his helm down and bringing his gangway at right angles with our stern, as his guns were fired from the gangway.  I therefore kept a sharp eye upon the helmsman, and the moment I saw him putting the helm down, I ordered our steersman to fall flat on their faces behind some wood, and, at the same moment, did so myself.  We had scarcely done so, when bang! bang! went their guns, and the shot came whizzing close over us, splintering the wood about us in all directions.  Fortunately none of us were struck.  “Now, mandarin, now! they are quite close enough,” cried out my companions, who did not wish to have another broadside like the last.  I, being of the same opinion, raised myself above the high stern of our junk; and while the pirates were not more than twenty yards from us, hooting and yelling, I raked their decks, fore and aft, with shot and ball from my double-barreled gun.

Had a thunderbolt fallen among them, they could not have been more surprised.  Doubtless, many were wounded, and probably some killed.  At all events, the whole of the crew, not fewer than forty or fifty men, who, a moment before, crowded the deck, disappeared in a marvellous manner; sheltering themselves behind the bulwarks, or lying flat on their faces.  They were so completely taken by surprise, that their junk was left without a helmsman; her sails flapped in the wind; and, as we were still carrying all sail, and keeping on her right course, they were soon left a considerable way astern.

Another was now bearing down upon us as boldly as his companion had done, and commenced firing in the same manner.  Having been so successful with the first, I determined to follow the same plan with this one, and to pay no attention to his firing until he should come to close quarters.  The plot now began to thicken; for the first junk had gathered way again, and was following in our wake, although keeping at a respectful distance; and three others, although still further distant, were making for the scene of action, as fast as they could.  In the meantime, the second was almost alongside, and continued giving us a broadside, now and then, with his guns.  Watching their helm as before, we sheltered ourselves as well as we could; at the same time, my poor fellows who were steering, kept begging and praying that I would fire into our pursuers as soon as possible, or we should be all killed.  As soon as we came within twenty or thirty yards of us, I gave them the contents of both barrels, raking their decks as before.  This time the helmsman fell, and, doubtless, several were wounded.  In a minute or two I could see nothing but boards and shields, which were held up by the pirates, to protect themselves from my firing; their junk went up into the wind, for want of a helmsman, and was soon left some distance behind us.