two o'clock
But young Mr. Mariner told me all that followed after I was carried below . `` The frigate 's decks were crowded with men , for in addition to the ship 's company she had on board nearly three hundred soldiers , who kept up a continuous but ineffective musketry fire . They and the Spanish sailors cursed us continually as they fired , and our crew returned the compliment , for many of our men could swear very well in Spanish . After fighting us for about an hour she bore up for the land , we sticking close to her and meaning to board ; but at two o'clock our mizzen topmast was shot away , and falling athwart of our mainyard prevented us from bracing about . Then before we could get clear of this , the Spaniard came to the wind and sent a broadside that shot away our mizzen and main topmast and fore topsail yards , and played sad havoc with our braces and bowlines . In this condition , and being now almost under the guns of the forts , we had to discontinue the fight , and with the _ Lucy _ , haul off . The _ Astraea _ , too , had suffered much , and was glad to get back into Paita as quick as she could .