t and starboard of us hugged the bank of
the stream, two or three of the larger craft making a big spurt ahead of
the others now and then in an endeavour to outflank us, which endeavour,
however, a well-directed volley of musketry always sufficed to check for
the time being.

At length we reached a point where the stream widened out considerably,
enabling the canoes on each side to spread out sufficiently far to be
beyond musket-shot, and we saw that upon the question whether we or the
canoes passed this point first, hinged our fate. The natives, though
evidently entertaining a wholesome dread of our carronade, were by no
means so dismayed by the execution it wrought among them as we had hoped
they would be, and indeed exhibited a decidedly growing disposition to
close upon us in spite of our fire; in fact, our position was at every
moment growing more critical.

Very fortunately for us we happened to have a few rounds of canister in
the boat, and Mildmay now resolved to try the effect of these upon the
pertinacious natives. A charge of grape with one of canister on the top
of it, was accordingly rammed home and sent flying into the thickest of
the crowd of canoes immediately ahead of us, immediately succeeded by a
like dose to the right and left wings of the flotilla. The canoes were
just at about the right distance to give these murderous discharges
their utmost possible effect, and the carnage among the thickly-crowded
craft was simply indescribable. The effect was not only to check their
advance effectually, but to actually put them to flight, and whilst a
similar charge was again rammed home by those in charge of the gun the
rest of the men slewed the boat round on her centre, and with a loud
cheer gave way at top speed for the island.

We were within a hundred yards of the low shingly beach when, to our
astonishment, the roar of artillery from the island greeted our ears,
and at the same instant half a dozen round-shot came flying about our
ears. Fortunately no damage was done beyond the smashing of a couple of
oars and the incontinent precipitation backwards into the bottom of the
boat of the pullers thereof, amidst the uproarious laughter of all
hands, and before these unfortunates had fairly picked themselves up,
the cutter was sent surging half her length high and dry up on the
beach, the carronade belched forth its contents, and out we jumped,
master and man, and charged up to the sod battery which had