me between us two
and fired on me to the windward and on Captain Sawkins to the leeward,
wounding with these broadsides four men in the Captain's canoe and one
in mine. Nevertheless, he paid so dear for his passage between us that
he was not very quick in coming about again and trying it a second time;
for with our first volley we killed several of his men upon the decks.
Thus we got to the windward of the enemy as our other canoes had already
done. At this moment the Admiral of the Little Fleet came up with us
suddenly, scarcely giving us time to charge, and thinking to pass by us
with as little damage as the first of his ships had received, or even
less. But it fell out much worse for him, for we were so fortunate as to
kill the man at the helm, so that his ship ran into the wind and her
sails lay "a-back" as the mariners say. This gave us time to come up
under the stern of his vessel, and firing continually into the vessel we
killed as many as came to the helm, and cut in two his mainsail and
brace.

At this time the third Spanish vessel was seen coming up to the aid of
the Admiral's ship. Captain Sawkins left the latter to our four canoes
and rowed away to meet the oncoming Spaniards. The dispute or fight
between them was very hot, as they lay close together, and fought from
one side of the deck to the other, both giving and receiving death as
fast as they could charge. Meanwhile the first ship tacked about and
came up to relieve the Admiral. We determined to prevent this design,
and two of our canoes, Captain Springer's and my own, stood out to meet
the new arrival, who made direct upon the Admiral, who stood upon the
quarter-deck waving at him with a handkerchief what to do. But we met
him in the middle of his way, and came so close to him that if he had
not turned his course, we should have been on board him. As it was, we
killed so many of his crew that the vessel had scarcely men enough left
alive and unwounded to carry her off. Fortunately for them, the wind
sprang up fresh, and they were able to sail away and save their lives.

Having put to flight the vessel which was to relieve the Admiral, we
turned about and with a loud halloo joined our friends in the other
boat, and came so close under the stern of the Admiral's ship that we
wedged up the rudder and at the same time killed both the Admiral and
the chief pilot. Seeing how disabled their ship was, and disheartened by
the slaughter, for at least two-third