He called the enemy a
corvette, not specifying whether she was a brig or ship corvette; and
the whole was written in such a bombastic style, that any one would have
imagined that he had fought a vessel of superior force. He stated, at
the end, that as soon as he repaired damages, he wore round, but that
the enemy declined further action. So she did--certainly--for the best
of all possible reasons, that she was too disabled to come down to us.
All this might have been contested; but the enormous list of killed and
wounded proved that we had had a hard fight, and the capture of the brig
afterwards, that we had really overpowered her. So that, on the whole,
Captain Hawkins gained a great deal of credit with some; although
whispers were afloat which came to the ears of the Admiralty, and
prevented him from being posted--the more so, as he had the modesty not
to apply for it.
Chapter LVI
Consequences of the action--A ship without a fighting captain is like a
thing without a head--So do the sailors think--A mutiny, and the loss
of our famous ship's company.
During our stay at Yarmouth, we were not allowed to put our foot on
shore, upon the plea that we must repair damages, and proceed
immediately to our station; but the real fact was, that Captain Hawkins
was very anxious that we should not be able to talk about the action.
Finding no charges preferred against him, he re-commenced his system of
annoyance. His apartments had windows which looked out upon where the
brig lay at anchor, and he constantly watched all our motions with his
spy-glass, noting down if I did not hoist up boats, &c.
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