Old Ironsides was several times hulled, and her loss was three killed and twelve wounded. The English loss is uncertain, no English report of the action having been made, and there being supernumeraries in each ship. Forty-two wounded were found in the two ships, and the slain have been variously computed at, from thirty-five, down to ten or twelve. No officer was hurt on board the Constitution. This action, it will be remembered, was fought in the night, though there was a moon for a part of the time. The light of the moon proved of great service to one poor fellow. In the heat of the combat, a man at one of the forecastle guns fell, at the precise moment when a shot entered near him. He was reported dead, and an order was given to pass the body across the deck, and to throw it overboard. A midshipman and two men were thus employed, but were baffled in endeavouring to pass the shoulders through a port. The midshipman sprang over into the fore-chains to assist, when he saw some muscles of the supposed dead man's face twitching, and he ordered the body drawn back, and passed below to the surgeons. Before the Levant struck, the man was back at his gun, fighting as well as the rest of them. He was subject to fits and had fallen in one, but recovered in time to return to his quarters. The story should be told, as a warning against haste in such cases. Thousands are buried alive, on shore, and living men are sometimes committed to the deep in the hurry of sea-fights.

Stewart went to Port Praya, with his prizes, arriving there on the 10th March. In the mean time Ballard had been put in the Levant as prize-master, as due to his rank, and Shubrick went back to the frigate, acting as her first lieutenant. This change was not made, however, until the last came near losing his life on board the prize. It had been found necessary to get a new mizzen-topmast aloft, the right6b possession was taken, and the spar came down in consequence of the mast-ropes parting. In descending, the head of the topmast struck Mr. Shubrick on the head, and left him senseless for hours. Nothing saved his life but the fact that he wore the boarding cap, with which he had left his quarters, to take charge of the prize.

A vessel was chartered at Port Praya, for a cartel, and about a hundred of the English prisoners were sent to fit her for sea. In this state of things, and the very day after the arrival of Old Ironsides at Port Praya, occurred one of the narrowest escapes from her enemies it was ever the good fortune of this lucky ship to run.

The weather was thick, more particularly near the water, where lay a bank of mist, that could not be penetrated by the eye at any distance. A boat had just left the ship, with orders to tow the cartel off, and the duty of the vessel was in some measure at a stand. Shubrick, on whom the discharge of the executive duties of the vessel had fallen, in his new character of first lieutenant, was walking the quarterdeck, deeply ruminating on the business before him, when he heard an exclamation from one of the English midshipmen, who was aft on the taffrail. The lad had spoken to Capt. Falcon, late of the Cyane, his words being, “Oh! Capt. Falcon, look at the large ship in the offing!” So intent was Shubrick on his own ruminations, that these words might have passed unheeded for the moment but for the answer. “Hold your tongue, you little rascal,” answered Capt. Falcon, in a low voice. This completely aroused the lieutenant, who, walking aft, saw, over the bank of mist, the upper sails of a large ship, that was apparently beating up to gain the harbor. After taking a good look at the stranger, Shubrick went below and reported the fact to the Captain.