_Tigress_ could be loaded the fire was kept up, the forward
ones sweeping the deck of the craft nearest to them with grape, while
the others sent round-shot into those farther away.

It was but for a short time that the pirates thought of fighting; their
light guns were no match for the heavy metal of those on board the brig,
and in a quarter of an hour after the first shot was fired the largest
of their craft had been sunk, and the other five were entirely deserted.
The boats were manned, the brig's head was first pulled round until her
broadside bore on the shore, then the anchor was dropped, and the guns
on the port side opened with grape upon the pirates on shore, and at
five or six houses that were perched high on the rock. Leaving the
boatswain in charge, Wilkinson and Edgar both took their places in the
boats and rowed from ship to ship. All were found empty, and as they
agreed that only two of the largest were worth taking away, the other
three were burned.

When they were fairly on fire the boats returned to the brig. Not a
pirate was to be seen on the island, though they were sure that although
numbers of them had been killed, there must still be fully two hundred
of them there, but they must either have hidden among rocks or made
their way down to the seaward face. As several boatloads might have
rowed away to other islets, it was decided to take a landing party of
five-and-thirty men on shore, for as their operations would be covered
by the guns of the brig, there was little probability of the pirates
attempting to attack them. As soon as they landed, the sailors, led by
the two midshipmen, climbed rapidly up the hill, and without a shot
being fired approached the houses on the top. From these a heavy
musketry fire suddenly broke out. The men would have rushed forward at
once, but Wilkinson called out to them to throw themselves down behind
shelter, and as they did so a shell flew overhead, struck the largest of
the houses and exploded.

Shot followed shot rapidly, the fire of the pirates ceased, then
Wilkinson gave the word, and the sailors leapt up and with a cheer
rushed forward. Save for a few women the houses were entirely deserted,
but some fifty men were seen running down the seaward face. A couple of
volleys were poured into these, and then, placing a dozen of the men on
guard, the midshipmen entered the houses. The shells had worked great
damage. Over a score of men lay dead within them, and as ma