's was the guiding spirit in this. Cables were cut,
and they stood out to sea, but, owing to the light baffling winds, made
little way. By next morning the pirates had closed, and bore down with a
black flag (skull and crossbones) at the main, a red flag at the fore, and
the cross of St. George at the ensign staff. The _Greenwich_ and the
Ostender, having a better wind than the _Cassandra_, had got some distance
away. In vain Macrae fired gun after gun at the _Greenwich_ to make Kirby
heave to. In a most dastardly way the captain of the _Greenwich_ pursued
his course, taking the Ostender with him, till he had got well to windward;
when, at a distance of two or three miles, he hove to and watched the fate
of the _Cassandra_.

The _Cassandra_ was a new ship of 380 tons, on her first voyage. Macrae
was a thoroughly good seaman, with a fine crew that were attached to him,
and was resolved to fight his ship to the last. Early in the engagement he
gave the _Victory_ some shots between wind and water, which made England
keep off till he had stopped the leaks. Taylor got out the boats of the
_Fancy_ and tried to tow her alongside, to carry the _Cassandra_ by
boarding, but such good practice was made by the _Cassandra's_ marksmen
that the design was given up. At the end of three hours the _Victory_ had
repaired damages, and was closing again. Macrae had lost so many of his
crew, that, giving up all hope of assistance from Kirby, he determined to
run his ship ashore. The _Fancy_, which drew less water, followed with the
intention of boarding, but got aground within pistol-shot, with her bows
towards the _Cassandra's_ broadside, and the action recommenced hotter
than ever. There the two ships lay, both fast aground, pelting each other
furiously, till the crew of the _Fancy_, finding the _Cassandra's_ fire
too hot for them, left their guns and ran below. Had Kirby come to his
assistance at this moment, Macrae's triumph would have been assured; but
this was the moment chosen by Kirby to bear up and shape his course for
Bombay. England in the _Victory_, seeing that the _Greenwich_ might be
disregarded, sent three boats full of men to reinforce the _Fancy_; by
which time there had been so many killed and wounded on board the
_Cassandra_, that the crew, losing heart, refused to fight the ship any
longer. Thirteen had been killed and twenty-four wounded, among the latter
Macrae himself, who had been struck by a musket ball on the head; so