ld go after it, he with his flagship luffed toward our
vessels, in order to get to windward of us, which he was not able
to accomplish. On the contrary, when I discovered the number and
excellence of his artillery, with which he began to cannonade me, I
saw that success must consist in coming hand to hand with him as soon
as possible, with both of our vessels, according to the arrangement
which I had made on the day before, the thirteenth of December, when
I had given orders and instructions to that effect in writing to the
said admiral. So with my flagship I boarded the corsair's flagship,
and grappled with it side to side, on the port quarter of the enemy,
in the expectation that my admiral would do the same on the other
side, as he was perfectly able to do. At the first volley from the
artillery and arquebuses I swept the deck of the enemy, unrigged
his main and mizzen masts, sent his yards and shrouds into the sea,
burned his sails, and won and took into my power the flag at the
topmast, the standard and flag at the stern, and the others which the
ship bore. Then I sent on board of him a band of men with arms and a
banner of infantry, who captured the poop and the cabin and took the
shallop or long-boat which it had at the stern. All the enemy retired
below the harpings and coverings at the bow. Seeing from there that my
admiral was already coming upon them, and that they could not defend
themselves, they sent to ask protection for their lives, and to say
that they would surrender; and I granted their request, in order to end
the battle with the least possible loss and with the greatest safety.

At this time the admiral's ship of my fleet ought to have boarded the
enemy as I had done, according to his duty, and to the order which he
had from me; and, without orders from me, ought not to have passed by,
and still less to have gone in pursuit of, the opposing admiral's
ship which was going out to sea. These orders, for many reasons,
I could not be expected to give him, especially at that time, until
the flagship had completely surrendered and a guard had been placed
over it and over the people on it, which would be impossible with my
ship alone. Nevertheless our admiral aforesaid, for some reasons of
his own which he had, passed by, and with all sail started to pursue
and overtake the admiral's ship of the corsair. When the enemy on the
flagship saw this, and that they were alone, and that, on account of
the superiori