It appears that the day after they sailed they chased three sail in the distance, without nearing them; they appeared a second and third time after dusk with same result. It now being late, the crew fatigued and hungry, Hunt pulled in-shore, lighted a fire, cooked their provisions, and then hauled her out to her grapnel near some rocks for the night. They laid down to rest with their arms by their sides, ready loaded. The marines’ muskets were stopped up and down the mainmast. The boat had a small forecastle as well as an extended decked stern over the rudder-head, which held the commander. Having appointed look-out men, I suppose owing to the fatigues of the day, they one and all fell asleep. About 3 A.M., the moon rising, Hunt, happening to awake, observed a savage brandishing a kris and performing his war-dance on the bit of deck forward in an ecstasy of delight, thinking, in all probability, of the ease in which he had got possession of a fine trading-boat, and calculating the value of white slaves he would have to dispose of; little dreaming of the hornets’ nest into which he had fallen. Jim Hunt’s round fat face meeting the light of the rising moon, without a turban surmounting it, was the first notice the pirate had of his mistake. He immediately plunged overboard, and before Hunt had sufficiently recovered his astonishment to know whether he was dreaming or not, or to arouse the crew, a discharge from three or four cannon within a few yards, and the cutting through the rigging of various missiles with which the guns were loaded, convinced him of his disobedience of orders. It was as well the men were still lying down, as not one was hurt, but on jumping up they found themselves closely pressed by two large war prahus--one on each bow. To return the fire, cut the cable, man the oars, and back astern to gain room, was the work of a minute. But now came the tug-of-war. It was a case of life or death. Our men fought as British sailors ought; quarter was not expected on either side, and the quick and deadly aim of the Royal Marines prevented the pirates from re-loading. The Illanun prahus are built with strong bulwarks or barricades, grapeshot-proof, across the fore part of their boats, through which ports are cut; these bulwarks had to be cut away by round shot from the _Jolly Bachelor’s_ brass 6-pounder before the musketry could bear effectually. This done, our grape and canister told with fearful execution. In the meantime, the pirates had been pressing forward to board while _Jolly Bachelor_ backed astern. As soon as this service was performed, the few men so employed dropped their oars and resumed their muskets. The work was sharp and short, but the slaughter great. While one pirate prahu was sinking, and an effort made to secure her, the other effected an escape by getting round the point of rocks where a third and larger prahu, hitherto unseen, came to her assistance and took her in tow.