Page:Barbour--For the freedom from the seas.djvu/279

 the surface within a few yards of the Gyandotte's bow.

The Dornburg's commander refused to surrender and the Gyandotte again lowered away boats. By this time the crew of the German ship were going overboard en masse and the ship was well down by the stern. The Gyandotte picked up one hundred and forty-four officers and men, while a large number went down and many dead and wounded remained aboard. The Dornburg sunk at eight-fifty. Her captain stayed with her, but was rescued a few minutes later apparently none the worse for his heroism. The Gyandotte attended to her own wounds, many but mostly superficial, and rejoined the flotilla shortly before nine. She had lost one officer and twelve men and had more than twenty injured. Two guns were out of commission and an explosion below deck had wrecked a port boiler. Two compartments were flooded when she made her way back. Above deck she was pretty well littered, for the Dornburg's fire had been high.

What had been going on during her engagement was not at first apparent, but as she drew nearer the scene of action it was evident that the Germans had had all they wanted. Three destroyers were fleeing to the eastward, dropping 254