my orders.
Two seamen now came forward, and in broken English made themselves known to be Portuguese—one a quarter-master and the other a mizen-top man. I expressed regret and astonishment at finding the subjects of our friend and ally, their king, in an enemy’s ship, but that it would now be in their power to redeem, by good conduct, their character, in which case I should intercede for them with the commodore, and hoped they would be permitted to enter his Britannic Majesty’s service, when they would be considered as Englishmen. They appeared much pleased with this intelligence, and promised faithfully to do all in their power to merit approbation, which promise they most scrupulously performed.
The seaman at the helm was now relieved by the Portuguese quarter-master, and I felt myself strong in having four men upon whom I could place some dependence.
In a short time we found ourselves in a somewhat better condition: the dead nearly all thrown overboard, with some who were not quite lifeless, but of whom not the slightest hope of recovery could be entertained, as the surgeon and his assistant repeatedly assured me. The sprung and shattered spars from aloft were sent down; the sails, which stood in need thereof, unbent and replaced; and the decks shovelled and cleared from the heaps of gore and ordure with which they had been encumbered.
The Favorite appeared at this time in one perfect blaze on the rocks. The action was still kept up with great animation between the Active and Corona, when, at about half-past two, after a most obstinate resistance, to the honour of her captain, Paschaligo (who was a descendant of one of the most celebrated of the Doges), as well as of her gallant captors, the latter was subdued.
The Amphion and Volage were in a most helpless state; the hull of the Cerberus was a perfect riddle, though less damaged in masts, spars, and rigging than her consorts. At about four o’clock the Favorite blew up; the explosion caused a terrible shock, which was felt by the whole squadron; and we, on board the Bellona, were most thankful for our having so providentially escaped the same fate, by Captain Duodo being wounded.
At about nine P.M. the Corona was in imminent danger, having caught fire in the maintop, when in tow by the Active; she was, of course, instantly cut adrift. At about ten the flames, to us, appeared terrific, particularly on the main-mast and rigging, being then at point-blank distance on her lee beam. I used every effort, and succeeded in getting out of the reach of her heavy metal. At midnight we had the satisfaction of seeing the fire quite extinguished. This had been effected through the extraordinary activity and exertions of Lieutenant James Dickenson of the Cerberus, and George Haye of the Active, who had led their men, and, rushing through the devouring element in the most heroic manner, cut away the loose spars, rigging, etc. So particular a service could not be performed without detriment to those employed; some lives were lost, and Lieutenant Haye, whose gallantry had been on various previous occasions conspicuous, had been, with many other brave fellows, severely burnt.
Happily, the British squadron, with the Bellona and Corona prizes, were snugly moored in Port St. George, before the expected north-east gale, which did not set in until the 15th, and we were all busily employed plugging shot-holes, and repairing all defects, preparatory to our proceeding to Malta.