except the larboard fore-brace, immediately got on the other tack, and placed his ship between the Levant and Constitution. At 6-50, after sustaining another raking fire, and when about to receive the enemy’s starboard broadside, within hail, having had most of her standing and running rigging cut to pieces, her main and mizen-masts being in a tottering state, some other principal spars wounded, and five carronades disabled, 9 or 10 shot having lodged between wind and water, and several others in the upper part of the hull, the Cyane fired a lee gun, and hoisted a light as a signal of submission.
It was not until 8 P.M. that the Constitution was ready to bear up after the Levant, then considerably to leeward, repairing her heavy damages. At 8-15, which was as soon as he had rove new braces. Captain Douglas again hauled his wind, as well to ascertain the fate of the Cyane, as to renew the desperate contest. On approaching the Constitution and her prize, the Levant, with admirable boldness, ranged close alongside the former to leeward, being unable to weather her; and at 8-30 those very unequal combatants, while passing on opposite tacks, exchanged broadsides. The forty-four then wore under the Levant’s stern, and raked her with a second broadside. At 9-30, finding that the Cyane had undoubtedly surrendered. Captain Douglas once more put before the wind; but, in the act of doing so, his little ship received several more raking broadsides, had her wheel shot away, and her lower masts badly wounded. To fire her stern-chase guns, and steer at the same time, was impossible, owing to a sad mistake in her construction. At 10-30 p.m. therefore, seeing the enemy ranging up on her larboard quarter. Captain Douglas reluctantly struck her colours.
Out of 115 officers and men, and sixteen boys, on board at the commencement of this long action, the Levant had 6 killed and 16 wounded: the Cyane, which ship had only 145 officers and men, and no less than twenty-six boys, sustained a loss of 6 slain and 13 wounded. That of the Constitution, as acknowledged by her commander, Captain Charles Stewart, was 4 killed and 11 (including 2 mortally) wounded. The Levant’s marines, it should be remarked, were young raw re-
