Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/130



their black and bloody Flags hanging over us, without the leat Appearance of ecaping being cut to Pieces. But God, in his good Providence, determin’d otherwie; for notwithtanding their Superiority, we engaged ’em both about three Hours, during which, the biggest received ome Shot betwixt Wind and Water, which made her keep off a little to top her Leaks. The other endeavoured all he could to board us, by rowing with her Oars, being within half a Ship’s Length of us above an Hour; but by good Fortune we hot all her Oars to Pieces, which prevented them, and by conequence aved our Lives.

About Four o’Clock, most of the Officers and Men poted on the Quarter-Deck being killed and wounded, the largest Ship making up to us with all Diligence, being till within a Cable’s Length of us, often giving us a Broadide, and no hopes of Capt. Kirby’s coming to our Aitance, we endeavoured to run ahoar; and tho’ we drew four Foot Water more than the Pyrate, it pleaed God that he tuck fat on a higher Ground than we happily fell in with; o was diappointed a econd time from boarding us. Here we had a more violent Engagement than before. All my Officers, and mot of my Men, behaved with unexpected Courage; and as we had a coniderable Advantage by having a Broadide to his Bow, we did him great Damage, o that had Capt. Kirby come in then, I believe we hould have taken both, for we had one of them ure; but the other Pyrate (who was till firing at us) eeing the Greenwich did not offer to aist us, he upplied his Conort with three Boats full of freh Men. About Five in the Evening the Greenwich tood clear away to Sea, leaving us truggling hard for Life in the very Jaws of Death; which the other Pyrate, that was afloat, eeing, got a-warp out, and was hauling under our Stern; by which time many of my Men being killed and wounded, and no Hopes left us from being all murdered by enraged barbarous Conquerors, I order’d all that could, to get into the Long-Boat under the Cover of the Smoak of our Guns; o that with what ome did in Boats, and others by wimming, mot of us that were able got hoar,