tremendous force.

The chain was at length cut; the boats' crews uttering a loud cheer at
their success, while the vessels which supported it swung to the
current, floating down towards the opposite bank.

"Give way, now, lads," cried Jack, and the two boats proceeded as fast
as the men could bend to their oars back to the ships. Jack saw Murray
lifted on board and carried below--the surgeon expressed a hope that his
wound was not dangerous, though he had fainted from loss of blood. Jack
had, however, to hasten on board the commodore's ship, to report what
had been done.

The steamers were immediately ordered to proceed up the river and flank
the batteries. Jack's anxiety was increased by the knowledge that his
ship was greatly exposed, several of her people having fallen, and the
purser having been killed while assisting the surgeon below.

The French commodore's brig, however, was suffering much more severely,
a shot cutting her cable she dropped astern before another could be
ranged, with upwards of an hundred shot-holes through her sides, ten or
twelve of her people killed, and forty, or more, wounded. The French
and English vessels were now ordered up to place themselves within
musket-shot of the battery, that they might assist the flanking fire of
the steamers. This they did in a most dashing way, receiving a hot fire
in return, when one of the lieutenants of an English vessel was killed.
At length, however, the well-served guns of the squadron produced their
effect; the fire from the batteries began to slacken, some of the guns
being dismounted and the gunners driven from others. The engagement had
now lasted six hours.

At length, only an occasional shot came from the shore, but still the
enemy's flag continued flying, and the commodore made a signal for the
boats of the squadron to rendezvous alongside his ship, with marines and
bluejackets prepared for landing, to storm the batteries.

The ships were brought in as close as the water would allow to cover the
landing. The English forces, consisting of an hundred and eighty
bluejackets, and one hundred and forty-five marines were the first on
shore; here they quickly formed. Terence, with two boats' crews from
the _Tudor_, were among them. Desmond had accompanied his uncle; they
were soon afterwards joined by Bevan and Tom with the men from the
_Supplejack_.

"So we are to have some campaigning," said Tom. "I was afraid my
brother would not let