We Had Only One Small
Cannon, Which We Could Not Mount, And Were Therefore Obliged To Fire It
As It Lay Along The Deck; And We Had Only Two Round Shot, A Few
Chain-Bolts, The Clapper Of The Speedwell's Bell, And Some Bags Of
Stones.
We came up with her in four hours; but I now saw that she had
guns and pattereroes, with a considerable number of men, whose arms
glittered in the sun.
The enemy defied us to board them, and at the same
time gave us a volley of great and small shot, which killed our gunner,
and almost brought our foremast by the board. This unexpected reception
staggered many of my people, who before seemed most forward, so that
they lay on their oars for some time, though I urged them to keep their
way. Recovering again, we rowed quite up to them, and continued to
engage till all our small shot was expended, which obliged us to fall
astern to make some slugs, and in this manner we made three attacks
without success. All night we were busied in making slugs, and provided
a large quantity before morning, when we came to the determined
resolution either to carry her by boarding, or to submit to her. At
day-break, I accordingly ordered twenty men in our yawl to lay her
athwart hawse, while I proposed to board her from the bark; but, just as
we were on the point of making the attempt, a gale sprung up, and she
went away from us.
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