into shouts and shrieks,
and making all the noise they could with their musical instruments, they
opened a fire from their gingalls and muskets, followed up by a shower
of darts. Although we could hear the missiles come rattling on board,
being sheltered by our high bulwarks, no one, as far as I could tell,
was hurt.

"Now give it them, lads!" cried the captain. We let fly with all our
guns, those having muskets firing them also. We quickly reloaded, to be
ready for the enemy should they attempt to board us. When I saw the
number of prahus which had assembled on all sides, I could not help
fearing that we might be overpowered at last. Still the first dose we
had given them seemed to have produced a good effect.

"Fire, my lads, and load again as fast as you can," cried the captain.
"We must keep them off until we can get the brig under weigh. Hurrah!
Here comes a breeze. Quick, quick, give it them!"

We fired another broadside. "Now heave up the anchor and sheet home the
topsails," he shouted.

The order was obeyed, and before the pirates had recovered from the
dismay into which our last broadside had thrown them, the anchor was
hove up to the bows, and the topsails being sheeted home and the
mainsail set, we were gliding out towards the mouth of the river, not,
however, without being accompanied by our persevering foes.

We had several on either side of us blazing away with their gingalls and
hurling darts and spears on our decks. At last one more daring than the
rest ran alongside just as we had discharged our two guns, and her crew
began climbing on board. The first mate and boatswain and several of
the men were ready to receive them, and beat them back with pikes and
cutlasses. The rest of our crew were employed in defending the other
side, though it was sharp work to keep them back. Several of the
pirates were cut down as they showed their heads over the bulwarks, but
others climbed up after them. Blyth and I, seeing how hard pressed the
first mate was, sprang to his assistance, while the captain was
everywhere, now at the helm, now on one side, now on the other,
encouraging the crew, slashing away at the pirates, and seeing that the
man at the helm was steering as was necessary.

The chief part of the fighting took place between the main and fore
chains. Several heads appeared abaft the main rigging, though quickly
driven back again by the captain's untiring cutlass, aided by Blyth and
me. E