very moment we expected other prahus to come up on the opposite
side, but they kept away, waiting perhaps until their chief had gained a
footing on our deck. Meanwhile our long gun and the two carronades,
besides several muskets--with which we kept up a hot fire--contributed
to keep them at a respectful distance. The cabin windows had been
battened up, but another prahu attempted to throw some men on board by
getting under our stern. The captain, however, who was on the watch for
this, caught sight of her, and calling to Blyth and me, we used our
cutlasses and pikes with such good effect that the enemy was driven back
and their prahu fell astern. I was springing off the poop when I caught
sight of a man just creeping in through an after port. I was on the
point of running at him with my pike, when he cried out--

"A friend, a friend, don't strike!"

It was with the greatest difficulty I avoided doing so. "Whoever you
are, get in quickly, that I may close the port, or others will follow,"
I exclaimed.

He did as I advised, and assisted me in lashing down the port. "I'll do
it," he said, "for I don't want to be caught again," and with the
quickness of a seaman he secured the port.

"If you give me a cutlass I'll fight for you," he said; and as I handed
him mine he sprang to the side and soon made good use of it by cutting
down a couple of fellows who had at that moment shown themselves above
the bulwarks, while Blyth and I with our pikes drove back two more who
were climbing on board. The next instant I heard the first mate singing
out--

"They are sheering off! Now give it them, lads! Fire low and we shall
send the shot through her bottom."

It took some little time, however, to load the guns, and before they
could be fired the prahu had got some fathoms off. The shot, however,
took all the better effect, and went crashing through her thin sides.
Almost in an instant she filled, when the survivors of her crew
attempted to gain the other prahus, which kept on our beam, and now
again began to discharge their guns and other missiles at us as before.
The breeze, however, was freshening, and we could see that our shot had
taken effect on several of the other prahus, which sank as we watched
them. Our crew uttered a loud cheer, to show the enemy that they might
expect as warm a reception as before should they again attempt to board
us. Having now time to set the foresail and topgallant-sails, fast as
the Ma