The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second Part — John Shaqi
The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second PartHead, Richard
General
The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second Part
Head, Richard
Rogues and vagabonds -- England -- Fiction
But now it falling out otherwise, great was their trouble, not knowing
how to behave themselves: and although there was forty men on board, and
they all well enough acquainted with Navigation in those parts, yet I
that was but of one years standing was their best instructor, or else we
had been lost and perished; most of our sails being now taken down, and
the wind ceasing, we by the next day came into our knowledge, but met
with another misfortune, which was like to prove worse than the former,
for we discovered a Junck, though nothing near so big as ours, yet
better man’d, and was indeed a _Malabar_ Man of War, and our professed
Enemy, who are used to infest those Seas with their Pyracies; our Seamen
being sensible of the desperateness of our condition, were greatly
dismayed, but I (who was formerly used to be dead-hearted enough) did
now become valorous, and encouraged them by words and actions, for
considering the badness of my own condition, being likely not only to
lose what Estate I had lately gathered, but at least wise my liberty,
and it may be my life, (for many of these _Malabars_ do kill and feed on
their Prisoners) these considerations I say possessed me with so much
courage, that I was resolved to try my utmost power to defend my self
from my Enemies; we were by chance accompanied by ten _Moors_ called
_Rashpoots_, who being alwayes brought up in Wars, never go unarmed;
these persons being more courageous than the rest, by my example, put
themselves into a posture of defence, and the other Seamen had Swords
and other weapons put into their hands, to keep the Enemy from boarding
us: we had eight great Guns in our Junck, which were carried more for
ornament than use, for they knew not how to discharge them against an
Enemy to advantage, (they being as well as their tackling and sails,
fixed to one place) only served to be shot off in triumph, and make a
noise, but would not be well levelled to carry a Bullet to do execution.
I seeing this inconvenience, took such order therein that the Guns were
placed so as to dammage our Enemy, who now approaching us, came close up
towards us, but he found a hotter entertainment than he expected, for we
killed several of his men with our first broad-side; the only weapons
our Enemies had were great stones, which they threw at us in abundance;
but we having again charged our great Guns, and all the small ones we
had aboard, gave them such a peal as was the funeral knel to many of
them; by this time they were discouraged, and our men seeing the good
success we had came all in sight and every one taking a great stone
which had been thrown to us by the Enemy, gave them such an onset with
the stones, as now made them think of giving over their enterprize,
which we compelled them to do, so soon as we had given them another
broad side, and once more discharged all our small guns: this gave them
so general a blow that they Vered about and left us to prosecute our
Voyage.
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