Page 121 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

ENGLISH AND PORTUGUESE RIVALRY 121

long boat. The next morning the fight was renewed by
Best with such vigour that in a very short time three of the
enemy’s smaller craft were ashore. As the Osiander drew
little water she was able to get to close quarters with the
stranded galleons. She used her guns to good purpose—
or to adopt the words of an eyewitness of the episode
she “ dauced the hay about them, and so payed them that
they durst not show a man on their decks.” Afterwards
the engagement continued with varying fortunes until
the approach of night enforced a cessation of the firing.
Soon after daybreak on November 30 the enemy’s ships,
which had grounded, floated off and were attacked by the
Dragon, gallantly assisted by the Osiander. At this
stage of the contest a well directed shot from the enemy
killed the Osiander’s boatswain and did other damage,
For hours the fighting continued in desultory fashion, and
night again fell upon the combatants without any decisive
result being reached. While the English ships were at
anchor a frigate was sent against them in the darkness,
but its approach being opportunely discovered it was sunk
by some well directed shots and her crew of eighty were
drowned.
There was now a lull in the contest. The Portuguese
did not appear to relish the idea of coming to close quar­
ters with Best, and on his part the English commander
felt that the odds against him were too great to justify a
vigorous initiative. For some days the combatants
manoeuvred against each other at points along the coast,
and this continued until some weeks later, when the Portu­
guese, having obtained new supplies, again challenged the
English ships. The action lasted, with intermissions, until
the end of the third day. At this stage the Portuguese,