But, Before
Quitting Their Ships, They Set Them On Fire, Thinking To Have Burnt The
Hope Along With Them.
But, praised be the Lord of Hosts, they were burnt
without harm to the Hope; for, so soon as the fire had well kindled, the
flaming ships were cast loose and drifted on the sands, where they
continued burning till quenched by the flowing tide.
So long as
day-light lasted, we continued exchanging shots from all our ships with
the galleons, they being on the outside of a spit of sand, and we on the
inside. They did us little injury in our hulls, but much to our ropes
and sails overhead. In this conflict, besides those who were wounded, we
had five men slain. By a great mischance, the main-top-sail, top-mast,
and shrouds got afire, communicated from the main-top, in consequence of
the fire-works lodged there taking fire, the man being slain who had the
charge there. All these were burnt quite away, together with a great
part of the main-mast; and this misfortune prevented us from going out
into deep water to try our fortune with the viceroy in close fight. We
were likewise put to our shifts, not knowing by what means we might get
the mast replaced.
The 21st I got the anchor weighed, which we had been obliged to cut from
the day before. On the 22d, I was informed that many great men,
accompanied by a Portuguese friar, and escorted by five or six hundred
horse, had come down to Swally, meaning to send the friar next day, with
three or four principal Moors, to negociate a peace with the viceroy.
But the nabob sent me word, that he sought for no such thing, and was
resolved to conclude no peace, unless we were included.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 300 of 910
Words from 81553 to 81859
of 247546
