Nay, when it did reach us, there was not enough to give us way.

I marvelled to see how like a log the _Rata_ lay, while the lively Englishmen slipped through the water.
Then followed the strangest beginning to this great sea-fight.
For the _Ark_ and one or two others, having run in towards the end of our line (which lay as near as possible west and east, looking into Plymouth), suddenly put into the wind and ran jauntily down our rear, putting a broadside into each of the Dons as she went by, us included.
Nor was that all.

When she reached the end of the line, and everyone looked to see her sheer off out of reach, she gaily wore round and came back the way she had gone, giving each Spaniard her other broadside on the road, her consorts behind following suit.
I think I never saw any men so taken aback as were the Spaniards by this performance.

For the _Rata_ and the rest of them lay almost helpless in the light wind, while these light-timbered Englishmen darted hither and thither at pleasure, almost as fast in the eye of the wind as down it.
The surprise at first was so great that the _Ark_ was half-way down the line before any attempt was made to close with her and stop her.

But she waited on no man, and even when one great galleon, with a mighty effort, swung round to face her, she swerved not a fathom out of her course, but let off two broadsides instead of one to help the presuming Don back again into his post.
Loud and bitter was the wrath among the noble youths on the _Rata_, as they saw the Invincible Armada of Spain thus flouted by a handful of Englishmen.