the clouds
overhead breaking slightly away for a moment, we were able to
distinguish the craft herself.

Feeling sure that this must be one of the vessels of which we were in
quest, Mr Reid at once gave the order for the flotilla to again move
cautiously forward; and the boats' oars immediately dipped into the
phosphorescent water, causing it to gleam and flash brilliantly. There
is no doubt that this vivid phosphorescence of the water--which must
have been visible at a long distance in the intense darkness of the
night--occasioned the premature discovery of our presence which now took
place; for the men had not pulled half a dozen strokes before a startled
hail came pealing out across the water; to which we of course paid not
the slightest attention. Failing to get a reply, the hail was hurriedly
repeated, a musket was fired, and a port-fire was burned on board the
craft first sighted, which now proved to be the brig which our pinnace
and the _Quebec's_ launch were destined to attack. For the burning of
this port-fire, though it rendered further concealment on our part
impossible, we were very much obliged, as by its unearthly glare we were
enabled to discern the whereabouts of the remaining vessels, at which,
with a wild cheer, the crews of the boats at once dashed with the most
commendable promptitude.

The ship happened to be moored in the innermost berth, or that which was
farthest up the harbour; our contingent, therefore--consisting of the
_Hermione's_ launch, first, and second cutters--was the last to get
alongside; and by the time that we reached the craft her crew were quite
ready to receive us. She was, fortunately for us, riding head to wind,
with her bows pointing up the harbour, and her stern directly towards
us; consequently the only guns which she could bring to bear upon us
were her two stern-chasers, each of which she fired twice, without
effect. We were within twenty yards of her when the guns were fired for
the second time; and immediately afterwards a most formidable volley of
musketry was poured into us. Strange to say, though the bullets sent a
perfect shower of splinters flying about our ears, not a man in either
boat was hit; and before the Frenchmen had time to load again we were
alongside--the launch on the port quarter, the first cutter under the
main chains on the starboard side, and my boat under the bows. Luckily
for us, they had not had time to trice up the boarding nettings, so