Captain HARDY
observed, that "he hoped Mr. BEATTY could yet hold out some prospect of
life."--"Oh! no," answered HIS LORDSHIP; "it is impossible. My back is
shot through. BEATTY will tell you so." Captain HARDY then returned on
deck, and at parting shook hands again with his revered friend and
commander.
HIS LORDSHIP now requested the Surgeon, who had been previously absent a
short time attending Mr. RIVERS, to return to the wounded, and give his
assistance to such of them as he could be useful to; "for," said he,
"you can do nothing for me." The Surgeon assured him that the Assistant
Surgeons were doing every thing that could be effected for those
unfortunate men; but on HIS LORDSHIP's several times repeating his
injunctions to that purpose, he left him surrounded by Doctor SCOTT, Mr.
BURKE, and two of HIS LORDSHIP'S domestics. After the Surgeon had been
absent a few minutes attending Lieutenants PEAKE and REEVES of the
Marines, who were wounded, he was called by Doctor SCOTT to HIS
LORDSHIP, who said: "Ah, Mr. BEATTY! I have sent for you to say, what I
forgot to tell you before, that all power of motion and feeling below my
breast are gone; and _you_" continued he, "very well _know_ I can live
but a short time." The emphatic manner in which he pronounced these last
words, left no doubt in the Surgeon's mind, that he adverted to the case
of a man who had some months before received a mortal injury of the
spine on board the Victory, and had laboured under similar privations of
sense and muscular motion.
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