Only one took effect, and that, alas! was on my faithful comrade; so that when the gate was opened, I was the only man left to hand over the fort to his Majesty's officers.
After that, we made short business of the Republic One and Indivisible in the island of Chanson.

The _Diana_ slipped out cleverly in the wind's eye, with a broadside a-piece to her opponents, who, when they found themselves caught between the two fires, thought better of their enterprise, and tried to get out of it.
Only one of them succeeded; and our fellows spent a merry morning and afternoon with the other, boarding her and running the king's flag to the top of her mainmast.
This adventure--though, as I say, I deserved no more credit for it than the score of gallant fellows who lost their lives--gained me no small renown; and when presently the _Diana_ was ordered home to British waters, one of the first pieces of news that met me when we landed at Portsmouth was that I had been recommended to the Admiralty as a suitable person to receive his Majesty's warrant as boatswain to my ship.

Meantime, as necessary repairs to the _Diana_ would necessitate a full month in dock, leave of absence for a week or two was granted to most of her crew in consideration of their long service..