the rogues found whom they had to deal with, they edged away under the
man-of-war's stern, and the Greyhound standing after them, they made a
running fight for about two hours; but little wind happening, the sloops
gained from her, by the help of their oars; upon which the Greyhound
left off firing, turned all hands to her own oars, and at three in the
afternoon came up with them. The pirates hauled upon a wind to receive
the man-of-war, and the fight was immediately renewed, with a brisk fire
on both sides, till the Ranger's mainyard was shot down. Under these
circumstances, Low abandoned her to the enemy, and fled.

The conduct of Low was surprising in this adventure, because his reputed
courage and boldness had hitherto so possessed the minds of all people,
that he became a terror even to his own men; but his behaviour
throughout this whole action showed him to be a base cowardly villain;
for had Low's sloop fought half so briskly as Harris' had done (as they
were under a solemn oath to do,) the man-of-war, in the opinion of some
present, could never have hurt them.

Nothing, however, could lessen the fury, or reform the manners, of that
obdurate crew. Their narrow escape had no good effect upon them, and
with redoubled violence they renewed their depredations and cruelties.
The next vessel they captured, was eighty miles from land. They used the
master with the most wanton cruelty, then shot him dead, and forced the
crew into the boat with a compass, a little water, and a few biscuits,
and left them to the mercy of the waves; they, however, beyond all
expectation, got safe to shore.

Low proceeded in his villainous career with too fatal success.
Unsatisfied with satiating their avarice and walking the common path of
wickedness, those inhuman wretches, like to Satan himself, made mischief