concerned.

As the privateersmen could not take our vessel without avowing
themselves pirates, they reluctantly limited themselves to plunder. An
officer and half a dozen men, armed with pistols and cutlasses, were
despatched in our boat to the schooner, which they thoroughly examined
from stem to stern. As we had no goods, hey removed the ballast to
find valuable property or money, which we might have concealed. They
overhauled chests, trunks, and writing-desks, looking for specie or
hidden papers; helped themselves to whatever they particularly fancied,
and finally conveyed to the privateer all the water, beef, bread, sugar,
coffee, and other provisions and stores which they could find, with the
exception of a very scanty supply for our own use!

After a detention of a couple of hours, the last boat load of provisions
was transferred to the deck of the privateer, and Captain Moncrieff and
myself were about to step into the boat on our return, when the
officer who had superintended the piratical operations suggested to the
commander of the privateer that our boat was a remarkably fine one;
far better and more serviceable than any one in their possession, and
THEREFORE it would be right and proper for us the captain and crew of
the pilot-boat to return to our own vessel in a skiff belonging to the
privateer, and leave our boat for their use.

The case was forcibly put; the logic was unanswerable, and the
conclusion inevitable. The stern-boat, a light skiff, was lowered and
brought alongside, and then it appeared why the privateersmen did not
board us in their own boat, as is usual on such occasions. They had had
an engagement the day before with a Spanish government brig; had been
roughly handled, had several men killed and wounded, and sustained
damage in hull and spars. The boats had been riddled with shot, and, not
having been subsequently repaired, were not seaworthy.

When the little skiff was brought beneath the gangway the water was
pouring through the bottom in divers places. No time was given for
deliberation. We were unceremoniously shoved into the skiff, the painter
was cast loose, and a dark, ugly-visaged scoundrel told us, in broken
English and with a diabolical grin, to "pull for our lives!" So, indeed,
we did. The pilot-boat was not far off, nevertheless we should have
swamped ere we could have reached her had not the captain, with
admirable presence of mind, ordered me to lay in my oar, and at the sam