to deaden our
way, and as the _Guerrilla_ passed ahead our helm was put hard up and we
paid square off across her stern, firing our starboard broadside into
her as we did so. The result this time was absolutely disastrous to the
pirates, for the guns were fired at the precise moment when the
_Guerrilla's_ stern was lifted up on the crest of a sea, while we were
in the trough beyond; in consequence of which, our shot all struck her a
trifle below her normal water-line, producing a very serious leak,
which, even under the most favourable circumstances, it would have been
exceedingly difficult to stop. But this was not the worst of it; the
shot, by a lucky accident, so far as we were concerned, had somehow
become concentrated, all of them taking effect upon the pirate's rudder
and stern-post, with the result that the former was shot away, and the
latter, as well as two or three hood-ends, so badly started that ere ten
minutes had elapsed it became apparent that the _Guerrilla_ was rapidly
filling.

Meanwhile, however, we held on across her stern, filling our topsail
again, and tacking as soon as we had room; while the pirate brigantine,
deprived of her rudder, shot into the wind and got in irons, obstinately
refusing to pay off on either tack. This enabled us to sweep across her
bows, pouring in our port broadside as we passed, raking her fore and
aft, and bringing down her foremast by the run. Holding on for a few
minutes, we next wore round--getting her starboard broadside as we
passed--and then cut close across her stern again, raking her as before.
By this time, however, it had become apparent that she was sinking, so,
having once more tacked, we ranged up close athwart her stern, with our
topsail aback, when, instead of firing, I hailed to ask if they
surrendered.

"No, senor," replied Morillo himself, who was standing aft close to the
now useless wheel, "we will _never_ surrender! I wrote you a letter--
which I hope you received--in which I said that I would fight you until
my ship sinks under me; and I mean to do so. I also told you that my
feud with you is to the death; so, take that!" and therewith the
scoundrel quickly levelled a pistol and, for the second time that day,
fired point-blank at me! And there is no doubt whatever that this time
he would have slain me--for the pistol was pointed so truly that I
actually looked for a moment right into the barrel of it--had it not
been for the _Diane's_ helmsm