For, while the fight went merrily on ahead, a pretty wild goose chase were we led.

For we never got near enough for so much as a broadside.

The store ships lay between us and the English, who cunningly used them as a shield, so that from whichever quarter we approached, there were the Dons' own vessels betwixt us and them.

Besides that, we could see boats busily taking over the chief of the treasure under our very eyes; while every hour we stayed we dropped further and further astern of the main Armada, so that, had it pleased the Englishmen to spare a ship or two to look after us, I verily believe we might have been cut off for good, and towed into an English port, like these same ill-starred store ships we professed to be rescuing.
Two galliasses, that joined us in our errand, made a gallant attempt, by parting company and coming suddenly upon the enemy, one from either quarter, to compel an action.

But the Englishman was ready for this.
Keeping the store ships as a shield on the one side, he had a royal salute ready for the galley on the other--so smartly dealt and with such deadly aim, that the wretched slaves at the oars tumbled off their benches and rolled over like so many ninepins; and before others could take their places, a second broadside and a third swept the craft from stem to stem.