When the smoke rolled away, the Englishman was swinging at the yard-arm, but the Frenchman was not; he had made a spring when the gun fired, hoping to break his neck at once, and put an end to his misery; but he fell on the edge of the scaffold, where he lay.

We thought that his rope had given way, and it appeared that he did the same, for he made an enquiry, but they returned him no answer.

He was kept on the scaffold during the whole hour that the Englishman remained suspended; his cap had been removed, and he looked occasionally at his fellow-sufferer.

When the body was lowered down, he considered that his time was come, and attempted to leap overboard.

He was restrained and led aft, where his reprieve was read to him and his arms were unbound.