Storia do Mogor 346.1.2

346.1.2

As day broke next day, January 13, when they were about fourteen miles from the coast, they made out four sail to the north-west at a distance of four or five miles. Guessing them to be French, they made all sail, but the pursuers overhauled them hand over hand. About ten o'clock the nearest ship displayed a red ensign as a signal to one of the other ships. All four ships now flew white flags, the admiral coming up on the port and the second in command on the starboard. Owing to its position the Dutch could only attack the second ship with their swivel guns and musketry. Meanwhile the Goude Vogel Phenix fought the enemy's principal ship with all available cannon. But owing to their being so heavily laden, only four of their lowest tier of guns on either side could be discharged. The French fired broadside upon broadside into them, a portion of their rigging and a good deal of their shrouds being shot into tatters so that they could carry no sail. The topsails were shot into bits and fell overboard; a large part of the tiller was destroyed. They drifted helplessly between the two largest Frenchmen, while the remaining two ships of their fleet were drawing close.