CHAPTER IV.

British sailors have a knack,

Haul away, yo ho, boys,

Of hauling down a Frenchman's jack
'Gainst any odds, you know, boys.

OLD SONG.

THERE was, I flatter myself, some little skill in the introduction of the foregoing chapter, which has played the part of chorus during the time that the Bombay Castle has proceeded on to Canton, has taken in her cargo, and is on her passage home, in company with fifteen other East Indiamen and several country ships, all laden with the riches of the East, and hastening to pour their treasures into the lap of their country.

Millions were floating on the waters, intrusted to the skill of merchant-seamen to convey them home in safety, and to their courage to defend them from the enemy, which had long been lying in wait to intercept them. By a very unusual chance or oversight, there had been no men-ofwar despatched to protect a property of such enormous value.

The Indian fleet had just entered the Straits of Malacca, and were sailing in open order, with a fresh breeze and smooth water. The hammocks had been stowed, the decks washed, and the awnings spread. Shoals of albicore were darting across the bows of the different ships; and the seamen, perched upon the cat-heads and spritsail-yard, had succeeded in piercing with their harpoons many, which were immediately cut up, and in the frying-pans for breakfast. But very soon they had "other fish to fry;" for one of the Indiamen, the Royal George, made the signal that there were four strange sail in the S.W.

"A gun from the commodore, sir," reported

Newton, who was officer of the watch. "The

flags are up-they are not our pennants.'

It was an order to four ships of the fleet to run down and examine the strange vessels.

Half an hour elapsed, during which time the glasses were at every mast-head. Captain Drawlock himself, although not much given to climbing, having probably had enough of it during his long career in the service, was to be seen in the maintop. Doubts, suspicions, declarations, surmises, and positive assertions were bandied about, until they were all dispelled by the reconnoitring ships telegraphing, "a French squadron, consisting of one line-of-battle ship, three frigates, and a brig.” It was in fact the well-known squadron of Admiral Linois, who had scoured the Indian seas, ranging it up and down with the velocity as well as the appetite of a shark. His force consisted of the Marengo, of eighty-guns; the famed Belle Poule, a forty-gun frigate, which outstripped the wind; the Sémillante, of thirty-six guns; the Berceau ship corvette of twenty-two, and a brig

of sixteen. They had sailed from Batavia on purpose to intercept the China fleet, having received intelligence that it was unprotected, and anticipating an easy conquest, if not an immediate surrender to their overpowering force.

"The recall is up on board of the commodore," said Mathews, the first-mate, to Captain Drawlock.

"Very well, keep a good-look out; he intends to fight, I'll answer for it. We must not surrender up millions to these French scoundrels without a tussle."

"I should hope not," replied Mathews; "but that big fellow will make a general average among our tea cannisters, I expect, when we do come to the scratch. There go the flags, sir," continued Mathews, repeating the number to Captain Drawlock, who had the signal-book in his

hand.

"Form line of battle in close order, and prepare for action," read Captain Drawlock from the signal-book.

A cheer resounded through the fleet when the signal was made known. The ships were already near enough to each other to hear the shouting, and the confidence of others added to their

own.

"If we only had all English seamen on board, instead of these Lascars and Chinamen, who look so blank," observed Newton to Mathews, "I think we would show them some play."

"Yes," growled Mathews, "John Company will some day find out the truth of the old proverb, "Penny wise and pound foolish!"

The French squadron, which had continued on the wind to leeward until they could fetch the India fleet, now tacked and laid up directly for them. In the mean time the English vessels were preparing for action: the clearing of their lumbered decks was the occasion of many a coop of fowls or pig of the true China breed, exchanging their destiny for a watery grave. Fortunately, there were no passengers. Homeward-bound. China ships are not incumbered in that way, unless to