ks. When they drew nearer, however, they
could not have failed to discover the smallness of our numbers. As they
sailed faster than we did, all we could do to prevent their raking us,
which more than once they attempted to do, was to keep away when they
endeavoured to cross our bows, and to luff up again when they threatened
to pass under our stern. Seeing, therefore, that the quickest way of
deciding the engagement was to run us on board, they bore right down
upon us; and, unable to avoid them, the fluke of our anchor became
hooked on to their fore-rigging. At the same instant full thirty
swarthy figures were seen crowding into the Spaniard's riggings and
nettings, brandishing their swords, with fierce cries of vengeance,
thinking to terrify us into surrendering.

"Now, my lads! give them the dose I spoke of," shouted Waller.

The enemy leaped down on our deck, and were already in possession of the
forecastle. The tarpaulin was cast off from the gun, and the muzzle,
loaded as it was with missiles of all sorts, was turned towards them,
and fired right in among them where they mustered the thickest.
Scarcely a man escaped being hit; five were killed outright; and so
astonished were the rest, that, thinking probably that the vessel
herself was blowing up, they tumbled, scrambled, and clambered back into
their own schooner in the greatest confusion.

"On! my boys, on!" shouted Waller; and, making a dash at the fellows, we
much expedited their movements. In an instant not an enemy was left
alive on our decks.

"Up with the helm!" sung out Waller; and at the same time Jack and
another man cutting away at the fore-rigging of the enemy, we sheered
clear of him; while he, backing his fore-topsail, dropped under our
stern without firing a shot. We therefore hauled our wind, and kept on
our course, and soon afterwards he filled his sails, and stood away to
the southward. He had enjoyed a sufficient taste of our quality. Not
one of us was hurt, while a quarter of his people must have been killed
or wounded.

Our men gave a loud huzza as they found themselves free. To me it
seemed like a wild dream. A few minutes before we were engaged in a
desperate struggle for life; and now, uninjured, we were sailing gaily
over the calm water, victors in the strife. Had it not been for the
dead bodies of our foes remaining on the deck, we could scarcely have
believed our senses. This action is considered one of the most gallan