But every gun that could bear upon the unhappy cruisers crowded under the land poured in a fire so concentrated, so coolly aimed, and so accurate, that their already demoralized crews could not stand to their guns, and running their ships ashore, swarmed over the bows and left them to their fate.
The Hong Lu did indeed make one desperate and gallant attempt. Extricating herself from the other ships, she commenced steaming towards the Laird and the Strong Arm, and came down at great speed with the intention of either ramming one or other of them, or of forcing her way past and escaping to sea.
The Laird and the Strong Arm, opening out a little in the broader part of the harbour, poured in a very hail of 6-inch shells. The Hong Lu's thin, low plates were rent open in a dozen places, water poured in, and she began visibly to sink by the head. An 8-inch shell burst at the foot of her foremast under the bridge, her bows were smothered in flame and smoke, she fell off to port, and then she too ran with a crash up the shore, and her crew began jumping overboard.
The Strong Arm steamed towards her to complete the destruction, if necessary, and saw one huge solitary figure on her quarter-deck. This was Schmidt, who quickly dived into the sea, swam with powerful strokes to the land, and disappeared in the dense cover.
With the Hong Lu abandoned all opposition ceased, and from the top of One Gun Hill the faint sound of cheering could be heard. Looking through their telescopes they could see the gallant little party clustered behind the breast-works they had defended so long, standing up on the sand-bags and waving their helmets as they cheered.
They, too, were safe.
The light was already beginning to fade, and heavy squalls of rain made signalling difficult, but Cummins managed to get one semaphore signal through to the Laird: "Enemy disappearing; am short of ammunition, and require medical assistance. Richardson is killed."
Helston sent for Dr. Fox and handed him the signal.
"I'll go myself," said the Doctor.
"I thought you would," replied Helston. "I'll give you fifty men, and you must get up there as fast as you can, and I'll turn my search-lights on the top of the hill as soon as it is dark. I don't expect that you'll find the Chinese have any more fight left in them, but if you do I will help you."