in chase, while Mr Heron and Mercer jumped on
board. The Kingfisher's boats would have captured the rebels, but, just
as they were about doing so, up started three or four hundred militiamen
from behind some sand hills, while other bodies were seen rushing down
from all directions towards us. They immediately opened so heavy a fire
on the two boats that they were compelled to desist from the pursuit,
and wisely beat a retreat to the schooner. The sloop-of-war on this
fired on the people on shore. There were probably by this time a
thousand or more possessed of every possible description of fire-arm.
The Kingfisher dispersed those who had first shown themselves in an
exposed situation, and knocked several of them over, but the rest kept
up so very heavy a fire on us that we were glad to dive down below to
get out of it. We at once found that it would be impossible to to get
the schooner off, and we then set to work to examine her cargo. I had
gone into the cabin, where I found the ship's manifest. I took it up to
read it, as I concluded it would give me the information we required. I
saw that some dry goods had been shipped, and some saltpetre, and I had
just read "_Three hundred and sixty barrels of gunpowder_"--an article
very much in request among the rebels--when there was a cry raised of
"Fire, fire, fire!" Mr Heron had made the same discovery by seeing
some suspicious black grains falling out of a cask, and he had just
before beat a retreat.

"To the boats, to the boats, for your lives, my men!" I shouted,
springing on deck, followed by my men. We tumbled into our boats with
no little speed, and seized our oars, to place as much distance as we
could between ourselves and the threatened danger. As I was leaving the
vessel, I saw Mercer, with some of his people, apparently endeavouring
to lift the two poor wounded Americans into his boat. It was but a
glance, for the hurry and confusion of that awful moment prevented me
seeing more.

"Give way, give way for your lives!" I shouted. No sooner did our
heads appear above the schooner's bulwarks than the rebels redoubled
their fire on us, but we cared not for them. We scarcely had got clear
from the side of the ill-fated vessel, when a terrific, thundering,
roaring noise assailed our ears; a vivid flash blinded us; a scorching
heat almost consumed us; and as we bent our heads in mute dismay, nearer
despair, after a few moments of awful silence, down came