I didn't like the cut of his jib, so rather snubbed him.

However, he continued to ride on with us, to within half a mile of where our boat was waiting to take us on board.

I must explain our relative positions as we rode along.

The captain was on my left, I next to him, and the man was on my right, riding very near to me.

All of a sudden he exclaimed in Spanish, 'Now is the time or never,' threw his right leg over the pommel of his saddle, slipped on to the ground, drew his knife, dashed at me, and after snatching my gun from my hand, stuck his knife (as he thought) into me.