In spite of the disparity of force, Every bore down and engaged.

The first gun fired by the _Gunj Suwaie_ burst, killing three or four men and wounding others.

The main mast was badly damaged by Every's broadsides, and the _Fancy_ ran alongside and boarded.

This was the moment when a decent defence should have been made.
The sailor's cutlass was a poor match for the curved sword and shield, so much so that the English were notorious in the East for their want of boldness in sword-play.

But Ibrahim Khan, the captain, was a coward, and ran below at the sight of the white faces.