th a heavy splash into the water, which they threw out on each side of
them as they displaced it with their weight; while the cutters from the
quarter-davits were already lowered down, and were being manned under
the chains.

Broad daylight discovered the privateer, who, aware of their intentions,
had employed the night in taking every precaution that skill could
suggest to repel the expected attack. Secured with cables and hawsers,
extending from each bow and quarter--her starboard broadside directed to
seaward--her boarding netting triced up to the lower rigging--and booms,
connected together, rigged out from the sides, to prevent them from
laying her on board. There was no wind; the sea was smooth as glass;
and the French colours, hoisted in defiance at each masthead, hung
listlessly down the spars, as if fainting for the breeze which would
expand them in their vigour. She was pierced for eight ports on a side;
and the guns, which pointed through them, with the tompions out, ready
to shower destruction upon her assailants, showed like the teeth of the
snarling wolf, who stands at bay, awaiting the attack of his undaunted
pursuers.

The boats had received their guns, which were fixed on slides, so as to
enable them to be fired over the bows, without impeding the use of the
oars; the ammunition and arm-chests had been placed in security abaft.

The sailors, with their cutlasses belted round their waists, and a
pistol stuck in their girdles, or in a becket at the side of the boat,
ready to their hands--the marines, in proportion to the number which
each boat could carry, sitting in the stern-sheets, with their muskets
between their legs, and their well pipeclayed belts for bayonet and
cartouch-box crossed over their old jackets, half dirt, half finery--all
was ready for shoving off, when Captain M--- desired the officers whom
he had appointed to the expedition to step down into his cabin. Bully,
the first lieutenant, was unwell with an intermittent fever, and Captain
M---, at the request of Macallan, would not accede to his anxiety to
take the command. Price, Courtenay, Stewart, and three other
midshipmen, were those who had been selected for the dangerous service.

"Gentlemen," said Captain M---, as they stood round the table in the
fore-cabin, waiting for his communication, "I must call your attention
to a few points, which it is my wish that you should bear in
remembrance, now that you are about to proceed up