course of the fight the _Shah_ launched a Whitehead torpedo
against the ironclad, but it failed to strike her. The British ships
were ably handled, and received no serious damage in the encounter; and
after a three hours' engagement the _Huascar_ steamed away and made for
a Peruvian port. As this was the first time that unarmoured vessels had
ventured to engage an ironclad of modern type, every credit is due to
the gallantry of our seamen, although they were unsuccessful in their
attempt to capture or sink their opponent.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

GALLANT DEEDS PERFORMED BY NAVAL MEN.

DEATH OF CAPTAIN BROWNRIGG--1881.

This officer had greatly distinguished himself by the energy and success
with which he had carried on operations against the slaving dhows during
the term of his command on the Zanzibar coast. On the 27th of November
1881 he started in the steam pinnace of the _London_, accompanied by his
steward, a native interpreter, and a writer, with a crew consisting of a
coxswain, Alfred Yates, three seamen, and three stokers. Captain
Brownrigg was going upon a tour of inspection among the boats engaged in
repressing the slave trade, and the various depots. On his way he
examined any dhows he met which he suspected to contain slaves. On the
3rd of December a dhow was sighted flying French colours. In such cases
it was not Captain Brownrigg's custom to board, but only to go alongside
to see that the papers were correct. He therefore ordered the boat's
crew to be careful not to board without direct orders, intending a mere
cursory examination, and no detention whatever, as he did not arm the
boat's crew, and directed the time alongside to be noted.

He went alongside without hailing or stopping the dhow in any way, the
wind being light and the craft scarcely forging ahead.

Prior to getting alongside he sent the coxswain forward to make a hook,
with a chain and rope attached, fast to the dhow, his object in doing so
seemingly being to prevent the necessity of the vessel stopping, and to
enable him to converse with the captain and to quietly verify her
papers. He took the tiller himself, and was alone, with the exception
of his steward (a Goanese) and a native interpreter, in the after-part,
which is separated from the rest of the boat by a standing canopy, over
which one has to climb to get fore or aft. It was still more cut off by
the fact of the main-boom having been raised to the height of the top