108 MY riRST VOYAGE. 



and his disposition was shared by the crew, most of whom had sailed 

 with him before, many having been nnder him a long time. We had 

 four guns on board, which were quietly loaded with grape and canister, 

 and the two larboard guns brought over to the starboard side, as 

 Johnny was then about a mile off, on the starboard quarter, and Capt. 

 Turner was quite aware of the course he would pursue, viz., not fire 

 at us, as this would only attract the attention of our convoy, but run 

 alongside and throw a number of men on board, sufficient to render 

 resistance on our part foolish, as he could sail a yard in less time 

 than the Sisters could creep a foot. This no doubt seemed to him a 

 very simple matter, as there was no appearance of our being armed. 

 In addition to our guns and crew, however, we had on board several 

 stand of arms and a large quantity of ammunition, with a small 

 guard of soldiers sent to take care of these, our vessel being then 

 engaged as a transport. The ports were kept closed, and the soldiers 

 concealed under cover of the bulwarks, each man being provided with 

 three loaded muskets. As Captain Turner anticipated, so it turned 

 out. The Frenchman approached, his rigging filled with men ready 

 to jump on board ; but just as he got nearly neck and neck with ns, 

 and was preparing to put his helm down and lay us aboard, the signal 

 was given, our four guns run out and fired, and the soldiers sprang 

 from their hiding places, joining the crew in the cheering and firing, 

 which was continued spite of the colours being hauled down, and the 

 French captain bellowing out that he had surrendered (for a privateer's- 

 man gets no law) till they managed to get some ordei restored and 

 run from under our guns. Before they could do this, however, the 

 groans and cries told us that they had suffered dreadfully, as, indeed, 

 must necessarily have been the case from the manner in which they 

 were exposed to our fire. The last thing we saw of the French captain 

 he was stamping with rage, exclaiming as he shook his fist at us, 

 " Sacre ! you English beggar, you no fight fair ; but I will take you in 

 one tree minute." The last shot was fired by Tom Rayner, my fellow 

 apprentice, a lad of fifteen, who sprang upon the poop to get a surer 

 aim, saying (with an apostrophe on his eyes) " We'll soon settle that 

 devil." 



In a short time we had one of the light vessels of the convoy down 

 to see what the firing was about, and to take us in tow. The com- 

 jnander had also orders' from the commodore to reprimand our cap- 



