emy; and the
banks lined with sharp-shooters, by whom every incautious soldier who
showed himself was shot."

But, though the admiral clearly saw all the dangers he was exposed to,
and which he recounts in the foregoing paragraph, he did not propose
to return, but pressed forward. He soon reached the scene of battle,
and with the big guns of his boats covered the retreat of the troops;
then, having done all there was to be done, started down the river.

But now came the great trouble of the whole expedition. Those Southern
rivers are accustomed in summer to fall rapidly until they become mere
dry ditches, with a narrow rivulet, hardly deep enough to float a
row-boat, flowing down the centre. This was the summer season, and the
Red River was falling fast. The banks swarmed with gray-coated
soldiery, anxious to be on hand to capture the ships. At Grand Ecore
the "Eastport" became unmanageable, and was blown up. The fleet
continued on its way quietly, until a serious obstacle was met.
Admiral Porter writes:--

"One of the 'Cricket's' guns was mounted on the upper deck forward, to
command the banks; and a crew of six men were kept stationed at it,
ready to fire at any thing hostile.

"We went along at a moderate pace, to keep within supporting distance
of each other. I was sitting on the upper deck, reading, with one eye
on the book and the other on the bushes, when I saw men's heads, and
sang out to the commanding officer, Gorringe, 'Give those fellows in
the bushes a two-second shell.' A moment after the shell burst in the
midst of the people on the bank.

"'Give them another dose,' I said, when, to my astonishment, there
came on board a shower of projectiles that fairly made the little
'Cricket' stagger. Nineteen shells burst on board our vessel at the
first volley. It was the gun-battery of which our prisoner had told
us. We were going along at this time about six knots an hour; and,
before we could fire another gun, we were right under the battery and
turning the point, presenting the 'Cricket's' stern to the enemy. They
gave us nine shells when we were not more than twenty yards distant
from the bank, all of which burst inside of us; and, as the vessel's
stern was presented, they poured in ten more shots, which raked us
fore and aft.

"Then came the roar of three thousand muskets, which seemed to strike
every spot in the vessel. Fortunately her sides were musket-proof.

"The 'Cricket' stopped. I had been expe