one
o'clock
Notwithstanding their total lack of preparation the English made a sturdy and protracted resistance , affording the passengers ample time to arm themselves ; and when at length the Indiaman 's crew were driven below , the captain and chief mate retreated to the cabin , which , with the assistance of the male passengers , they successfully held for fully twenty minutes after every other part of the ship was in possession of the enemy . It was during this resistance that the two officers named received such serious wounds as prostrated them on the saloon floor apparently lifeless , and it was only with their fall that the resistance terminated . The fight over , the male passengers were promptly disarmed and secured , and a scene of pillage and violence , the introduction to which was an insult offered to one of the lady passengers and the cruel cutlass - stroke inflicted upon her almost infant son for resenting it , was just commencing , when it was happily cut short by the appearance of the _ Dolphin 's _ boats upon the scene . The weather continuing fine , I remained on board the _ Truxillo _ until well on in the afternoon , taking luncheon with the passengers at one o'clock , and many were the compliments and oft-reiterated the thanks which they bestowed upon me for what they were pleased to term `` my gallantry '' in rescuing them from the clutches of the French desperados . Many of the gentlemen were officers belonging to the various regiments quartered on the island who had been home on furlough , whilst some of the ladies were the wives of officers already there whom they were going out to join , and from what the gentlemen said , I felt sure that my conduct would on our arrival be so well reported as to do me the utmost possible service with the admiral . My father , too , came in for his share of compliments and congratulations at being the parent of such a son , and this gratified me more than all the rest , for I could see that he was both proud and pleased . As may well be imagined I was most anxious to have a private chat with him , no opportunity for which had yet occurred ; so at length seeing that , notwithstanding an obvious wish on the part of everybody to leave us for a time to ourselves , we were constantly being interrupted , I proposed to him a visit to the _ Dolphin _ , which saucy craft , under her topsail , fore-trysail , and jib only , was sailing round and round the _ Truxillo _ , notwithstanding that the latter craft was covered with canvas from her trucks down .