Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 1.djvu/92

 falling of masts, and here and there, as the smoke blew away, a ship totally dismasted.

One of these proved to be English, and our captain seeing her between two of the enemy, bore up to take her in tow: at the same time, one of our ships of the line opened a heavy fire on one of the French line of battle ships, unluckily situated in a right line between us, so that the shot which missed the enemy sometimes came on board of us. I was looking out of the bowport at the moment that a shot struck our ship on the stern between wind and water. It was the first time I had ever seen the effect of a heavy shot; it made a great splash, and, to me, as I then thought, a very unusual noise, throwing a great deal of water in my face. I very naturally started back, as I believe many a brave fellow has done. Two of the seamen quartered at my guns, laughed at me. I felt ashamed, and resolved to shew no more such weakness.

This shot was very soon succeeded by some others not quite so harmless: one came into the