ur old and patched-up
engines rattling and clanking and groaning as they worked under such a
pressure of steam as they had not known for many a long day; the
stokers, after a final firing-up, came on deck, by order of the
engineer, and went upon the topgallant forecastle to assist with the
guns; and I took up my station by the wheelhouse to con the ship to her
appointed berth, which was immediately under Golden Hill, and about a
hundred yards from the shore. One of the two gunboats that were
guarding the entrance was anchored so nearly in our way that I was
sorely tempted to give her the stem and sink her where she lay. But I
successfully resisted the temptation, for, had we sunk her, she was too
far out to have become an obstruction, while we should probably have
smashed in our own bows and gone to the bottom before arriving at our
station. As we surged past her, however, within twenty fathoms, we
peppered her smartly with our quick-firers, receiving in return a ragged
discharge from her entire battery, including a shell from her 6-inch gun
which happily passed through our starboard bulwarks and out through our
port without exploding. Our foretopmast was at this moment shot away,
and fell on deck, but hurt no one, our funnel was riddled with shrapnel,
and a bridge stanchion, within a foot of where I was standing, was cut
in two; but none of us was hurt. The next moment a shell struck our
mainmast and sent it over the side, luckily severing the rotten shrouds
and stays also, so that it fell clear and did not foul our propeller. A
few seconds later a shell dropped upon our after-deck and exploded,
blowing a jagged circular hole of some twenty feet diameter in it, and
setting the planks on fire; but a few buckets of water promptly applied
sufficed to extinguish the blaze.

Meanwhile we were plugging along in grand style and drawing so near to
our destination that I called to the men to cease firing, and for two of
them to stand by to let go the anchor while the rest came aft and held
themselves ready to jump into our solitary boat when I gave the word.
It was wonderfully exciting work, for as we drew nearer in we came into
the range of fire of other forts and ships, and the air seemed to be
thick with missiles, while shrapnel was bursting all round us, and the
water was torn by flying shot to such an extent that our decks were
streaming, and all hands of us were wet through with the thrown-up
spray.

At length our