ts following us, with all the sail they could make.

Two of these boats, which, by our glasses, we could see were English,
had outsailed the rest, were near two leagues a head of them, and gained
upon us considerably; so that we found they would come up with us: upon
which we fired a gun without a shot, to intimate that they should bring
to; and we put out a flag of truce, as a signal for parley; but they
kept crowding after us, till they came within shot: upon this we took in
our white flag, they having made no answer to it; hung out the red flag,
and fired at them with shot; notwithstanding this, they came on till
they were near enough to call to them with a speaking, trumpet, which we
had on board; so we called to them, and bade them keep off at
their peril.

It was all one, they crowded after us, and endeavoured to come under
our stern, so to board us on our quarter: upon which, seeing they were
resolute for mischief, and depended upon the strength that followed
them, I ordered to bring the ship to, so that they lay upon our
broadside, when immediately we fired five guns at them; one of them had
been levelled so true, as to carry away the stern of the hindermost
boat, and bring them to the necessity of taking down their sail, and
running all to the head of the boat to keep her from sinking; so she lay
by, and had enough of it; but seeing the foremost boat still crowd on
after us, we made ready to fire at her in particular.

While this was doing, one of the three boats that was behind, being
forwarder than the other two, made up to the boat which we had disabled,
to relieve her, and we could afterwards see her take out the men: we
called again to the foremost boat, and offered a truce to parley again,
and to know what was her business with us; but had no answer: only she
crowded close under our stern. Upon this our gunner, who was a very
dexterous fellow, run out his two chase-guns, and fired at her; but the
shot missing, the men in the boat shouted, waved their caps, and came
on; but the gunner, getting quickly ready again, fired among them a
second time; one shot of which, though it missed the boat itself, yet
fell in among the men, and we could easily see had done a great deal of
mischief among them; but we, taking no notice of that, weared the ship
again, and brought our quarter to bear upon them; and, firing three guns
more, we found the boat was split almost to pieces; in particular, her
rudder, and a piece o