As he finished speaking the enemy burst from the bush like a swarm of angry bees, and charged at full speed at the little band of white men opposed to them; whereupon a perfect storm of grape-shot, old nails, rusty bolts, pieces of scrap-iron, and even stones, with which the cannon had been hastily loaded, went hissing through their close ranks; and, from the piercing screams and yells of agony that at once arose from them, the execution must have been terrible. Yet they poured out, checked only for a moment. "Fire again!" roared the captain; and the muskets crashed out in a rattling volley, the bullets mowing the natives down in swathes. This second discharge checked them and caused them to waver; but a tall man, gaily bedecked with feathers, instantly sprang from the ranks, and, haranguing them, called to his comrades to follow him, he himself leading the charge. They soon reached the guns, and, leaping over them before they could again be loaded, were at once among the English, who had now to fight for dear life. Howling with fury, they stabbed and slashed and struck with spear and club; and from the other side of the little circle came a shower of well-placed arrows, and many a brave seaman fell writhing his life out on the sand, which by this time was assuming a sinister crimson hue. Roger and Harry, each armed with an excellent sword borrowed from the ship's armoury, were here, there, and everywhere, but always together, doing much execution, and repeatedly saving each other's lives. Cavendish, in the front of his men, swept his long blade from side to side, and as it fell, flashing meteor-like in the brilliant sunshine, the naked warriors sank before it in heaps. Now from seaward came the crashing discharges of heavy guns, followed by renewed shrieks and cries, as the _Elizabeth_ and the _Good Adventure_ poured their broadsides into the closely-packed canoes. "God grant," muttered Cavendish, "that those other vessels of ours may keep the canoes off; for if these fellows are reinforced, we can never hold out against them." But nobody had time to see how the other action was progressing, for all were too busy with the work in hand, which was the task of defending their own lives. Twice had the gallant little band of Englishmen driven the savages back over the barricade formed by the ships' guns, and twice had the enemy, led by the tall savage, forced their way in again. At last, seeing clearly that all hinged upon this man's downfall, Cavendish made many strenuous efforts to reach him; but for some time he failed, owing to the press. At length, however, an opening occurred, and Cavendish, rushing forward, stood face to face with his arch-enemy. The chief was a man of mighty stature, and evidently of enormous strength, standing nearly seven feet high; and at first sight the disparity between the two adversaries seemed enormous. But what the English captain lacked in height he made up in strength and agility.