ile, the long-boat also returning, we got all hands aboard and pushed
off, the guns still firing now and then as the slow-matches burned down.
So we came safe to shore, but with no time to spare, for by the great
shouts that were presently raised we knew that the pirates had come
aboard the _Cassandra_, and in less than three minutes after the last
man had quitted her. Not more than fifteen or twenty minutes had been
occupied in making ready and quitting the ship; for which celerity, and
for the great coolness shown in this trying emergency, all praise is due
both to the officers and the men. The fight had lasted for more than
four hours and a half, during which time we had nine men killed, among
whom was the third mate above mentioned, and twenty-two wounded, three
of whom afterwards died upon the island.

Besides the clothes and valuables which many had fetched away with
them[C] we had also brought off with us from the ship a quantity of
musquets and pistols, and a dozen or more rounds of ammunition for each
able-bodied man.

[C] I may say here that I myself was but poorly equipped in this
respect, having not only forgot my watch, which I had left hanging in my
cabin, but being also without shoes and stockings, which I had stripped
off so that I might more readily swim for it if the pirates should come
aboard whilst the boats were gone on their first trip to the shore. At
the last moment I was so busied in supervising the lowering of the
wounded into the boats that I did not think of returning for the one or
of securing the other.

As soon as we landed we plunged directly into the thick brush, which
there grew close down to the edge of the beach. Having thrust our way
through these thickets for some distance, we found the others waiting
for us at a little open space at the base of three palm-trees which
stood about two hundred yards from the shore, it being then nigh to
sunset, and with but little chance of the pirates following us that day.

Mr. White was standing near my passengers, who were gathered together in
a group, but one of them was missing. _It was Captain Leach._

"And where is Captain Leach?" I cried, looking directly at Mr. White.

He gazed at me in an exceedingly strange manner, and I saw that he grew
as pale as death to the very lips. "And did he not come in the boat
with you, sir?" said he at last, in a low and husky voice.

At these words a terrible fear came over me. "Where is the box I gave