Captain Hawkins again made his appearance on the
quarter-deck, when we were within half a mile of her.
"Are we to run alongside of her or how?" inquired I.
"Mr Simple, I command her," replied he, "and want no interference
whatever."
"Very well, sir," replied I, and I walked to the gangway.
"Mr Thompson," cried the captain, who appeared to have screwed up his
courage to the right pitch, and had now taken his position for a moment
on one of the carronades; "you will lay the brig right--"
Bang, bang--whiz, whiz--bang--whiz, came three shots from the enemy,
cleaving the air between our masts. The captain jumped down from the
carronade, and hastened to the capstern, without finishing his sentence.
"Shall we fire when we are ready, sir?" said I; for I perceived that he
was not capable of giving correct orders.
"Yes--yes, to be sure," replied he, remaining where he was.
"Thompson," said I to the master, "I think we can manage, in our present
commanding position, to get foul of him, so as to knock away his
jib-boom and fore topmast, and then she can't escape. We have good way
on her."
"I'll manage it, Simple, or my name's not Thompson," replied the master,
jumping into the quarter-boat, conning the vessel in that exposed
situation, as we received the enemy's fire.
"Look out, my lads, and pour it into her now, just as you please," said
I to the men.
The seamen were, however, too well disciplined to take immediate
advantage of my permission; they waited until we passed her, and just as
the master put up his helm, so as to catch her jib-boom between our
masts, the whole broadside was poured into his bow and chess-tree.
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