The commodore was surprised all this time to find that the galleon did not alter her course, but continued to bear down upon her, for he hardly believed--what afterwards appeared to be the case--that her captain knew his ship to be the _Centurion_, and had resolved to fight her. About noon the _Centurion_ was a little more than a league from the galleon, and could fetch her wake, so that she could not now escape. No second ship appearing, it was concluded that she had been separated from her consort. Soon after the galleon hauled up her foresail, and brought to under her topsails, with her head to the northward, hoisting Spanish colours, and having the standard of Spain on the topgallant masthead. The _Centurion_ now rapidly neared the galleon. A little after noon there were several squalls of wind and rain, which often obscured the latter from sight; but whenever it cleared up, she was observed resolutely lying to. Towards one o'clock, the _Centurion_ hoisted her broad pennant and colours, she being then within gunshot of the enemy. The Spaniards, the commodore observed, had neglected to clear their ship, they being engaged in throwing overboard cattle and lumber. He gave orders to fire upon them with the chase-guns, to prevent them from completing their work. The galleon returned the fire with two of her stern-chasers. Soon after the _Centurion_ came abreast of her, within pistol-shot, keeping to leeward for the purpose of preventing her from putting before the wind and getting away. Now the engagement commenced in earnest. For the first half-hour the _Centurion_ overreached the galleon, and lay on her bow. By the greater wideness of the ports of the former, she could traverse almost all her guns, while the galleon could only bring a part of hers to bear. Scarcely had the action begun, when the mats with which the galleon had stuffed her netting took fire and burned violently, blazing up half as high as the mizen-top. This accident threw the enemy into great confusion, and the commodore feared lest the galleon should be burned, and his ship suffer by driving on board her. The Spaniards at last, however, freed themselves from the fire by cutting away the netting and tumbling the whole mass into the sea.