ly that it was found utterly impossible
to make good our footing, the men springing up only to fall back again
into the boat wounded with pike-thrust, pistol-bullet, or cutlass-gash.
Smellie and I happened to make a dash for the same spot, but being the
lighter of the two I was jostled aside by him and narrowly avoided
tumbling overboard. He succeeded in gaining a temporary footing on the
chain-plate, and was evidently about to scramble thence upon the sheer-
pole, when I saw a pike thrust out at him from over the topgallant
bulwarks. The point struck him in the right shoulder, passing
completely through it; the thrust upset his balance, and down he came by
the run into the boat. Our lads meanwhile were cutting and hacking most
desperately at the boarding netting, endeavouring to make a passage-way
through it, but unfortunately they had emptied their pistols in the
first rush, and, unable to reach their enemies through the netting, were
completely at their mercy. In less than three minutes all hands were
back in the boat, every one of us more or less hurt, and no nearer to
getting on board than we had been before the beginning of the attack.

The cutters had evidently fared no better, for they were already hauling
off, discomfited; seeing which, Smellie, who seemed scarcely conscious
of his wound, reluctantly gave the order for us to follow their example,
which we promptly did. Poor Smellie! I pitied him, for I could see he
was deeply mortified at our defeat. The three boats converged toward
each other as they hauled off, and as soon as we were within speaking
distance of them the second lieutenant inquired of Armitage and Williams
whether they had suffered much.

"We have one man killed, and I think none of us have escaped quite scot-
free," was Armitage's reply; whilst Williams reported that two of his
men were seriously hurt and seven others slightly wounded.

"Well," said Smellie, "it is evident that we can do nothing with them
unless we change our tactics. We will, therefore, all three of us
attack the schooner, the two cutters boarding her, one on each bow,
whilst we in the launch will make a feint of attacking the brigantine,
passing her, however, at the last moment, and boarding the schooner aft.
Now--away we go!"

The boats upon this were quickly swept round, and off we dashed toward
our respective points of attack. We were still fully a hundred yards
distant when another broadside was poured into u