The enemy thereupon hauled off to repair damages; and Captain Bull, examining the injury which his own ship had received, found that a 32–pound shot had passed between wind and water, that there were already three feet and a half of water in the hold, and that the leak was increasing fast. The carpenter was sent below to endeavour to stop it, and the pumps were being actively worked, when, at nine o’clock, the enemy ran down and renewed the action at close quarters. The fire of her heavy guns had by this time reduced the “Duke of Marlborough” to a mere wreck. The running and standing rigging was cut and torn in every direction; the Packet was almost unmanageable, and in a half-sinking state. Her lantern was twice shot away; but a fresh one was prepared, and for greater security lashed fast to the main-boom. No less than eleven of Captain Bull’s men had been wounded; one of them had lost both arms, and several others were seriously hurt. Lieutenant Andrews, of the 60th Regiment, a passenger on his way to Lisbon, was killed after showing great bravery throughout the action. Notwithstanding these losses, however, and the manifest superiority of the enemy, the Cornishmen were quite prepared to fight it out; and when, after another close contest of fifty minutes, resulting in no obvious advantage to either side, the enemy hailed them, asking, “What ship is that?” Captain Bull, not choosing to own his inferiority of force, replied, “His Majesty’s brig ‘Vixen,’” demanded the name of the other, and must have doubted his ears when he received the answer, “His Majesty’s brig ‘Primrose.’” There was a pause; then another hail was heard from the “Primrose,” asking again with what ship she had been contending. To this question, there being now no object in evasion, Captain Bull replied by stating the name and service of his vessel; and was desired to make the private signal, which he did. It was at once answered; and the captain of the “Primrose” thereupon requested Captain Bull to come on board. Being informed that the “Duke of Marlborough’s” boat had been cut away, he sent his own; but Captain Bull allowed no one except the lieutenant in command to come on deck until he had satisfied himself that the vessel he had to do with was really an English cruiser. When he was convinced of this he went on board the “Primrose”; and on returning to his own vessel found that five 32–pound shot had gone through her side close to the water’s edge; so that he was obliged to get immediate assistance from the carpenters of his late antagonist.