r their taffrail, and had run their flag
up again.

We were approaching the Frenchman upon his starboard quarter, with the
intention of pouring in our larboard broadside directly the two ships
were fairly abreast, when our antagonist suddenly ported his helm, and
threw himself right athwart our hawse, the evolution being performed
exactly at the instant which rendered a collision unavoidable. Our helm
was immediately put hard-a-starboard, with the intention of passing
under his stern if possible, but there was not sufficient room, and we
struck him just abaft his main chains, the shock bringing down his
mainmast, which had previously been badly wounded; while at the same
moment his starboard broadside came crashing in through our bows with
most destructive effect; one of our guns being dismounted, the foremast
struck in two places within a foot of each other, and the wheel smashed
to pieces. Singularly enough the helmsman escaped without a scratch,
but one poor fellow fell forward upon his gun, disembowelled.

The wind being light, the shock of the collision was very gentle, and
did no damage to the hull of either vessel. The two brigs dropped
alongside each other, head and stern, and would soon have scraped clear
again, but the French threw their grapnels into our rigging the instant
that we dropped alongside, and immediately boarded.

The whole thing was so sudden that Captain Brisac was for a single
instant confused; he rallied the next, however, and shouting "Boarders,
repel boarders!" put himself at the head of our men.

The French captain led on his boarding party with magnificent dash and
resolution, and for the first minute our men were driven irresistibly
back. Then came the turn of the tide, the English, maddened at the
disgrace of being forced to yield their ground to their hated enemies,
recovered themselves, and in their turn pressed the French back again,
every inch of the deck being fiercely contested. Captain Brisac and the
French captain soon singled each other out, and after a few unavailing
efforts succeeded in reaching each other and crossing swords. Our
skipper was a slight man of middle height and no very great personal
strength, while the Frenchman was a perfect giant; the fight between
them therefore was a very unequal one, especially as Captain Brisac
possessed but little skill with the sword. A few passes were made
without any effect on either side, and then the Frenchman made a
down