ed the destruction of himself
and many of his comrades. Bowse was a powerful man; but he had been
weakened by long confinement, and the pirate was large and heavy. Once
he drew himself back, lifting the old man with him; but again Vlacco
forced him forward, pressed as he was by others behind, who did not see
their nearness to the dreadful precipice, and he felt that the
despairing pirate was dragging him, with himself, to instant
destruction; his feet lost their hold of the ground, and he was falling
forward, when he, at length, sung out for help--though scarcely
expecting it; but at that instant he felt himself dragged back by a
powerful hand, and a sword descending, severed, with a blow, the arm of
the old pirate, who, with a cry of rage, disappeared into the dark
obscurity of the abyss below; and Bowse, turning round to thank his
preserver, found that he was his old shipmate, Tommy Small.

This was the last resistance the British had to encounter; and,
unfortunately, it had cost them very dear. The second lieutenant of the
_Vesta_, a mate of the _Venus_, and six seamen and marines, had been
killed, and ten men wounded, as well as four officers. About fifteen
pirates only were found dead, but a larger number had been seen to throw
themselves over the cliffs; and the wounded had probably destroyed
themselves in the same manner, for five only, who were unable to move,
were discovered alive. About twenty, who had either wanted resolution
to destroy themselves, or thought they were less guilty, and, therefore,
likely to escape punishment, were dragged out from the holes among the
ruins, where they had concealed themselves--these were the only remnant
of the force who had made so stout a resistance; the rest had either
escaped in the vessels, or their mangled corpses were to be found at the
bottom of the cliffs. Although Captain Fleetwood was most anxious to be
off, he considered that it would not do to evacuate the place till it
had undergone a strict examination, he determined, therefore, to leave
the _Vesta's_ lieutenant of marines, with thirty marines and twenty
seamen, in charge, while he led the rest back to embark on board their
ships, where he knew, should the gale increase, their services would be
required.

Among the wounded was Colonel Gauntlett. His grief on hearing that his
niece had been carried off by the pirate was very great.

"It is a sad thing for that poor child; and though I have had much
sor