To add to the awkwardness of the affair,
the Arabs began to fire with those muskets that are of so little service
in close encounters, but which are notorious for sending their shot with
great precision from a distance. The bullets came thick upon the ship,
though the stoutness of the bulwarks forward, and their height, as yet
protected the men.
In this dilemma, Captain Truck hesitated about continuing to haul ahead,
and he sent for Mr. Blunt and Mr. Leach for a consultation. Both these
gentlemen advised perseverance, and as the counsel of the former will
succinctly show the state of things, it shall be given in his own words.
"Indecision is always discouraging to one's friends, and encouraging to
one's enemies," he said, "and I recommend perseverance. The nearer we haul
to the rocks, the greater will be our command of them, while the more the
chances of the Arabs' throwing their bullets on our decks will be
diminished. Indeed, so long as we ride head to wind, they cannot fire low
enough to effect their object from the northern reef, and on the southern
they will not venture very near, for want of cover. It is true it will be
impossible for us to bend our sails or to send out a boat in the face of
so heavy a fire, while our assailants are so effectually covered; but we
may possibly dislodge them with the gun, or with our small-arms, from the
decks.
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