noon
And as the frigate broached-to we saw that my surmise was not very far wide of the mark , her mizzen-topgallant-mast and mizzen-topsail yard having been shot away , the latter in the slings . The three vessels now went at it , hammer and tongs , the brigantine being for the moment fairly under the frigate 's guns . But Winter soon very cleverly got himself out of this awkward situation , and , -- while the Frenchmen were busily engaged in an endeavour to clear away the wreck and get their ship once more before the wind , -- laid himself athwart their bows and , with his topsail aback , poured broadside after broadside into the helpless craft ; while the _ Dolphin _ , gliding hither and thither , beyond the reach of the frigate 's guns , sent home an eighteen - pound shot every two or three minutes , every one of which appeared to tell somewhere or other on the Frenchman 's hull . We now ran away from them , fast , however , and by noon had lost sight of them altogether . But , when last seen , they were still hammering away at each other , the brigantine and schooner appearing to be getting rather the best of it . Once fairly out of sight of the combatants , we took in our studding - sails , and hauled our wind to the northward , in obedience to Captain Winter 's orders ; and although I had a sharp look-out for the _ Dolphin _ and her consort maintained throughout the whole of the next day , I was not greatly surprised at their not heaving in sight . I had not much misgiving as to the ultimate result of the fight ; but I believed that the brigantine at least would not get off without a rather severe mauling , in which case the schooner would naturally stand by her until she could be again put into decent workable trim .