re piped to
breakfast.

By the time that this meal was finished the frigate had worked in to
within about a mile from the shore, at which point she ran into a calm,
the land-breeze having died away. The boats were then got into the
water and brought to the gangway, the guns were lowered down and secured
to platforms in the bows of the launch and the two cutters, shot was
passed down and stowed on the bottom-boards on either side of the keel,
the ammunition boxes were stowed in the stern-sheets, and then, all else
being ready, those who were to take part in the expedition were mustered
for inspection prior to being dispatched on what was likely enough to
prove a dangerous errand. But little recked any of us of possible
danger; on the contrary, if an onlooker had judged only by the satisfied
smirk which our countenances wore, it might have been supposed that we
were all bound ashore for a day's holiday in the woods.

The expedition was to be under the command of Mr Gadsby, the second
lieutenant, who would go in the launch; the first cutter was to be
commanded by Mr O'Donnel, the boatswain, and the command of the second
cutter was entrusted to me. We mustered fifty altogether, including
marines; and when at length, after having been carefully inspected by
the first lieutenant, we were given the word to shove off, the men who
were left behind sprang into the rigging and sped us on our way with a
hearty cheer.

We took it very easily as we pulled shoreward, in line abreast, for it
was by this time scorching hot, and it was important that the men's
strength should be husbanded to the utmost extent, in view of the
possible fight that might be awaiting us at the end of our journey; but
I kept a sharp lookout ahead, for, although the country in sight showed
no sign of habitations, there was no knowing how soon a masked battery
on one, or perhaps each, of the headlands might declare itself by
dropping a few shot among us. Nothing, however, happened to hinder our
progress over the glass-smooth surface of the water, and in the course
of about twenty minutes we reached the opening between the two
headlands, and found ourselves in the mouth of a small, practically
land-locked cove of some twenty acres in area, with our friend the
brigantine in the very centre of it, with four anchors down--two ahead
and two astern--with boarding nettings triced up, ports open, guns run
out--eight long 12-pounders in each battery--and her starb