Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 1.djvu/152

 we went, and a desperate struggle ensued, the numbers being nearly equal on both sides; but they had the advantage of their own deck and bulwarks. We got on board, however, and in a few minutes gained possession, with a loss, on our side, of sixteen; and on that of our opponent's of twenty-six, killed and wounded.

But great was our sorrow and disappointment when we discovered that we had shed the blood of our friends, while we had lost our own. The vessel, it appeared, was a Gibraltar privateer; they took us for French, our boats being fitted with thoels and grummets for the oars, in the French fashion; and we supposed them to be French from their colours and the language in which they hailed us. In this affair, we had three officers killed or wounded, and some of our best men, The privateer was manned by a mixed crew of all nations, but chiefly Greeks; and although ostensibly with a commission signed by the governor of Gibraltar, were no