I had the presence of mind to grasp my leg just above the wound, and thus prevent the blood from flowing so rapidly, as it otherwise would have done. I was taken below and laid upon the table, which was already prepared for cutting off legs and arms, should Cochrane have resisted us. I suffered the most excruciating pain while the doctors were getting the ends of the cords together, and tying them up; they were afraid that I should bleed to death while under the operation, and the way I sung out was a caution to doctors. The wound was dressed, I was put into a cot, and lay there eleven days and nights, in much suffering. During this time, the wound broke out afresh, and it was with much difhcultv that the doctor succeeded in stopping it, and assured me that if it broke out again, he feared that it would be impossible to save my life; the nature of the wound being such as to make it extremely difficult to stop the arteries.
But through the goodness of God, it healed, and 1 was not, as 1 feared I should be, deprived of the free action of my foot. While sitting on deck, one Sunday, I think on the 4th of November, I observed the blockading squadron get under way from under St. Lorenzo, where they usually lay, and come towards the anchorage at Callao. When they had approached to nearly within gunshot of the forts, the latter bpgan to blaze away at the ships, which was a foolish movf> on the part of the Spaniards, for it gave Cochrane an excellent opportunity of measuring his distance, which was to be as near the Esmaralda as possible, and at the same time be clear of the shot from the forts.
The ships anchored in a safe position, but did not furl their sails. I was now fully assured, in my own mind, that there was something in the wind, and some decisive step soon to be taken. Was it the capture of the Macedonian for running the blockade? Or the merchant ships, on board of which were large sums in dollars and in virgin silver? The forts were thronged with men, and bayonets olistenino- in the sun, the hot shot batteries along the beach all manned. We also adopted precautionary steps, in case anything should happen, which was to place the launch under the bow, with a stream anchor and cable, in case we should have to slip our chains.
Capt. Downes was at Lima, and several of our officers on shore; the latter, however, came on board at sundown. Two of the lieutenants of the Esmaralda had dined on board our ship, and at 9 P. M., just as I had turned in to my hammock, which hung over the pumps on the gun-deck, heard them bid good night, and go on board their own ship. I soon fell asleep, and think in less than half an hour was awoke by a tremendous noise. I jumped from my hammock as well as I could with my lame foot, noticing that our ship was in great commotion. I looked out of the gun-deck ports, and saw the Esmaralda, apparently on fire, caused by an incessant blaze of musketry.
She was very near us; we could distinctly hear every order that was given. " Cut away anything but sheets and halliards." " Let fall the top-sails, bear a hand there aloft, Britons. Here's a half a dozen Spaniards in the tops, sir, what will we do with Jem?" " Heave the rascals overboard," says some one on deck. " Hurrah, my hearties! she is ours. Jump into the boats, Britons! Get out a towline." During this time, we could see the fight on the gun-deck, while Cochrane had charge of the spar-deck, and it was he that cut the chain cables. The forts were pouring their shot all around us, and many of them red-hot.
There was a hot shot battery right abreast of our ship, on the beach. Oasas-Matas, a tremendous castle, with over three hundred and sixty guns, were blazing away. The shot flew round us like hail, cutting away our cross-jack yard, and much of our rigging. Many of the redhot shot struck very near us, and it was astonishing how far they could he seen while sinking. The firing during this time, was tremendous, like one continued peal of thunder, The musketry did us but little harm, the bullets just striking the side, and falling harmless in the water. There was not a breath of wind, and here we were, having slipped our chains, but dare not attempt to run out our stream anchor, for the very moment we should attempt to do this, our boat would be cut to pieces with the shot from the shore, for they were under the impression all this time, that we were assisting Cochrane.