The Royal James had an advantage over her opponents, since, when she slightly careened, her decks were slanted away from the enemy, while the latter's were presented to her fire.
At it they went, hot and heavy.

Bonnet and his men now knew that they were engaged with commissioned war vessels, and they fought for their lives.

Mr.Rhett knew that he was fighting Thomas, the dreaded pirate of the coast, and he felt that he must destroy him before his vessel should float again.

The cannon roared, muskets blazed away, and the combatants were near enough even to use pistols upon each other.

Men died, blood flowed, and the fight grew fiercer and fiercer.
Bonnet roared like an incarnate devil; he swore at his men, he swore at the enemy, he swore at his bad fortune, for had he not missed the channel the game would have been in his own hands.
So on they fought, and the tide kept steadily rising.