Then follows a dismal story of the treatment of the English prisoners, which we may hope, for the sake of French humanity and generosity, is somewhat exaggerated--as we know that such things can be, under the smart of defeat and surrender: "They turned our first lieutenant and all our people down in a close, confined place forward the first night that we came on board, where twenty-seven men of them were stifled before morning; and several were hauled out for dead, but the air brought them to life again; and a great many of them died of their wounds on board the _Terrible_ for want of care being taken of them, which was out of our doctor's power to do, the enemy having taken his instruments and medicine from him. Several that were wounded they heaved overboard alive." If this is a true account one shudders to think what may have been the fate of those unhappy, plague-stricken men below--probably brought up and hove overboard in a ferocious panic! The French ship was named the _Vengeance_, of 36 guns and about 400 men; so there was no discredit to Captain Death in yielding, after such a plucky resistance. The merchants of London opened a subscription at Lloyd's Coffee House for his widow and the widows of the crew, and for the survivors, who had suffered the loss of all their possessions. This desperate fight was much talked about at the time, and inspired some rhymester, whose name has not come down to us, to compose the following: CAPTAIN DEATH The muse and the hero together are fir'd, The same noble views has their bosom inspir'd; As freedom they love, and for glory contend, The muse o'er the hero still mourns as a friend; So here let the muse her poor tribute bequeath, To one British hero--'tis brave Captain Death. The ship was the _Terrible_--dreadful to see! His crew was as brave and as valiant as he. Two hundred or more was their full complement, And sure braver fellows to sea never went. Each man was determined to spend his last breath In fighting for Britain and brave Captain Death. A prize they had taken diminish'd their force, And soon the brave ship was lost in her course. The French privateer and the _Terrible_ met, The battle began with all horror beset. No heart was dismayed, each bold as Macbeth; The sailors rejoiced, so did brave Captain Death. Fire, thunder, balls, bullets were soon heard and felt, A sight that the heart of Bellona would melt. The shrouds were all torn and the decks fill'd with blood. And scores of dead bodies were thrown in the flood. The flood, from the time of old Noah and Seth, Ne'er saw such a man as our brave Captain Death. At last the dread bullet came wing'd with his fate; Our brave captain dropped, and soon after his mate. Each officer fell, and a carnage was seen, That soon dy'd the waves to a crimson from green; Then Neptune rose up, and he took off his wreath, And gave it a triton to crown Captain Death.