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2*3 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVr.
as a " carrack," beariiif^ the flag of Admiral Don flannel do
Meneses at the maiii-top-mast-head, proceeding from Lisbon
to Goa, and steering the same course as the English ships.
Then ensued an action, which was highly honourable to the
Portuguese. The ' Globe,' which, though the smallest ship,
sailed the best of the English squadron, chased, and, having
come up at noon to windward, hailed, but received for reply
a command to fall to leeward, which was immediately followed
by a dischare of five round shot from the carrack's heavy guns,
each of which went right through her, when she returned the
compliment with a broadside, and then fell astern. At three
in the afternoon, Captain Joseph came up in his ship, the
' Charles,' and hailing, bid the commander of the carrack come
on board to account for his attack on the ' Globe.' To this
summons the latter answered that he had no boat; on which
Captain Joseph sent his own, which returned with three
officers bringing a message, " that Don Meneses had promised
his master, the King of Spain, not to quit his ship ; out of
which he might be forced, but never commanded." Captain
Joseph repeated his summons in writing ; and said to the
officers " that he would sink by his side or compel him,"
]\Ieneses persisting, the fight began ; and, in a few moments,
a shot killed Captain Joseph. The master continued the en-
gagement half-an-hour, when, night frilling, he called a
council, Captain Pepwell, of the ' James,' who was senior
officer, now took command of the squadron. Meneses hung
out a light to direct his enemies ; but, when morning broke,
was found at anchor so near the shore, that Pepwell did not
deem it prudent to attack him in that situation. In the even-
ing Meneses set sail, leading out to the open sea; and, when
it was dark, again hoisted his light, which led to an encounter
at sunrise.
Captain Pepwell had instructed his ships to engage by turns,
and began himself in the ' Charles.' After the action had
lasted half-an-hour, a shot from the carrack struck one of the
iron guns, which shivered it, when the fragments, besides
dangerously wounding three seamen and tearing the master's
arm, struck out the eye of Captain Pepwell and wounded him
in the jaw and leg. The mate now took command, and main-
tained the fight with spirit beyond the specified time. The
other ships now took their turn with the same ardour, the
carrack resisting nntil three in the afternoon, by which time
her main-mast and mizen-mast had gone by the board, her
fore top-mast was shot away, and her sides fearfully shattered,
exceeding great bult and burthen, our ' Charles,' though a ship of a thousand
tons, looking but like a pinnace when she was beside her." Sir Thomas Roe
writes, tliat the carrack was of fifteen hundrcfl tons burthen, and that Don
Emanuel de Meneses had twice been general of the Portuguese forces, but not iu
India, where he neither ajipears before or after this rojage.