Page 523
An.1691
A Sea fight before Fort St. George.
ashore. There were then in the Road a few small English Ships: and Captain Heath, whose Ship was a very stout Merchant-man, and which the French Relater calls the English Admiral, was just come from China; but very deep laden with Goods, and the Deck full of Cannisters of Sugar, which he was preparing to send ashore. But before he could do it, the French appeared ; coming into the Road with their lower Sails and Top-sails, and had with them a Fireship. With this they thought to have burnt the Dutch Commodore, and might probably enough have done it as she lay at anchor, if they had had the courage to have come boldly on ; but they fired their Ship at a distance, and the Dutch sent and towed her away, where she spent her self without any execution. Had the French Men of War also come boldly up, and grappled with their Enemies, they might have done something considerable, for the Fort could not have played on them, without damaging our Ships as well as theirs. But instead of this, the French dropt an- chor out of reach of the shot of the Fort, and there lay exchanging shot with their Enemies Ships with so little advantage to themselves, that after about 4 hours fighting, they cut their Cables, and went away in haste and disorder, with all their Sails loose, even their Top-gallant sails, which is not usual, but when Ships are just next to running away.
admiral: flagship
Captain Heath, notwithstanding his Ship was so heavy and incumbred, behaved himself very brave- ly in the fight; and upon the going off of the French went aboard the Dutch Commodore, and told him, that if he would pursue them, he would stand out with them to Sea, though he had very little Water aboard; but the Dutch Commander excused himself, saying he had orders to defend himself from the French, but none to chase them, or