84 ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NATIVES. 



bolt of its breeching and was unfortunately dis- 

 abled for the night At one o'clock, the firing 

 having ceased excepting an occasional shot from 

 the bush, I sent all the men to their beds and 

 remained on deck. I was much pleased by the 

 cool and steady behaviour of my men in this 

 affair : Captain Harries having exercised them 

 on the voyage out, they worked the guns with 

 great facility and accuracy. 



At daylight of the following day (the 2lnd) the 

 firing from the bush recommenced, and I now 

 discovered that our invisible enemies (for we 

 hardly saw one) had two swivels. The Quorra 

 opened her fire on the town at six o'clock with 

 four four-pounders and the twenty-four-pound 

 swivel ; but finding that we made no impression 

 on the mud-walls of the huts, although we had 

 silenced the firing, Mr. Lander hailed us, and 

 we agreed to land and burn the town as an ex- 

 ample to the rest. Accordingly the gig under 

 my command led the way ; Captain Miller in the 

 cutter followed, and also the launch with eight 

 men ; while the two mates, engineers, and Dr. 

 Briggs were left to keep up a fire of musketry 

 over our heads. 



As soon as we had reached within half pistol- 



