e Devil of Delft borrowed so near, that
she got aground, and remained fast for a quarter of an hour. On seeing
this, we made towards them, but she was got off before we could get any
thing near, when she and all the rest of their fleet stood to the
northwards. As our fleet had the weather-gage, we _paid room upon
them_[263] till we came within shot, and then the Moon, commanded by our
admiral, Sir Thomas Dale, began the fight with the headmost ship of the
enemy, called the San. The battle continued for the space of three
hours, during which time we spent upon them some 1200 cannon-shot, when
we left them for the night, they standing so for to the northwards, that
they got the _burger-boat_ again into their company, and then anchored
about half a league from us to the westwards, where they remained all
night.

[Footnote 263: This antiquated expression evidently means bearing down
upon them to leewards.--E.]

Both fleets weighed anchor on the 24th, ours plying to the westwards to
gain the wind, and the Hollanders ran in shore towards Point Aire. In
the mean time, we descried three sail coming before the wind from the
westwards, which at length we perceived to be the Little James, the
Hound, and the Francis. By and bye we joined altogether, and chased the
Dutch fleet through the bay of Jacatra, to its eastern point, where we
all came to anchor for the night. During the night, the Dutch from
Jacatra sent a junk filled with combustible matter, and on fire, which
came so near our fleet that we were fain to weigh our anchors and get
out of her way. The 25th, being Christmas-day, we again saw the Dutch
fleet standing to the eastwards, and we sent our barge to follow them
all night, to see what course they took, because we had left the James
Royal in the bay of Bantam, with the Advice and our prize, which they
might have surprised, if they got to Bantam before us, as there was no
ship of force but the James, and she was unprepared, being busied in
taking in her goods and stores, after being emptied to find her leak.

The 27th of December, after midnight, the Black Lion, our Dutch prize,
was set on fire by the carelessness of three wicked fellows, and burnt
to the water's edge. The president went ashore on the morning of the
30th, to wait upon the king of Jacatra, accompanied by Mr Henry Jackson,
when an unfortunate shot carried away his leg, of which wound he
died.[264]

[Footnote 264: It appears in the sequel that it was Ja