1846.] ATTACK OF PIRATES. 151 



now acting as interpreter in the Bajow tongue, was saun- 

 tering quietly along, the Spaniard walking at the water 

 line, picking up shells abreast of me, my course being 

 about ten yards above him, and the same distance from the 

 trees. Suddenly, I heard a ringing shot, apparently be- 

 hind me, and thinking the seaman was firing the fowling- 

 piece at some object, turned round to inquire what he 

 was about ; his reply was, " they are shooting you, Sir," 

 and advancing rapidly to give me the fowling-piece, 

 darted towards the trees, where he suddenly discharged 

 his musket. A yell from the jungle soon informed me 

 that we were upon unsafe ground, and the gig was 

 promptly in to support me. No one could be seen, 

 and all was again quiet, when my poor Spaniard, who 

 had taken it very coolly, shewed me his/roc^, which he 

 said they had damaged. I then found that they had hit 

 him instead of me, the ball cutting his arm and grazing 

 his back, through his frock. Our force, consisting of 

 the gig's crew, being now in fighting order, and the boats 

 signalled to close, the cutter, with Mr. Richards, and 

 second barge, with Lieut. Richardson, were soon moving 

 towards us. In a few moments an armed party emerged 

 from the bushes on our right, and held out a dirty cloth on 

 a spear. They were warned back, but seemed to despise 

 our warning. I therefore ordered musketry to be fired 

 towards them. They immediately exhibited themselves 

 in then" true colours, cutting all imaginable capers of 

 defiance with their shields, and swords, and using insul- 

 ting gestures. The cutter was directed to give them a 

 round shot, which went over them. This, they also 

 derided, redoubling their defiance, and advancing, but 



