[Footnote 19: There does not appear to be an island under this name on the west coast of South America, in any modern atlas. It must have been close to Callao, the sea-port of Lima, as he sent his prisoners on shore there next day.] [Footnote 20: That is, to the north-westward of the northernmost of the Windward Islands, in the West Indies.] CHAPTER XXIII THE AFFAIR OF THE "BONAPARTE" In the year 1804 there was a very formidable French privateer cruising in the West Indies, by name the _Bonaparte_, carrying 18 guns and a crew of over 200. This vessel encountered, in the month of August, the British ship of war _Hippomenes_--a capture from the Dutch at the surrender of Demerara in the previous year--of 18 guns, commanded by Captain Kenneth McKenzie, who had in some measure disguised his ship in order to entrap privateers. The Frenchman was so far deceived as to invite a conflict, believing the _Hippomenes_ to be a "Guineaman," or African slave-trader, which were almost always armed, but which the _Bonaparte_ would have no cause to fear. Having caught a tartar, the French captain did not on that account endeavour to avoid battle, and a sharp action ensued. After some time, the French ship fell aboard the _Hippomenes_, upon which Captain McKenzie instantly had the two ships lashed together, and, calling upon his men to follow him, sprang on board the _Bonaparte_. He appears, however, to have been very unfortunate in his crew, many of whom, it is said, were foreigners, and only eight men had the stomach to follow him. This little band, however, under their captain's gallant leadership, actually drove the Frenchmen from their quarters for a time, no doubt under the impression that this was merely the vanguard of a formidable force of boarders. Finding themselves opposed by such insignificant numbers, however, they rallied, and the plucky Englishmen were terribly cut up, McKenzie receiving no less than fourteen wounds, while the first lieutenant and purser were killed and the master wounded. There was nothing for it but to scramble back on board their own ship, which they barely succeeded in doing when the lashings gave way, and the vessels swung apart, Captain McKenzie almost missing his leap, and falling senseless into the "chains" of his own ship. The Frenchman had had enough, so the action ended indecisively, and the _Bonaparte_ was free to continue her depredations. Had the whole of the English crew been of the same kidney as the gallant eight her career in the French service would certainly have been ended then and there. A month or two later the _Bonaparte_ fell in with three British armed merchantmen, to wit the _Thetis_, _Ceres_, and _Penelope_, which had sailed in company from Cork in October, John Charnley, captain of the Thetis, being commodore of the little squadron.