To quote from a British account of the affair, dated Cork, September 7th: “The Englishman spoke first, and demanded to know who the silent on-comer was. The ‘Yankee,’ in reply,” says the account, “called through his trumpet, ‘Heave to, and I’ll let you know who I am.’ At the same time a gun was fired by the _Avon_, and the most sanguinary action commenced, which continued until eleven o’clock, when the American sheared off and said, ‘This is the _Wasp_.’” Then the British account, for some reason, adds: “She appeared to be in a sinking state and glad to get away.” In Captain Blakeley’s letter to the Secretary of the Navy he mentions circumstances which may throw some light upon the actual happenings. After an hour’s sharp interchange of broadsides it was imagined that the _Avon_ had struck, and orders were given to cease firing. Blakeley hailed, but received no answer. Suddenly the Britisher opened up with his guns again. It was twelve minutes past ten when he was hailed the second time. The enemy had suffered greatly, and had made no return to his last two broadsides. A cutter was lowered away, and as it was leaving the side of the _Wasp_ to board the prize a second brig was discovered a little distance astern standing down before the freshening breeze. The crew were again sent to quarters, and everything was made ready for another action. A few minutes later the two other sail which had been off to windward were discovered also coming down towards the _Wasp_. The braces of the latter had been shot away, and it was necessary to keep off the wind until others might be rove. Blakeley did not endeavor to hasten. It was his intention to draw the second and foremost brig away from her companions and engage her as soon as they had reached a good distance from the others. To his surprise, however, the brig, which, from the English account, we make out to be the _Castilian_, hauled her wind as soon as she came within range, fired one broadside, and retraced her course to join her consorts, who were gathered about the _Avon_. To Blakeley’s disappointment, he had to give up taking the prize, whose name and forces he did not know, as it had been impossible to distinguish the answer to his first hail. The _Wasp_ was struck by four shot in the hull, each of which shot was thirty-two pounds in weight, being one and three-quarter pounds heavier than any the American carried. For a long time the fate of the vessel which she had been fighting was not known, but she sank a few hours after the action. The loss on board the _Wasp_ was two killed and one wounded. From the English account, the loss on board the _Avon_ was nine killed and thirty-three wounded. As she was sinking, the _Tartarus_, a sloop of war, came up and took on board forty of her crew. [Illustration: THE “WASP’S” FIGHT WITH THE “AVON”]