Produced by David Edwards, Sam W. and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Print project.) THE PRIVATEER'S-MAN ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO. BY CAPTAIN MARRYAT. _SANCTIONED BY THE AUTHOR FOR CONTINENTAL CIRCULATION._ LEIPZIG BERNH. TAUCHNITZ JUN. 1846. EXTRACTS FROM THE LOG OF A PRIVATEER'S-MAN. CHAPTER I. We cruise off Hispaniola--Capture a French Ship--Continue our Cruise--Make a Nocturnal Attack upon a Rich Planter's Dwelling--Are repulsed with Loss. _To Mistress ----._ RESPECTED MADAM, In compliance with your request I shall now transcribe from the journal of my younger days some portions of my adventurous life. When I wrote, I painted the feelings of my heart without reserve, and I shall not alter one word, as I know you wish to learn what my feelings were then, and not what my thoughts may be now. They say that in every man's life, however obscure his position may be, there would be a moral found, were it truly told. I think, Madam, when you have perused what I am about to write, you will agree with me, that, from my history, both old and young may gather profit, and, I trust, if ever it should be made public, that, by divine permission, such may be the result. Without further preface, I shall commence with a narrative of my cruise off Hispaniola, in the Revenge privateer. The Revenge mounted fourteen guns, and was commanded by Captain Weatherall, a very noted privateer's-man. One morning at daybreak we discovered a vessel from the masthead, and immediately made all sail in chase, crowding every stitch of canvas. As we neared, we made her out to be a large ship, deeply laden, and we imagined that she would be an easy prize, but as we saw her hull more out of the water she proved to be well armed, having a full tier of guns fore and aft. As it afterwards proved, she was a vessel of 600 tons burden, and mounted twenty-four guns, having sailed from St. Domingo, and being bound to France.