I was afraid that they would all run away, and we should lose them; but, on the contrary, they mustered very strong on that night, and had resolved to "give fight." The men remained in the house, but an advanced guard of about thirty of their wives saluted us with a shower of stones and mud.
Some of our sailors were hurt, but they did not appear to mind what the women did.

They rushed on, and then they were attacked by the women with their fists and nails.

Notwithstanding this, the sailors only laughed, pushing the women on one side, and saying, "Be quiet, Poll;"-- "Don't be foolish, Molly;"-- "Out of the way, Sukey; we a'n't come to take away your fancy man;" with expressions of that sort, although the blood trickled down many of their faces, from the way in which they had been clawed.

Thus we attempted to force our way through them, but I had a very narrow escape even in this instance.

A woman seized me by the arm, and pulled me towards her; had it not been for one of the quarter-masters I should have been separated from my party; but, just as they dragged me away, she caught hold of me by the leg, and stopped them.