These vessels proved to be two American Privateers, the “Tom,” Captain Thomas Wilson, and the “Bona,” Captain Damaron. The former was armed with fourteen carronades, some 18 and some 12–pounders, as well as two long 9–pounders, and carried a hundred and thirty men. The latter had six 18–pounders, with a long 24–pounder mounted on a traverse, and a crew of ninety men. The forces on each side were therefore as follows, assuming that the “Tom” carried as many 18 as 12–pounders:— Weight of metal, in Number of men. pounds. Privateers, 360 220 Packet, 78 32 (besides four passengers, who seem to have rendered some assistance). This enormous preponderance of force was greatly increased in effective power by being divided between two opponents. A single vessel might be crippled by a lucky shot; but if good fortune rid the “Townshend” of one antagonist in this way, there still remained the other to be reckoned with, more powerful in every way than herself. If ever circumstances justified surrender after a short resistance, they were present in this case. It might even be thought that resistance was a useless sacrifice of life; but such was not Captain Cock’s view. He held it to be his plain duty not only to keep the mails out of the hands of the enemy—which could be done effectually by sinking them at any moment—but to use every means in his power to preserve them for their proper owners, and not to abandon hope of delivering them at the agent’s office in Bridgetown until every chance of doing so was gone. Now there were still two chances in his favour; first, that he might hold out until the noise of firing attracted some of the British cruisers which were probably in the immediate neighbourhood, and if that chance failed, he might run the “Townshend” ashore on some shoal of the coast now in sight where the Privateers could not follow him. Both these chances were desperate enough; but Captain Cock saw his duty clear before him, and cared nothing for the consequences. All his preparations were quickly made, and every man was at his post before the Privateers came within range, which they did about 7 A.M.