It is an arrangement that the crew are to practise shooting once a week, so they have all come to be pretty fair shots; and the captain, himself, can send a two-pound shot from those little guns uncommonly straight.
"You will be amused when you see us practising for action.

The captain's wife and the two boys load the guns, and do it very quickly, too.

He runs round from gun to gun, takes aim, and fires.
The crew shout, and yell, and bang away with their muskets.

I take the command, and give a few pice among them, if the firing has been accurate.
"We have been attacked, once or twice, in the upper waters; but have always managed to beat the robbers off, without much difficulty.

The captain fires away, till they get pretty close; and I pepper them with my rifles--I have three of them.