hat of Middleton in 1610?

While the Solomon was forthwith ordered elsewhere in search of trade,
Best, with the other two vessels, reached Swally, near the mouth of the
Surat River, early in the month of September, 1612. Here Kerridge,
disembarking with several companions, was well received by the native
merchants and inhabitants, although gaining the disapprobation of the
Portuguese. He obtained permission to land some broadcloths, lead, iron,
and quicksilver, procuring in exchange for these such Surat merchandise
as the company had recommended him to acquire as suitable for the
purchase of pepper and spices at Achin and Bantam.

In the midst of these agreeable transactions the Portuguese swept down
upon the company's men, with four ships, mounting one hundred
twenty-four guns, besides a large flotilla of small native galleys. As
they advanced, thinking to cut him off and board him, Captain Best
perceived, with the intuition of the trained mariner, the weakness of
their formation. He called out to Captain Pettie, of the Hoseander, to
follow him, and, singling out the two largest of the Portuguese vessels,
prepared to dash straight for them, his gunners, half naked, standing
ready and alert for the word of command which should begin the fray.

But to Best's confusion the Hoseander budged not a rod, being gripped
fast by her anchors. In this predicament there was nothing for it. Best
must close with the enemy single-handed. Placing his Red Dragon between
the Portuguese admiral and vice-admiral, the company's commander gave
orders to the gunners, and the battle commenced by the firing of a
double broadside, which "well peppered" the enemy, who responded by
splintering the Englishman's mainmast and sinking his long-boat.

"Having exchanged some forty great shot of each side," reports an
eye-witness of the battle to the company, "the night being come they
anchored in sight of each other, and the next morning our ships weighed
again and began their fight again, which continued some three hours, in
which time they drove three of their galleons on the sands. And so our
ships came to anchor, and in the afternoon weighed anchor, in which time
the flood being come the galleons, with the help of the frigates, were
afloat again."

Yet there was to be more and fiercer fighting against even greater odds
before the Portuguese had had their fill of the English off Swally.
After an attempt on their part to set fire to the Hoseander