A few minutes afterwards I was startled by a rushing sound behind me.

On turning quickly round I saw to my horror two huge dogs galloping straight at me.

Quick as lightning I stood on the defensive, and when they with open mouths and bloodshot eyes were within five yards, I pulled the trigger.

The gun missed fire with the first barrel.
The second barrel luckily went off, scattering the brains of the nearest dog, the whole charge having entered his mouth, and gone through the palate into his brain.

This occurrence seemed to check the advance of the second brute, who, while hesitating for a moment before coming at me, received a ball in his side from one of my sailors, who fortunately had observed what was going on and had come to my rescue.