ved with three hearty cheers, a good
prognostic of victory.

The determination of the captain to engage a more powerful antagonist to
leeward was very brave, for it was the least advantageous position for
fighting. The reason of the Frenchman's boldness in waiting for us was
clearly that he supposed the Doris to be much smaller than she really
was. But then how was it that the Yankee skipper should not have told
him the truth. They had certainly communicated. We had only just
before seen his royals dipping beneath the horizon. However, we hadn't
time to think of that or anything else, before a shot from the enemy
came whistling through our sails. Several followed in rapid succession.
We were keeping away so as to cross her stern, and rake her with a
broadside, and then to haul up again on her beam. To avoid this she
also kept away, and began to pepper us rather more than was pleasant.
Her captain had clearly determined that we should not get to leeward.

"She must have it as she wishes," cried Captain Collyer. "Give it her,
my lads."

At that moment the canvas which had concealed our main-deck guns was
triced up, and in right good earnest we poured our whole broadside into
our opponent. The unexpected salute must have staggered her, and now
she too hauled up, and, discovering that she had not got a baby to play
with, applied herself in earnest to the combat, and we ran on blazing
away at each other nearly yard-arm to yard-arm.

"This is what I like," exclaimed Mr Johnson, rubbing his hands. "This
is a good honest stand-up fight; we know what the enemy's about, and he
knows what we are about, and I shall be very much surprised if he does
not find out before long that we are giving him a tremendous good
licking."

I would not quite agree with the boatswain, for the enemy's shot was
crashing about us with terrific effect. The French frigate also sailed
much faster than we did, and soon shot ahead of us; and still further to
prevent us from attaining our object, she wore round and came on to the
other tack, giving us a fresh broadside as she did so. The manoeuvre
succeeded so well, that it was repeated again and again. This enraged
our crew, several of whom were struck down; the wounded were at once
carried below, the dead were drawn out of the way; they were not yet
numerous enough to throw overboard. I looked to see how my particular
friends were getting on. George Grey had a division of guns under him