has a muzzle almost as large as the open end of a flour-barrel, and a breech as big as a hogshead.  At the commencement-of this century a long twelve-pounder was considered a smart piece, and was thought very capable of doing a good deal of mischief.  The main battery of the ship was composed of guns of that description, while one of the brigs carried eight nines, and the other fourteen sixes.  As the ship mounted altogether thirty, if not thirty-two, guns, this left the governor to contend with batteries that had in them at least twenty-six pieces, as opposed to his own two.  A couple of lively guns, nevertheless, well-served and properly mounted, behind good earthen banks, are quite equal to several times their number on board ship.  Notwithstanding the success of the first shot of the pirates, this truth soon became sufficiently apparent, and the vessels found themselves getting the worst of it.  The governor, himself, or Captain Betts pointed every gun that was fired in the battery, and they seldom failed to make their marks on the hulls of the enemy.  On the other hand, the shot of the shipping was either buried in the mounds of the battery, or passed over its low parapets.  Not a man was hurt ashore, at the end of an hour’s struggle, with the exception of the Kannaka first wounded, while seven of the pirates were actually killed, and near twenty wounded.

Had the combat continued in the manner in which it was commenced, the result would have been a speedy and signal triumph in favour of the colony.  But, by this time, the pirate admiral became convinced that he had gone the wrong way to work, and that he must have recourse to some management, in order to prevail against such stubborn foes.  Neither of the vessels was anchored, but all kept under way, manoeuvring about in front of the battery, but one brig hauled out of the line to the northward, and making a stretch or two clear of the line of fire, she came down on the north end of the battery, in a position to rake it.  Now, this battery had been constructed for plain, straightforward cannonading in front, with no embrasures to command the roads on either flank.  Curtains of earth had been thrown up on the flanks, to protect the men, it is true, but this passive sort of resistance could do very little good in a protracted contest.  While this particular brig was gaining that favourable position, the ship and the other brig fell off to leeward, and were soon at so long a shot, as to be out of harm’s way.  This was throwing the battery entirely out of the combat, as to anything aggressive, and compelled a prompt decision on the part of the colonists.  No sooner did the nearest brig open her fire, and that within short canister range, than the ship and her consort hauled in again on the southern flank of the battery, the smallest vessel leading, and feeling her way with the lead.  Perceiving the utter uselessness of remaining, and the great danger he ran of being cut off, the governor now commenced a retreat to his boats.  This movement was not without danger, one colonist being killed in effecting it, and two more of the Kannakas wounded.  It succeeded, notwithstanding, and the whole party got off to the Anne and Martha.