were being assisted to the cockpit.

"Man the larboard-guns and about ship!" cried Captain Wilson, leaping
off the hammocks. "Look out, my lads, and rake her in stays! We'll pay
him off for that foul play before we've done with him. Look out, my
lads, and take good aim as she pays round."

The _Aurora_ was put about, and her broadside poured into the stern of
the Russian frigate--for such she was. It was almost dark, but the
enemy, who appeared as anxious as the _Aurora_ to come to action, hauled
up her courses to await her coming up. In five minutes the two vessels
were alongside exchanging murderous broadsides at little more than
pistol-shot--running slowly in for the land, than not more than five
miles distant. The skin-clad mountaineers of Corsica were aroused by
the furious cannonading, watching the incessant flashes of the guns, and
listening to their reverberating roar.

After half an hour's fierce combat, during which the fire of both
vessels was kept up with undiminished vigour, Captain Wilson went down
on the main deck, and himself separately pointed each gun after it was
loaded; those amidships being direct for the main-channels of the
enemy's ship, while those abaft the beam were gradually trained more and
more forward, and those before the beam more and more aft, so as to
throw all their shot nearly into one focus, giving directions that they
were all to be fired at once, at the word of command. The enemy, not
aware of the cause of the delay, imagined that the fire of the _Aurora_
had slackened, and loudly cheered. At the word given the broadside was
poured in, and, dark as it was, the effects from it were evident. Two
of the midship ports of the antagonist were blown into one, and her
main-mast was seen to totter, and then to fall over the side. The
_Aurora_ then set her courses, which had been hauled up, and, shooting
ahead, took up a raking position while the Russian was still hampered
with her wreck, and poured in grape and cannister from her upper deck
carronades to impede their labours on deck, while she continued her
destructive fire upon the hull of the enemy from the main-deck battery.

The moon now burst out from a low bank of clouds, and enabled them to
accomplish their work with more precision. In a quarter of an hour the
Russian was totally dismasted, and Captain Wilson ordered half of his
remaining ship's company to repair the damages, which had been most
severe, whilst the larb