"Those are the galleys of the Moorish corsairs.

They are thirty or forty oars, draw but little water, and will be here like the wind." "What do you advise ?" asked the earl.

"The falconets which you have upon the poop can make but a poor resistance to boats that can row around us, and are no doubt furnished with heavy metal.

They will quickly perceive that we are aground and defenseless, and will be able to plump their shot into us until they have knocked the good ship to pieces.

However, we will fight to the last.