men; eight in the Folkestone’s boat, towed by the prize; and eight in the Rattler’s cutter, commanded by Mr. Bourne.
It was a fine clear moon-light night. The sky was serene, and the firmament, gloriously studded, shed a silvery lustre over the rippling waves. When they arrived within hail, the watch on the deck of the lugger called out to know who came there. The Anglo-Frenchman answered, that the boat was No. 78, and belonged to Fecamp. “What’s the master’s name?” rejoined the wary sentinel: the unfortunate fellow gave a name which some of his countrymen on board the vessel knew to be a false one. – “Come on, come on my lads!” said the foe, “we know you are English. You will find us prepared!”
In a moment, the weapons of destruction were got ready, and the attack was fiercely commenced, under a heavy fire of small arms from the privateer. Lieutenant Dalyell rapidly boarded on the larboard side, accompanied by Mr. Donaldson, and their nineteen men. The combat was extremely sanguinary, but in the course of five minutes the enemy were all driven below ; from whence, however, they fired a destructive volley through the main-deck and gratings, just as their gallant assailants were in the act of hoisting the foresail, having already cut the cable, and placed a man at the helm. The sentinels at the hatchways and six other persons, thus unexpectedly attacked, were shot dead; the Frenchmen instantly regained their footing on deck, and the battle so treacherously renewed was attended with various success, until at length, after a dreadful struggle of twenty minutes, the British were completely overpowered by dint of numbers. During this bloody conflict, Messrs. Dalyell and Donaldson, both of whom had been severely wounded as they rushed on board, fought most courageously, till successive strokes of the sabre felled them to the deck; Mr. Bourne, who had failed in his attempt to board, and had therefore taken the vessel in tow, received a mortal wound; and, of the other twenty-nine persons, by whom Lieutenant Dalyell had been accompanied to the attack of la Vimereux, six only escaped unhurt. Mr. Richards and ten or eleven
