The Angrians made prodigious exertions to escape, hanging out turbans and clothing to catch every breath of air.

All the following day the ineffectual chase continued, the _Protector_ outsailing its own consorts, and losing sight altogether of its Mahratta allies.
Finding it useless to persevere, James hauled his wind, and stood to the northward for Severndroog, which he had left far behind in the chase.

Here he found Ramajee Punt, who had landed a few men, and entrenched himself at about two miles from the nearest fort, with a single four-pounder gun.
The harbour of Severndroog[1] is formed by a slight indentation in the coast and a small rocky islet about a quarter of a mile from the mainland, on which was the Severndroog fort, with walls fifty feet high, and, in many places, parapets cut out of the solid rock; the whole armed with about fifty guns.

On the mainland, opposite to Severndroog, was another fort.

Fort Gova, armed with, about forty-four guns, while southwards of Gova were two smaller forts on a small promontory, Futteh Droog and Kanak Droog, armed with twenty guns each.
James at once saw that the reduction of the different forts by the Peishwa's troops would be a matter of months, even if he was able to keep out succours from the sea, which the monsoon would render impossible; so, in spite of the Council's orders, he resolved on taking matters into his own hands.