The commander gave an unwilling
consent, for he did not like to risk more of his people. He was just
shoving off, when first one boat was seen to emerge from among the
trees, then another, and lastly four appeared--thus one only was
missing. They pulled slowly on board, and were seen to be heavily
laden.

With a shout of joy and hearty congratulation, they were received
alongside; but the entire satisfaction at the success of the expedition
was somewhat mitigated when it was found that several of their numbers
were missing. They had brought off ten prisoners, most of whom were
wounded. Some of the packages which had been taken from the _Mary_ were
also brought on board. Neither Hawk nor Abraham Jones were among the
prisoners: I therefore concluded that they were killed or had escaped.
The prisoners, to my horror, at once recognised me and the rest of their
comrades, addressing us familiarly by our names, and thus completely
identified us with themselves. I suppose they did this from a feeling
of revenge, from fancying that we had been the cause of their disaster.
The captain, on this, ordered us all to be secured and treated as
prisoners alike, till he had time to investigate the matter fully.

I heard an account of the expedition from one of the seamen who had been
engaged in it, as he described it to a messmate. It appeared that the
pirates had at once gone on board the schooner, which they had placed,
just as I supposed they would, directly across the entrance of the
bight. Here Hawk fought her most bravely, once compelling the boats to
retreat.

On a second attempt to board, she was discovered to be on fire,
notwithstanding which Hawk had remained in the vessel till the last
moment, when, leaping into the boats, he and some of his crew escaped to
the shore. Many of them, who could not, were blown up. Fortunately,
one boat's crew only of the Americans had got on board by the stern.
Several of these poor fellows were lost; but, wonderful to relate,
others, by leaping over the taffrail at the moment they felt it lifting
under their feet, were saved and picked up by their friends. It was
considered useless to pursue the fugitives. The prisoners taken were
those picked up in the water, and a few found wounded on shore.
Securing them, and attending to the wounded of both parties, as well as
collecting some of the booty, had caused the delay. The guns, also,
planted by the pirates at the two points of lan