up with us: hereupon, we fired a gun without a ball, intimating that
they should bring to, and we put out a flag of truce, as a signal for
parley; but finding them crowding after us, till they came within shot,
we took in our white, and hanging out the red flap, immediately fired at
them with ball: we then called to them with a speaking trumpet, bidding
them at their peril keep off.

But all this signified nothing; for depending upon the strength that
followed them, they were resolutely bent for mischief: hereupon I
ordered them to bring the ship to, by which means, they lying upon our
broadside, we let fly at them at once, one of whom carried away the
stern of the hindermost boat, and obliged them not only to take down
their sail, but made them all run to the head of the boat, to keep them
from sinking, and so she lay by, having enough of it. In the meantime,
we prepared to welcome the foremost boat in the same manner. While we
were doing this, one of the three hindermost boats came up to the relief
of that which was disabled, and took the men out of her. We again
called to parley with them; but, instead of an answer, one of the boats
came close under our stern; whereupon our gunner let fly his two chase
guns, but missing, the men in the boat shouted, and, waving their caps,
came on with greater fury. To repair this seeming disgrace, the gunner
soon got ready, and firing a second time, did a great deal of mischief
among the enemy. We waved again, and, bringing our quarter to bear upon
them, fired three guns more, when we found the boat a sinking, and
several men already in the sea; hereupon, manning our pinnace, I gave
orders to save as many as they could, and instantly to come on board,
because the rest of their boats were approaching: accordingly they did
so, and took up three of them, one of whom was almost past recovery; and
then crowding all the sail we could, after our men came on board, we
stood out farther to sea, so that the other three boats gave over the