a face as if he did not like the subject.

We were now rapidly overhauling the chase. We had been standing in on a
line a little to the north of her, to prevent her hauling across our
bows and beating up to windward along-shore in shallow water, which it
was just possible she might attempt to do. Thus every chance of escape
on that side was cut off from her. At length one of our shots struck
her and carried away her main-topmast. Our crew gave a loud hurrah. It
was replied to by her people in bravado. Several successive shots did
further damage, yet still she would not give in. Her crew might have
hoped to draw us on shore, but Captain Hudson was too wary to be thus
taken in.

"Shorten sail, Mr Willis," he shouted, "and make the signal to the
`Kingfisher' to do the same."

Just as our canvas was reduced and the heads of the ships turned off
shore, gracefully bowing to the sea which rolled in, there was a shout
from those who were on the look-out on the chase. She had run on shore.
As she struck the rocks both her masts went by the board. Captain
Hudson on this ordered three boats from us to be manned and two from the
Kingfisher, to go in and try to get her off, if not to destroy her, for
which purpose we took the usual combustibles. Mr Heron went in one,
and had charge of the expedition. Mercer went in another, and I had
command of a third. The Kingfisher, at the same time, stood in as close
as she could, and then furling sails was warped in with springs on her
cables, to cover us in case we should be molested. The schooner had run
in within a reef which protected her somewhat from the sea. As we drew
near, I saw that her crew were still on board. My boat had taken the
lead of the others.

"Give way, my lads, give way!" I shouted; "we shall have time to catch
the fellows before they set their craft on fire." I was not aware at
the time that they were not likely to do that same thing. The sea was
breaking over her forward, but without much violence. She lay at about
seventy to a hundred yards from the shore. I steered for her quarter,
and as I and my men sprung on board, her crew tumbled over the bows into
their boat, and made good way towards the beach. So precipitate had
been their retreat that they left behind them two poor fellows who had
been wounded by our shot. As our boats came round the stern of the
schooner, and saw the rebels escaping, the two belonging to the
sloop-of-war pulled away