My watch was nearly out, when the midshipman who was looking round with his glass on the Copenhagen side, reported three gun-boats, sweeping out from behind a point. I examined them, and went down to report them to the captain. When I came on deck, more were reported, until we counted ten, two of them large vessels, called praams. The captain now came on deck, and I reported them. We made the signal of enemy in sight, to the _Acasta_, which was answered. They divided--six of them pulling along shore towards the convoy in the rear, and four coming out right for the brig. The _Acasta_ now made the signal for "Boats manned and armed to be held in readiness." We hoisted out our pinnace, and lowered down our cutters--the other men-of-war doing the same. In about a quarter of an hour, the gun-boats opened their fire with their long thirty-two pounders, and their first shot went right through the hull of the brig, just abaft the fore-bits; fortunately, no one was hurt. I turned round to look at the captain; he was as white as a sheet. He caught my eye, and turned aft, when he was met by Swinburne's eye, steadily fixed upon him. He then walked to the other side of the deck. Another shot ploughed up the water close to us, rose, and came through the hammock-netting, tearing out two of the hammocks, and throwing them on the quarter-deck, when the _Acasta_ hoisted out pennants, and made the signal to send our pinnace and cutter to the assistance of vessels astern. The signal was also made to the _Isis_ and _Reindeer_. I reported the signal, and inquired who was to take the command. "You, Mr Simple, will take the pinnace, and order Mr Swinburne into the cutter." "Mr Swinburne, sir!" replied I; "the brig will, in all probability, be in action soon, and his services as a gunner will be required." "Well, then, Mr Hilton may go. Beat to quarters. Where is Mr Webster?" The second lieutenant was close to us, and he was ordered to take the duty during my absence. I jumped into the pinnace, and shoved off; ten other boats from the _Acasta_ and the other men-of-war were pulling in the same direction, and I joined them. The gun-boats had now opened fire upon the convoy astern, and were sweeping out to capture them, dividing themselves into two parties, and pulling towards different portions of the convoy. In half-an-hour we were within gun-shot of the nearest, which directed its fire at us; but the lieutenant of the _Acasta_, who commanded the detachment, ordered us to lie on our oars for a minute, while he divided his force in three divisions, of four boats each, with instructions that we should each oppose a division of two gun-boats.