rain fell heavily, the
men wore their greatcoats to keep their pieces dry. Often during the
long night a musket was raised to the shoulder, and lowered, as the
enemy flitted by. Those in the boats below stood facing the opposite
bank of the river, with their arms in their hands.

It appears that the enemy had come down in great force to attack the
boats from that side; and as the river was there very shallow, and the
bottom hard, they could, by wading not more than knee-deep, have
approached to within five or six yards of them. But in the first attack
they had lost a good many men, and it is supposed that their repeated
advances during the night were more to recover their dead and wounded,
than to make any attack on the compact little force of British, whose
deadly aim and rapid firing had told with such effect, and who certainly
were, one and all, prepared to sell their lives as dearly as possible.
For some object, the enemy had begun felling some large trees, and their
torches showing their position, Mr Partridge kept up a hot fire on them
from the pinnace, till a signal rocket fired among them made them take
to flight. Two natives and one marine of the British party were
wounded; and the latter poor fellow, a gallant young officer named
Jenkins, already distinguished in the Chinese war, volunteered to convey
in the second gig, with four boys only, down to the _Jolly Bachelor_.
He performed his duty, and was again up with the party before daylight.

At dawn the pirates began assembling in some force; but as the boats
advanced up the river towards a spot where they had left their wives and
children, they sent in a flag of truce. Several chiefs soon appeared,
and the result of the conference was, that they undertook to abandon
piracy if their lives were spared. This was agreed to, and they have
strictly adhered to their promises.

CHAPTER SIX.

WARFARE ON THE RIVERS LA PLATA AND PARANA.

BATTLE OF THE PARANA--30TH NOVEMBER 1845.

Juan da Rosas, having made himself master of La Plata, and taken
possession of Buenos Ayres, closed the Rio de La Plata against all
strangers. This was contrary to a treaty with the English and French;
and accordingly an English and French squadron was despatched to open up
the channel of commerce, the lighter vessels forming an expedition to
force the Parana.

Rear-Admiral Inglefield was commander-in-chief, with his flag on board
the _Vernon_. The French squadron was comma