'Twas all in vain.
The most of them concurred with Captain Kirkby's opinion, that it
was undesirable to continue the fight, nor could any reasoning turn
them. And then they put their names to a paper, formally giving
their opinion, and (though I did not know this till afterwards)
Captain Fogg and my own old commander, Captain Vincent, signed with
the rest.
After this there was no more to be done. If the admiral had been
unwounded I believe he would have stood out against them all and
fought the enemy single-handed: but he had no assurance of being in
a fit state to direct the battle; 'twas clear the captains had no
mind to fight; and rather than imperil the whole squadron and let
the French boast of a victory he resolved to venture no further.
And so we let the enemy depart unmolested, and returned to Jamaica.
On the way I had the privilege of some talk with the admiral.
Deeply mortified as he was at his own ill success, his personal
grief was outweighed by his sense of the national disappointment
which must attend the frustration of his design.
"And 'tis my last fight, Bold," he said to me. "I shall not live to
meet the French again, and 'tis a sore trial to me to go out of the
world a failure."
"You are not a failure, sir," I said. "'Tis those rascally captains
who have failed and are disgraced forever; and be sure our people
will do you justice."
"You think so?" he said, with a pleased look. "'Twas King William
that called me 'honest Benbow,' and if I keep that name with the
country I am content.
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