360 INCIDENTS WHICH HAPPENED 



nearly done for us ; I thought, however, probably the 

 man would receive ample punishment in his own mind, 

 without our having to resort to such extreme measures, 

 and he may be alive now for all I know to the contrary. 

 The whole of this incident was seen from the ship at 

 the Bogues ; but owing to the dense smoke occasioned 

 by so much firing the result of the engagement was 

 not known. My captain assuming the worst, expended 

 much unparliamentary language against Chinamen 

 generally, and walked furiously up and down the deck, 

 lamenting the loss of his officer and men. Up into the 

 main-top he went, thinking from there he could see 

 better. When the firing ceased, and the junks dis- 

 appeared again from view up the creek in which the 

 rascals had previously been lying in wait for us, it 

 became an undertaking how to get the captain once 

 more on deck. It was a good many years since he had 

 been aloft ; I doubt his ever having had much to do in 

 these airy places, owing to a natural defect in his feet. 

 However, I believe, with the assistance of two or three 

 blue-jackets, he was in time safely deposited on deck. 



I had the satisfaction, not very long after this, to be 

 at the attack and capture of most of these junks up 

 Escape Creek. The remainder joined the Fatchan fleet, 

 and again it was my luck to assist in their destruction. 



