As the sun was setting behind the town, the whole of the shipping in the
mole were in flames; their cables burned through, left them at the mercy
of every breeze: the outermost frigate threatened the Queen Charlotte
with a similar fate, but a breeze sent her clear on towards the Leander;
a most intense heat came from her, and we expected every moment to be in
contact; the flames were burning with great power at the mast heads, and
the loose fire was flying about in such a way that there seemed little
chance of our escaping, but we checked her progress towards us, by firing
into her, and in the act of hauling out, we were rejoiced to see a
welcome sea-breeze alter the direction of the flames aloft, the same
breeze soon reached her hull, and we had the satisfaction in a few
minutes to see her touch the shore to which she belonged.
The guns were now so much heated by the incessant fire kept up, that we
were forced to reduce the cartridges nearly one-half, as well as to wait
their cooling before reloading; the men, too, were so reduced at some
guns, that they required the assistance of the others to work them; the
aftermost gun on the gangway had only two men left untouched, Between
seven and eight o'clock, the fire of the enemy's guns had sensibly
diminished, and their people were running in crowds from the demolished
works to the great gate of the city; they were distinctly seen in all
their movements by the light of their burning navy and arsenal.
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