My orders were strictly to follow the movements or action of my superior.

Then I witnessed a gallant act, such as I have not seen surpassed during forty years of active service that I have gone through since that time.
Lieutenant A.C., who was in the leading boat, a large twelve-oared cutter, edged pretty near to the advancing vessel, and when quite close under her bows one man seemed to me to spring like a chamois on board.

I saw the boat from which the man jumped make an ineffectual attempt to get alongside the vessel, that was going at the rate of six miles an hour, and then drop astern.

I heard a pistol shot, and suddenly the vessel was thrown up in the wind with all her sails aback, thus entirely stopping her way (sailors will understand this).

Not knowing precisely what had happened, we pulled like maniacs alongside of the slaver.