they gave us indubitable signs of their intentions.

The elder Van Deck, who had, I found, been a naval man, took the
command, and everybody on board looked up to him. We were not left long
in doubt that the strangers were pirates, and purposed to destroy us.
Not, however, till they were close to us with the evident intention of
boarding did our chief give the order to fire. The effect was to make
them sheer off, but only for a moment. Directly afterwards they
arranged themselves on our starboard bow and quarter, and commenced a
fire with gingalls, matchlocks, and guns of various sorts, sending
missiles of all shapes and sizes on board us. Our men kept firing away
bravely, but in a short time, so rapid was the fire kept up on us, that
three or four were killed and several wounded. I was standing near the
brave Dutchman when a dart shot from a gun struck him, and he fell to
the deck. I ran to raise him up, but he had ceased to breathe. His
death soon becoming known among the crew, their fire visibly slackened.
The pirates probably perceived this, and with fearful cries came dashing
alongside. The Javanese are brave fellows, and though they knew that
death awaited them, they drew their swords and daggers and met the enemy
as they sprang upon our deck. On came the pirates in overwhelming
numbers, their sharp kreeses making fearful havoc among our poor
fellows. I saw that all was lost. I was still unwounded. Rather than
fall alive into the hands of the pirates, as with the survivors of the
crew I was driven across the deck, I determined to leap overboard, and
endeavour to swim to land. That was not a moment for considering the
distance or the dangers to be encountered. Death was certain if I
remained in the ship. Unnoticed by the enemy, I threw myself overboard,
and struck out in the direction, as I believed, of the shore. I was a
good swimmer, but light as were my clothes, I was not aware of the
impediment they would prove to me. Already I was beginning to grow
tired, and to feel that I could not reach the shore. Yet life was
sweet, very sweet, in prospect I prayed for strength, and resolved to
struggle on as long as I could move an arm. I threw myself on my back
to float. I could see the brig, at no great distance, surrounded by the
prahus. All sounds of strife had ceased. Only the confused murmurs of
many tongues moving at once reached my ears. Now that I had ceased for
a few minutes to exert myself