shots from us, she
actually hauled down her colours and surrendered, to the unmitigated
delight of our lads, who cheered themselves hoarse over their victory.

And now came the delicate question of taking possession. We fully
realised that it was only the superior power of our long eighteen that
had enabled us to accomplish the astonishing feat of compelling a
frigate of thirty-six guns to haul down her colours to a schooner
mounting less than a third of that armament; and we felt that our only
chance of securing peaceable possession of our prize, now that she had
surrendered, was to maintain the advantage conferred upon us by this
superiority. It was, therefore, at length decided that I should go on
board the prize with forty men to take possession, while the schooner
remained hove-to out of range of the frigate's guns, but near enough to
open fire again with the long gun, should we meet with any difficulty
from the French crew. My instructions were, to go on board, secure the
crew, and then fire three blank cartridges in quick succession as a
signal that I had obtained possession; upon which the schooner was to
close and render me all possible assistance.

CHAPTER SIX.

WE ARE COMPELLED TO ABANDON OUR PREY.

We lowered our two cutters and the gig, and then, picking out my forty
men, and arming them with a cutlass and a brace of pistols apiece, I
shoved off to take possession of our prize. There was a rather nasty,
short, choppy sea running; but, fortunately, we were to windward, and
only had to run down before it. As we neared the frigate it became
increasingly apparent to us that she was an exceedingly fine and
handsome ship; her tonnage, according to my estimate, being not far
short of nine hundred tons. She had been knocked about a good deal more
severely than I had anticipated; and as we drew still nearer I was
astonished to perceive that some of her scuppers were running blood.

It took us about half an hour to pull down to her; and when we went
alongside, under her lee, we met with no opposition whatever in
boarding, somewhat to my surprise, I must confess, for, as a matter of
fact, I did not believe that they had really surrendered, the hauling
down of their colours being, in my opinion, only a ruse to get us within
reach of their guns. In this, however, as it turned out, I was
mistaken, and did the commanding officer an injustice.

We clambered up the frigate's lofty side without let or hindr