You
lost most of your main sail with the last barrage
from the pirate ship, but your ship is three masted and you've enough
sail to pull away, and perhaps enough even to get to the safety of
the port patrols still hours away. "Full about, make for open sea," you shout to your crew. Almost immediately they respond and within minutes your mighty ship is heaving to and heading away from the battle.
You
lost most of your main sail with the last barrage
from the pirate ship, but your ship is three masted and you've enough
sail to pull away, and perhaps enough even to get to the safety of
the port patrols still hours away.
The
pirates are soon wise to your plan and, even though
severely
wounded by your last round of cannon fire, they begin to raise their
chase sails. You can see their ship turning in
pursuit.
"If only we can keep the wind at our backs, we might just have a
chance," you think.
The pirate ship is small but fast. In spite of the beating she took at the hands of your guns, in less than one hour they are nearing your stern. Peering through your spyglass you can see some of the pirate crew hauling one of their ten pounders on to the bow of the boat to try and put a couple of cannon balls into your stern.
"I'll not have our ship destroyed piecemeal," you think.
"Hard to port," you cry, "boarding party ready. . .BOARD THEM!"