sea was
heard. There were few people in the village who did not turn out to try
and discover what was going on. The morning was dark, but we saw the
flashes of guns to the westward, and my husband and others made out that
there were two vessels engaged standing away towards Mount's Bay. We
all guessed truly that one was the `Lively Nancy,' and the other the
king's cutter.

"Gradually the sounds of the guns grew less and the flashes seemed
further off. After some time, however, they again drew near. It was
evident that the cutter had attacked the lugger, which was probably
endeavouring to get away out to sea or to round the Lizard, when, with a
flowing sheet before the wind, she would have a better chance of escape.

"Just then daylight broke, and we could distinguish both the vessels
close-hauled, the lugger to leeward trying to weather on the cutter,
which was close to her on her quarter, both carrying as much sail as
they could stagger under. They kept firing as fast as the guns could be
loaded, each trying to knock away her opponent's spars, so that more
damage was done to the rigging than to the crews of the vessels.

"The chief object of the smugglers was to escape, and this they hoped to
do if they could bring down the cutter's mainsail. The king's officer
knew that he should have the smugglers safe enough if he could but make
them strike; this, however, knowing that they all fought with ropes
round their necks, they had no thoughts of doing.

"Though the lugger stood on bravely, we could see that she was being
jammed down gradually towards the shore. My good man cried out, `that
her fore-tack was shot away and it would now go hard with her.'

"The smugglers, however, in spite of the fire to which they were
exposed, got it hauled down. The cutter was thereby enabled to range up
alongside.

"By this time the two vessels got almost abreast of the point, but there
were the Stags to be weathered. If the lugger could do that she might
then keep away. There seemed a good chance that she would do it, and
many hoped she would, for their hearts were with her rather than with
the king's cruiser.

"She was not a quarter of a mile from the Stags when down came her
mainmast. It must have knocked over the man at the helm and injured
others standing aft, for her head fell off and she ran on directly for
the rocks. Still her crew did their best to save her. The wreck was
cleared away, and once more she stoo