ATTACKED BY BOATS. 647

while we kept out to sea with wind enough, and could see the
boats at a distance, being five large longboats, following us with
all the sail they could make.

Two of these boats, which by our glasses we could see were
English, out-sailed the rest, and were near two leagues ahead of
them, and gained upon us considerably, so that we found they
would come up with us. Upon which we fired a gun without
ball, 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, when we took in our white flag, they
having made no answer to it, hung out a red flag, and fired at them
with a 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 which 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 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,
ran out his two chase-guns, and fired again at her; but the shot
tmnissing, the men in the boat shouted, waved their caps, and came
on. But the gunner, getting quickly ready again, fired among
them the second time; one shot of which, though it missed the