amage. Shrieks and cries arose from her deck,
proving the fearful havoc produced by our raking fire; while several
halyards and braces having been shot away on board her, and only part of
her canvas having been set, we again kept away, speedily got up
alongside her, and poured in another well-directed broadside. She
returned a feeble fire; many of her crew at the guns having been, we had
thus good reason to suppose, killed or disabled by our shot. We, having
all our canvas set, were running ahead of her, the captain intending to
luff across her bows, and to pour in another raking fire, when we heard
a voice from her forecastle shouting, in broken English, "We give in--we
haul down flag--don't fire, don't fire!"

"Let go your anchor, then, and bring up, or I'll not trust you," shouted
the captain.

The sound of voices in loud altercation now reached us, some apparently
crying out one thing, and some another, in Spanish; while we were
steering so as to keep on the weather bow of the pirate.

"Stand by,--brace up the yards," cried the captain in a loud voice, so
that the Spaniards might hear him. "Do you yield, or I fire?" he
shouted.

"Yes, yes," answered a voice.

Immediately the sheets were let fly, and the splash of the anchor and
the sound of the cable running out reached our ears above the hubbub
still going forward on deck, when the ship slowly swung round to the
current. We immediately hauled our wind, and having good way, went
about and shot up abreast of our opponent, whom we thus had completely
in our power.

As soon as we had furled sails, two boats were lowered; Mr Worthy going
in command of one, and Peter Mudge of the other, the crews being
well-armed. As I was the midshipman of the lieutenant's boat, I
accompanied him.

No opposition was offered, though no assistance was given, to us, as we
got alongside. We quickly, however, scrambled up on deck, which, by the
light of several lanterns carried by the men, presented an appearance
such as I had never before pictured to myself. The first step I made,
my foot slipped and I nearly fell. On the light falling on the spot, I
found that I was literally standing in blood. Twenty or more human
forms lay stretched out motionless, while others were gathered round the
masts or leaning against the guns, endeavouring to bind up their wounds.
One group stood aft in sullen silence awaiting our coming, while the
remainder of the crew were collected forward.