But the crews
are not murdered; on the contrary, they have been well used, and are now
on board that felucca. I am come to surrender the whole fifteen to
you."
"The whole fifteen! and what have you made of the other twelve?"
"Gastados," said the fellow, with all the sangfroid in the world,
"gastados, (spent or expended) by their own folly."
"Oh, they are expended, are they? then give us the fifteen."
"Certainly, but you will in this case withdraw your force, of course"
"We shall see about that--go and send us the men." He jumped down into
the canoe, and shoved off;--whenever he reached the felucca, he struck
the white flag, and hoisted the Spanish in its stead, and by hauling on
a spring, he brought her to cover the largest schooner so effectually,
that we could not fire a shot at her without going through the felucca.
We could see all the men leave this latter vessel in two canoes, and go
on board one of the other craft. There was now no time to be lost, so I
dashed at the felucca in the gig, and broke open the hatches, where we
found the captured seamen and their gallant leader, Lieutenant----, in a
sorry plight, expecting nothing but to be blown up, or instant death by
shot or the knife. We released them, and, sending to the Gleam for
ammunition and small arms, led the way in the felucca, by Mr Gasket's
orders, to the attack, the corvette's launch supporting us; while the
schooner with the other craft were scraping up as fast as they could.
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