Their Career Was Soon
Stopped, As They Had Hardly Got Beyond The Top Of The Bank When They
Discovered The Enemy Coming Furiously Towards Them.
Some of the seamen
were of opinion they might have retreated at this time in safety, if
they had
Not been astonished at the strange manner in which they were
attacked, by a number of horses galloping up to them without riders,
which caused them for some time to stand amazed, not knowing what way to
proceed; but on a little reflection they bestirred themselves to make
the best of their way to the Mercury, in which they all succeeded except
five, who were made prisoners. Fortunately for them, the Mercury had by
some accident got aground, or they must all have been cut off, as the
Spaniards thought fit to retire on getting within musket-shot of the
Mercury. They now got the bark afloat, but as the water was still very
low, and they were obliged in going out of the bay to keep very near to
a point of land, the Spaniards galled them from that point, under the
shelter of the wood. They soon passed this point, having a fair wind,
all lying close in the bottom of the bark, so that on this occasion only
one man was wounded, who was shot through the thigh. The Spaniards came
down upon them in this affair after the following singular manner. They
were preceded by twenty or more horses abreast, two deep, and linked
together, behind which extraordinary van-guard came the enemy on
horseback, lying on the necks of their horses, and driving the others
before them, never seen to sit up on their saddles, except to fire their
muskets, or when there was no danger.
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