Travels in India (Tavernier) 43.6

43.6

Not to conceal the fact, our Admiral showed but little courage in this encounter, for instead of boarding then and there, the occasion being so favourable, he cut the cable in order to free his vessel. All the ports were so well closed that from outside one could not say how many cannon there were. But after the English had made their first discharge, and our Admiral had returned it, which was much more effective, the English, seeing the number of his guns and the crowd which appeared on the deck, began to lose heart, and the wind proving favourable, drew off. However, the English Vice-Admiral having reloaded his guns, came skilfully to the vessel on which I was. Our Captain reserved his fire until we were nearly alongside one another, notwithstanding the loss of ten men which we had sustained. When we were not more than a pistol-shot off we let him have a discharge from all our guns, which broke his foremast. The two vessels coming in contact, our Captain was the first to board, and, accompanied by many brave men with hatchets, they cut all the ropes. While the two vessels were close to one another the sub-pilot and I fired a cannon-shot so effectively into the cabin of the English Captain that the bullet set fire to some powder cartridges which had been placed there. This unforeseen fire caused the English to fear that the conflagration increasing would envelop all their vessel ;