For
as soon as we rowed toward them and interchanged shot, they presently
retired and went ashore into the woods, where an ambush of some sixty
shot were laid for us: besides two pinnaces and a frigate warping
towards us, which were manned as the rest. They attempted us very
boldly, being assisted by those others, which from out of the wood, had
gotten aboard the gundeloe and canoe, and seeing us bearing from them
(which we did in respect of the _ambuscado_), they encouraged themselves
and assured their fellows of the day.
But our Captain weighing this their attempt, and being out of danger
of their shot from the land, commanding his other pinnace to be brought
ahead of him, and to let fall their grapners each ahead of the other,
environed both the pinnaces with bonnets, as for a close fight, and then
wheaved [waved] them aboard him.
They kept themselves upon their oars at caliver-shot distance, spending
powder apace; as we did some two or three hours. We had only one of our
men wounded in that fight. What they had is unknown to us, but we saw
their pinnaces shot through in divers places, and the powder of one of
them took fire; whereupon we weighed, intending to bear room to overrun
them: which they perceiving, and thinking that we would have boarded
them, rowed away amain to the defence they had in the wood, the rather
because they were disappointed of their help that they expected from the
frigate; which was warping towards us, but by reason of the much wind
that blew, could not come to offend us or succour them.
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