In the meantime, they had towed the Esmaralda out clear of the shot. They then threw over the dead bodies, and hauled her along-side the O'Higgins, sent all the wounded ashore in their own boats, in charge of their own officers. I shall never forget the impressions of the dawning morning, as the sailors call it. A cloud of powder and smoke lay all around like a dense fog; through it we could just discern the fleet with their valuable prize, and midway between them and the shore, were two gun-boats adrift, every soul belonging to them had been killed. Here we lay, having drifted a half a mile from our anchors, and now hanging by a stream anchor. The English frigate Hyperion, that came in a few days before, lay quietly at anchor, having been, during the time out of reach of the shot, and as the sun rose, everything had a blood-like appearance; the sun himself looked like a huge ball of ray less fire.
Captain Downes at this time was at Lima; we were ignorant of his fate. We had hitherto depended upon the shore for provisions, and a consultation of the officers was held to consider the expediency of sending the market boat to the landing, for our beef and vegetables; and it was their unanimous opinion, that there would be no impropriety in doing so. Accordingly a boat was called away, and the purser's steward, steerage and wardroom stewards, with a midshipman and ten men, composing the crew, went into the boat, but with downcast looks. Mr. Smull, the purser's steward, observed when going into the boat, " Well, I am now going to my grave I " and, poor fellow, it was too true.
When they had taken their seats and had shoved off, they looked as if a dreadful foreboding of their approaching death hung over them. Not a word was spoken; they pulled slowly along as though going to their own funeral, until they had reached within the boat's length of the steps. The bowman had tossed his oar, and almost instantly all but four were shot dead. The soldiers, seeing them coming kept hidden behind a wall, until they were near enough for good aim, and then fired. The purser's steward being only wounded, jumped overboard, when a soldier immediately got into the boat and drove a bayonet through his body, while he hung on to the boat's stern, asking for mercy.
Mr. Marshall, the midshipman, in order to escape the bayonet of a soldier, jumped overboard also,^and tried to drown himself by keeping under the bottom of the boat; not being able to remain there, came up, and was struck on the head with the but-end of a musket, but was rescued from death by a Spanish officer, who took him in charge and conveyed him to the hospital. Another man was shot through the body, but wTas not killed, he also, was taken to the hospital. The only survivor wrho remained in bottom of the boat, as if dead, after she had drifted off some distance, arose, and with an oar, got off from the shore and was picked up by a boat from the Hyperion, who took our boat in tow, and brought her along-side our frigate; and what a sight did this boat present!
Blood and brains scattered round upon the inside as though a bullock had been killed in her. The bodies had been taken out by the Spaniards, probably for the purpose of getting their clothes.