[Knights-devel] Before the two eighteen pounders were again ready, a fire wa

[Auckerman V. <for...@mi...>]

"we must fight it out here. It is lucky we have a fair stock of
ammunition, and can keep it up for some hours yet. You see, the sailors
have not had to use their pistols yet, and they will astonish those
fellows if they do manage to scale the sandbags." For another half hour
the fighting continued. Again and again the Malays fell back, but only
to return to the attack with fresh fury, and the defenders had been
obliged to betake themselves more than once to their pistols. The two
heavy guns were now removed from their position to the sides, for the
attack by boats had ceased entirely, and the destruction of the prahus
was of less importance than the defense of the little fort from the
attacks on its flanks. The operation began just as the Malays made one
of their retreats, and by the time they returned, the guns were placed
in their new position, their muzzles peeping out from among the
sandbags, while the embrasures on the water face had been closed by bags
taken from the upper line. The effect of the fire at such close quarters
was to drive the Malays flying into the forest. Shortly afterwards the
sound of chopping was heard. "The beggars are trying to cut a path
through the jungle to our rear, Dick," H