under Michelborne's leadership and with pikes had advanced to the attack of the Japanese, who were posted in the aft part of the vessel.
A furious conflict ensued. The Englishmen with cool determination fell upon their foes, killing and wounding many with the deadly weapons which they knew so well how to handle. On their part the Japanese fought with the frenzy of fiends. Armed with only short swords or knives they were at a serious disadvantage with their antagonists, but nothing daunted they dodged the thrusts and even caught hold of the pikes with one hand and lunged at their holders with their swords in frantic efforts to kill them. For some minutes this combat went on, each party realizing that it was a fight to the death or nothing. Gradually the superior weight and steadiness of the Englishmen told. Inch by inch the Japanese were driven down the deck, until at length they were near the entrance of the cabin. Then with a shriek of baffled rage they gave way and rushed pell-mell into the interior of the vessel. To follow them would have meant certain death for the first who entered; it was doubtful whether an attack at close quarters could be made at all with success.
What was to be done? For some time the Englishmen deliberated without seeing any solution of the problem. At length the happy thought occurred to some one to assail the refuge of the miscreants with ordnance. The idea was promptly acted on. Two demi-culverins (32 pounders) were loaded with bullets, case shot and pieces of iron and fired pointblank at the exposed side of the cabin. There was a crash and splinter of woodwork, followed by a shriek of mingled defiance and agony from the interior and then was comparative silence. The
