At this moment Captain Dacres politely said to me: "Captain Orne, as I suppose you do not wish to fight against your own countrymen, you are at liberty to go below the water-line." It was not long after this before I retired from the quarter-deck to the cock-pit; of course I saw no more of the action until the firing ceased, but I heard and felt much of its effects; for soon after I left the deck the firing commenced on board the _Guerriere_, and was kept up almost incessantly until about six o'clock when I heard a tremendous explosion from the opposing frigate.

The effect of her shot seemed to make the _Guerriere_ reel and tremble as though she had received the shock of an earthquake.
Immediately after this, I heard a tremendous crash on deck and was told that the mizzen-mast was shot away.

In a few moments afterward, the cock-pit was filled with wounded men.

After the firing had ceased I went on deck and there beheld a scene which it would be difficult to describe: all the _Guerriere's_ masts were shot away and, as she had no sails to steady her, she lay rolling like a log in the trough of the sea.

Many of the men were employed in throwing the dead overboard.