The _Grecian_ having captured a clipper Brazilian hermaphrodite brig,
with nearly 500 slaves on board, Lieutenant D'Aguilar was placed in
charge of her as prizemaster, with ten men, and ordered to proceed to
Bahia, the sloop following him thither. The prize duly arrived, and
anchored at Bahia before the _Grecian_, and not the slightest suspicion
was entertained but that she was safe. In the course of the day,
however, Lieutenant D'Aguilar received some hints to the effect that a
combination was being made on shore among the slavers to attempt to
retake the prize; and, although nothing definite was communicated, it
was sufficient warning to him to be on the alert, and to take
precautions which saved him and his men from being massacred. The
evening passed off without disturbance; but about ten o'clock at night
several boats from the shore were seen pulling for the brig, containing,
it was estimated, 150 Brazilians. As they neared the prize, they were
hailed, and ordered to keep off, but with some boldness they advanced
alongside. The strangers having approached too near to be agreeable,
Lieutenant D'Aguilar endeavoured to check them by a discharge of
musketry. This commenced a most severe conflict, the fire being
returned by the pirates as they dashed alongside and attempted to board.
That firmness and undaunted bravery, however, which is characteristic
of British seamen, was here displayed in an eminent degree; and the
Brazilians, with their overpowering numbers, were completely beaten off
by Lieutenant D'Aguilar and his little band, with a loss, on the enemy's
side, it is said, of upwards of ten killed and thirty wounded. As may
naturally be supposed, where the contest was one at close quarters, and
where each of the gallant defenders had so many assailants to wait upon,
they did not come out of the _melee_ unscathed. Scarcely one of them
escaped a mark, and several of them were severely wounded. Lieutenant
D'Aguilar received many hurts about the head. It subsequently
transpired that it was the intention of the Brazilians to have silently
got alongside the vessel, and to have secured the prize-crew. They
would then have cut the cables and made sail, to land the cargo of
slaves at another part of the coast. This affair was the theme of
general applause in the squadron on the station.