is to say, they
would each weigh 100 pounds on the outer earth, while the shells of
the giant gun weighed 250 pounds each. The iron hurricane-deck, that
did us such service in the polar climate, was put up overhead, as a
protection from the onslaught of a boarding crew.

The ships of the enemy advanced proudly in a double line of battle. On
the peak of each floated the ensign of Atvatabar, a red sun surrounded
by a wide circle of green, on a blue field.

On the _Polar King_ floated the flag of the goddess, a figure of the
throne of the gods in gold, on a purple ground.

When but a mile off, we could see the guns on every ship pointed and
ready for the attack. The enemy suddenly broke into the form of a
semi-circle. It was the design of Admiral Jolar to surround us and
capture or destroy the _Polar King_ by sheer force of numbers. We
allowed the formation to proceed, until the entire navy of Atvatabar
surrounded us in an enormous circle.

Having executed this manoeuvre, a boat put away from the admiral's
ship and approached us. In a short time it reached our vessel, and the
captain of the admiral's ship, with several officers, came on board.

The captain demanded my unconditional surrender, "in the name of his
majesty King Aldemegry Bhoolmakar of Atvatabar." I had been declared
"an enemy of the country, a violator of its most sacred laws, a
heretic in active destruction of its holy faith, and a fugitive from
justice." The captain, as the emissary of the admiral, demanded the
immediate surrender of myself and entire company.

I asked my men if they were prepared to surrender themselves to the
enemy. Their fearful shout of "Never!" disturbed the silence of the
sea, and must have been heard by the distant enemy.

"You hear the reply of my men," I said to the captain. "Tell your
admiral that the commander of the _Polar King_ declines to
surrender."

"Then," said the captain, "we will open fire upon you at once. We mean
to have you dead or alive."

"Give the admiral my compliments," said I, "and tell him to open the
fight as soon as he likes."

The captain and his staff rapidly disappeared, and we knew that the
fight was certain. The officers had no sooner reached the admiral's
ship than a report was heard; and a ball of metal crashed upon the
hurricane-deck overhead, tearing a large hole in it, and then plunged
into the sea. This was the signal of war. Before we could reply, the
_Polar King_ was the target of a