tanding. When Ross returned, he acknowledged that he had
fallen in with a number of women and children, but as he had not the
heart to injure them,--he had received no orders to do so,--he had
allowed them to escape up the country. Roger had by this time recovered
sufficiently to be lifted on board, and desired to be carried forward to
assist in piloting out the vessels. Sail was immediately made on all
the ships, the frigate leading, with the boats keeping ahead in
readiness to tow her round should there come a squall of wind. They
stood out towards the entrance of the harbour, intricate as was the
passage; and though it seemed on two or three occasions that the frigate
must drive on shore, yet she escaped clear, and the whole squadron got
through in safety and stood towards the _Ruby_ and her consorts. She
and they were seen preparing for action, Captain Benbow evidently
fearing that his boats had been overpowered, and that the pirates were
coming out to attack him. The British flag run up at the peak soon
pleasantly undeceived him, and the hearty cheers which rose from the
decks of the prizes, replied to from the scanty crews of the _Ruby_ and
_Pearl_, showed him that his gallant fellows had gained the victory.
Old Kemp at once returned to the _Ruby_ to receive the Captain's orders,
and signal was soon afterwards made for Bates to come on board. Captain
Benbow, shaking him by the hand in the presence of all the officers and
crew, complimented him highly on the gallant way in which he had
captured the pirate frigate, and assured him that it would be a great
satisfaction to recommend him for immediate promotion. Roger had in the
meantime been conveyed on board, to be attended to by the surgeon, with
several other men who had been wounded, though, strange to say,
desperately as the pirates had fought, not one of the British crew had
been killed. Bates took charge of the _Pearl_, and old Kemp of the
largest of the prizes, while other officers were appointed to the
remainder, Charlie Ross among them. The whole squadron, piloted by
Tronson, who had gained high credit for his faithfulness, made sail for
Jamaica. Each carried the British ensign, and a certain number of
prisoners on board. They arrived in safety, and were greeted by salvos
of artillery from the forts, flags flying from all the redoubts on
shore, and ships in the harbour. The merchants declared that a most
important action had been performed, as at