I could see their lights hoisted one by one, and strained my ears to catch the first sound of a shot.
Strange to say, they saved their powder.

The last I saw of them, as night closed in, they were bearing down full in the wind, each with his cock-boat in tow, within a gunshot's distance of the centre of our line.
One of the Spaniards there gave them a disdainful shot, by way of challenge; but they gave never an answer.
Then, all of a sudden, there was a flare, and a roar of flame which leapt up and lit the heavens; and eight blazing vessels drifted full into the middle of the Invincible Armada.
Never shall I forget the scene that followed.

There was a moment of bewilderment and doubt; then a hurried random shot or two; then, as the burning masses, spreading before the wind, scattered their fires within the lines, a mighty shout, a rush of footsteps on deck, a hacking of cables and running of chains, a frantic hauling round into the wind; and then, amid panic cries, the galleons of Spain swung round, and, huddled together with tails turned, stood out for sea.
The glare of the English fire-ships lit up the sea like a lake of hell, and amidst the roar of the flames, and the yells of the Spaniards, might be heard the crashing of bowsprits and tumbling of masts, as galleon ran into galleon in the race for safety.

A few of them took fire from the English fire-ships; some blew up; others, stove in by their own consorts, foundered miserably; some went ashore on the shallows; but most got into the wind and fled for their lives out of the Straits.
The _Rata_, being last of the line, escaped with little hurt; for all the vessels ahead of her had cleared off before she got under weigh.
That was a merry night for me up in my perch.

I hallooed and cheered, and shouted "God save the Queen!" till I was hoarse.