"The prisoners continued their singing between decks, and were, of
course, more noisy than usual, but forbore even under their existing
temptations, to utter any insulting or aggravating expressions. At
least, I heard nothing of the kind, unless our patriotic songs could
be thus constructed. In the course of the evening we were ordered to
desist from making any further noise. This order not being fully
complied with, at about nine o'clock the gratings were removed, and
the guards descended among us, with lanterns and drawn cutlasses in
their hands. The poor, helpless prisoners retreated from the
hatchways, as far as their crowded situation would permit, while their
cowardly assailants followed as far as they dared, cutting and
wounding every one within reach, and then ascended to the upper deck,
exulting in the gratification of their revenge.
"Many of the prisoners were wounded, but from the total darkness,
neither their number, nor their situation could be ascertained; and,
if this had been possible, it was not in the power of their
compatriots to afford them the least relief. During the whole of that
tragic night, their groans and lamentations were dreadful in the
extreme. Being in the Gun-room I was at some distance from the
immediate scene of this bloody outrage, but the distance was by no
means far enough to prevent my hearing their continual cries from the
extremity of pain, their appeals for assistance, and their curses upon
the heads of their brutal assailants.
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