In such combats they felt at home, and were almost always successful, for there were few mariners or sailors, even in the British navy, who could stand against these brawny, glaring-eyed dare-devils, who sprang over the sides of a vessel like panthers, and fought like bulldogs.

Blackbeard had had enough cannonading, and he did not wait to be boarded.

Springing into a boat with about twenty of his men, he rowed to the vessel commanded by Maynard, and in a few minutes he and his pirates surged on board her.
Now there followed on the decks of that sloop one of the most fearful hand-to-hand combats known to naval history.

Pirates had often attacked vessels where they met with strong resistance, but never had a gang of sea-robbers fallen in with such bold and skilled antagonists as those who now confronted Blackbeard and his crew.

At it they went,--cut, fire, slash, bang, howl, and shout.