•270 • FROM GUAHON TO ST. HELENA. 



at the edge of the horizon, a ship under sail, which, 

 as it came nearer, I recognized by its sails and 

 structure to be a pirate ship belonging to the 

 Malays. 



I soon perceived that the hostile ship sailed 

 better than ours, but always trying to intercept 

 our course, kept constantly at a certain distance, 

 probably not to create suspicion, and not to attack 

 till the darkness of night. I knew that the inha- 

 bitants of Banca and Sumatra infest these parts in 

 large vessels, holding three hundred men, and not 

 seldom board merchant vessels, which they then 

 plunder, and murder the crew. Some of our gen- 

 tlemen thought I carried my apprehensions too far. 

 I was not to be dissuaded, but immediately put the 

 ship in a state of defence ; the guns were double- 

 loaded with grape-shot and ball, the matches lighted, 

 and the whole crew stood on the quarter-deck, 

 armed with sabres and fire-arms, ready to defend it 

 to the last drop of their blood. When it became 

 dark, two sailors were placed on the bowsprit, and 

 precisely at eight they cried *' A light!" It was ex- 

 actly in the part where our course was leading us, 

 and seemed to be not far off, but immediately va- 

 nished, and I now had some sails taken in, to be able 

 to manage the ship better in case of an attack. We 

 sailed slowly on, and a death-like silence prevailed, 

 which was fearfully and suddenly interrupted by the 

 cry, " A light 1 a light ! the ship is close up to us !'* 

 1 had myself seen the light, which instantly vanished. 



