A crash--and a great ship, floating the yellow flag of Spain, her decks crowded with men, emerged from the smoke, and spurting fire and death, as though some Titan of the deep bent upon our destruction, she bore down upon us. The men around me were falling thick and fast; one by my side sprang into the air with a loud cry, and then fell, struck down by a ball. A few of the crew were endeavoring to answer them with some of our culverins, but it was in vain; they were shot down where they stood, before they could fire a single gun. The biting scent of the powder was in my nostrils; the smoke stung my eyes until they ran water; bloody and grimy, I waved my sword and cheered on the men, as they fired their guns at the foe. "Steady!" I shouted. "Stand firm! This cannot last!" With a last volley, she swept up to our side, and a throng of armed men sprang upon our decks. The smoke cleared for an instant--there was not an English ship in sight, that I could see. Away to the west, about a mile distant, the roars of the guns resounding showed that the fight still raged, but as far as we were concerned, we must work out our own salvation. And now, sword in hand, the boarders charged down upon our little band as they gathered around Drake, and there we made our last stand. With a rush they were upon us, and then ensued a wild mêlée. Borne back by the weight of numbers the English stood an instant; and then, broken and scattered in little groups, they were swallowed up in the dense mass of their foes. Only the rush and swarm where they fought showed that they were still standing at bay, undaunted and unafraid. Cut off from the others, only a seaman or two with me, I fought like a tiger for my very life. All around me there swept a fierce sea of angry, hostile faces; every hand seemed to hold a weapon and to be bent upon my destruction. I could see nothing of the English; I was alone save only for the two sailors. But the enemy were handicapped by their very numbers; many slipped and went down on the bloody decks, and their companions in blind fury cut and struggled over them in their endeavor to get at me. Many of the wounded were trampled under foot and perished. Cursing, shouting, and fighting among themselves, the Spaniards tried to cut me down. But I had kept perfectly cool as they closed with me; the two men, their backs to mine, guarded my rear, and we held them at bay for many minutes. I was silent, and made no answer to the cries of the Spaniards; every now and then there would come to my ears the hoarse shouts of Drake, as somewhere in the press he fought and struggled. But save that, I could hear no sound from my friends.