tlet of the
whole squadron, and thus escape down the river and out to the open
sea. The breeze blowing out to sea, as it always does for the first
half of the day on this coast, the plan seemed a good one, if once
they could pass through the fire of the squadron.

This course commending itself to the crew, the sails were hoisted
accordingly, I lending a hand, for I had no desire either to take
refuge with the pirates or to be sunk where we were; and having
slipped our cable the _Fair Maid_ got under weigh. This proceeding
must have struck surprise into those who were watching us, for the
frigate which had commenced to bombard us at once stopped fire, and
waited to see what we would do. As we had no colours flying, it was
difficult for them to know what we would be at, or whether we did not
mean to surrender. Had we been only concerned with the fleet, our best
course might have been to hoist the Union Jack; but in that case we
had to fear the guns of the fort, close under which we meant to pass.

In this way we got along till we were right in the range of fire
between the ships and the fort, and here for a minute all seemed over
with us and I had fairly given myself up for lost. A whole broadside
of thirty guns was fired right across us, and the only thing that
saved us from being sunk instantly was our lying so low on the water
that the bullets, being aimed at the walls of the fort, passed over
our heads. As it was they did great damage to the rigging. The main
topmast was shot away, the shrouds were torn to threads, and the gaff
of the fore-topsail was badly wounded. Luckily for us the next vessel
of the squadron had discharged its broadside just before we came into
the line of fire, and the third merely signalled to know if we would
surrender. Old Muzzy refused to answer the signal, and his conduct in
this, and in not using the _Fair Maid's_ own guns, clearly puzzled
those on board the fleet.

By this time we had begun to round the corner of the rock, and paying
away before the wind to go down the river, presented our stern to the
remaining ships of the squadron. One of them gave us a broadside, but
it was ill-directed, and only three balls took effect. They had aimed
this time at the hull, luckily for the _Fair Maid_, as she could ill
have stood another discharge at her rigging, and though the tiller was
shot away, and some damage was done to the stern, it was not serious
enough to cripple her.

But just as we w