il-yard
creaked, bent, and snapped in the slings, falling forward in two pieces.

The loud cheers of the pirate crew came faintly over the water; but our
brave fellows, nothing daunted, responded to them heartily.

"They have winged us, my lads!" said our gallant captain; "but we will
die game at all events." The men answered him with another cheer, and
swore they would go to the bottom rather than yield. We blazed away at
the schooner, but in vain; she had been severely taught to respect us;
our shot fell far short, while she, with her long metal, kept dropping
shot after shot into us with deadly precision. We tried to close with
her; but she saw her advantage, and kept it; all that we could do was to
stand steadily on, the men lying down under the shelter of the bulwarks.
A faint dull sound now fell upon our ears, like the report of a distant
gun. "Thank heaven!" said I, "our guns have spoken to some purpose; some
of the cruisers have taken the alarm." We immediately burnt a blue
light, and threw up a couple of rockets. In a few minutes a shout of
joy burst from the crew, a small glimmering star appeared in the
distance, which flickered for a moment, and then increased to a strong,
steady, glaring, light; at the same time, we heard a second report, much
nearer and clearer than before. Alarmed at the near approach of the
stranger, which was now distinctly visible, standing towards us under a
press of sail, the pirate, determined to have another brush with us,
bore up, and closed with us. But we were prepared for him; he was
evidently staggered by our warm reception; and, giving us a parting
broadside, hove round, stood in under the dark shadow of the land, and
we soon lost sight of him.

The stranger proved to be H.M. sloop Porcupine. She hove to when she
neared us, and sent a boat on board. She had heard the report of our
guns, and hastened to the scene of action, just in the very nick of time
to save us. The lieutenant complimented the captain and crew on their
gallant defence, and hastened on board the sloop again, to make his
report. The boat soon returned, with a gang of hands to assist in
repairing our damages; and on the evening of the next day, we were
safely at anchor. When the excitement of the action was over, the pain
of my wounds and the agitation of my mind brought on a violent attack of
fever. During my delirium, the vision of my dying brother was ever
before me; and in my madness I twice made an attem