and overheard our conversation.

"In this instance there is no occasion for my reporting them, sir,"
replied I, "for you have heard what has passed."

"I have, sir," replied he; "and I shall not forget the conversation."

I turned forward. Swinburne had made his retreat the moment that he
heard the voice of the captain. "How many sails are there in sight,
sir?" inquired the captain.

"One hundred and sixty-three, sir," replied I.

"Signal to convoy to close from the _Acasta_," reported the midshipman
of the watch.

We repeated it, and the captain descended to his cabin. We were then
running about four miles an hour, the water very smooth, and Anholt
lighthouse hardly visible on deck, bearing N.N.W. about twenty miles.
In fact, we were near the entrance of the Sound, which, the reader may
be aware, is a narrow passage leading into the Baltic Sea.

My watch was nearly out, when the midshipman who was looking round with
his glass on the Copenhagen side, reported three gun-boats, sweeping out
from behind a point. I examined them, and went down to report them to
the captain. When I came on deck, more were reported, until we counted
ten, two of them large vessels, called praams. The captain now came on
deck, and I reported them. We made the signal of enemy in sight, to the
_Acasta_, which was answered. They divided--six of them pulling along
shore towards the convoy in the rear, and four coming out right for the
brig. The _Acasta_ now made the signal for "Boats manned and armed to
be held in readiness." We hoisted out our pinnace, and lowered down our
cutters--the other men-of-war doing the same. In about a quarter of an
hour, the gun-boats opened their fire with their long thirty-two
pounders, and their first shot went right through the hull of the brig,
just abaft the fore-bits; fortunately, no one was hurt. I turned round
to look at the captain; he was as white as a sheet. He caught my eye,
and turned aft, when he was met by Swinburne's eye, steadily fixed upon
him. He then walked to the other side of the deck. Another shot
ploughed up the water close to us, rose, and came through the
hammock-netting, tearing out two of the hammocks, and throwing them on
the quarter-deck, when the _Acasta_ hoisted out pennants, and made the
signal to send our pinnace and cutter to the assistance of vessels
astern. The signal was also made to the _Isis_ and _Reindeer_. I
reported the signal, and inquired who was to t