ck one of the bowmen of the
pinnace, taking off three fingers of his right hand as he was pulling
his oar. Before they could fire again, we were sheltered by the vessel,
pulling close to her side, hid from the enemy.

This continued for some time, the enemy not advancing nearer, but now
firing into the Sunderland-ship, which protected us. At last the master
of the ship looked over the side, and said to me, "I say, my joker, do
you call this _giving me assistance_? I think I was better off before
you came. Then I had only my share of the enemy's fire, but now that
you have come, I have it all. I'm riddled like a sieve, and have lost
four men already. Suppose you give me a spell now--pull behind the
vessel ahead of us. I'll take my chance."

I pulled up to the other vessel, a large brig, and the captain, as soon
as we came alongside, said, "I see what you're about, and I'll just
leave you my vessel to take care of. No use losing my men, or being
knocked on the head."

"All's right--you can't do better, and we can't do better either."

His boat was lowered down, and getting in with his men, he pulled to
another vessel, and lay behind it, all ready to pull back if a breeze
sprang up.

As was to be expected, the gun-boats shifted their fire to the deserted
vessel, which the boats lay behind, and thus did the action in our
quarter continue until it was dark; the gun-boats not choosing to
advance, and was restricted from pulling out to attack them.

But I soon perceived that the gun-boats were nearing us every time that
they fired, and I now discharged grape alone, waiting for the flash of
the fire to ascertain their direction. At last I could perceive their
long low hulls, not two cables' lengths from us, and their sweeps
lifting from the water. It was plain that they were advancing to board,
and I resolved to anticipate them if possible. I had fired ahead of the
brig, and I now pulled with all my boats astern, giving my orders to the
officers, and laying on our oars in readiness. The gun-boats were about
half a cable's length from each other, pulling up abreast, and passing
us at about the same distance, when I directed the men to give way. I
had determined to throw all my force upon the nearest boat, and in half
a minute our bows were forced between their sweeps, which we caught hold
of to force our way alongside.

The resistance of the Danes was very determined. Three times did I
obtain a footing on t