Unable to do anything else but maintain his hold on his fallen foe, he was powerless to prevent the thrusts of Hill’s sword. Fortunately, they resulted in a few slight scratches only, which were sufficiently deep, however, to leave lifelong scars on the breast of the intended victim. How long the struggle would have lasted had the combatants been left alone, it is not possible to say. A young man happened to pass by the house, and, catching a glimpse of what was passing within, took in the whole situation at once. Running as quickly as he could to his house, he soon returned armed with a musket, and called out that he was going to shoot Hill. Others, hearing the shout, came running together to learn what the cause of the disturbance was. Arriving at the scene of the quarrel, their first act was to dispossess Hill of his sword. He was then allowed to rise and retire peaceably to his room. Nothing further was done to him, but he did not receive his sword back again until the day when, friendless and unloved, he left the island forever. Letters of complaint from the persecuted Buffett, Evans, and Nobbs had, in the meantime, been sent on to Valparaiso, asking redress from those who might and could render help and deliverance from Hill’s power. In answer to their earnest appeal, the _Actæon_ was sent to the island in 1836. She was commanded by Lord Edward Russell. His lordship, shortly after arriving, called a meeting, over which he himself presided. Permission was given to all concerned to speak their minds freely, a privilege of which each one readily availed himself. A warm and lively debate ensued, and while Hill was speaking in his own defense, one unruly member of the meeting would every now and again interrupt him with, “It’s a lie, my lord,” addressed to Lord Russell. The proceedings of the court provoked much laughter, and all was greatly enjoyed by his lordship. One circumstance especially called forth peals of laughter. Hill was relating a story about a book that belonged to Hannah Young. Opposite to the motto “_Dieu et mon droit_,” on the title-page, were written the following lines:— “God and my right we often see Emblazoned abroad; Let them who read this motto be With Jesus, right with God.” Beneath this Nobbs had placed his signature, “G. H. Nobbs, P. S. M.” Hill had taken the liberty to add as a postscript this quotation from Holy Writ: “Alas, master! for it was borrowed.” On Lord Russell’s asking an explanation of the three initial letters subjoined to the name of Nobbs, Hill readily replied that _Nobbs_ intended them to mean “Pastor and Spiritual Master,” but, in _his_ estimation, the correct rendering should be “Public Miscreant and Scoundrel.” These lively thrusts were given by each party until his lordship declared that the whole proceeding was too good to finish at one sitting, and the meeting adjourned to the following day.