The loyal ship continued on her course to the westward, and in ten minutes she had made three miles and a half, which placed her out of the reach of the broadside guns of the Tallahatchie.
Christy did not abate his watchfulness over the movements of the enemy.
The shot from the sixty-pounder which had struck on the quarter of the Confederate, had evidently created a great deal of confusion in that part of the vessel.

She had intended to describe a quarter of a circle in order to render her port broadside guns available, but she had not made more than the eighth of the circuit before she appeared to be going ahead, and her direction was diagonal to that of the Bellevite.
"What does that mean ?" asked Christy of the commander who stood near him, though he had a very decided opinion of his own on the subject.
"It simply means that the last shot which struck her deranged whatever expedient her captain had adopted for controlling the rudder," replied the commander.

"It failed when she was half round, and then she went ahead." "She has stopped her screw again, sir," added the first lieutenant.
"It is time for her to haul down her flag; but she does not seem to be disposed to do it," continued Captain Breaker.

"It is certainly a hopeless case, and he ought to spare his men if not himself." "Captain Rombold is not one of that sort.

Though he is a Briton, he is a 'last ditch' man." "Probably a very large majority of his ship's company are English, or anything but Southern Americans, and he ought to have a proper regard for them." "I think he must see some chance of redeeming himself and his ship, for I never met a more high-toned and gentlemanly man in all my life, and I don't believe he would sacrifice his people unless with a hope that he considers a reasonable one." "Come about, Mr.Passford, and bear down on the enemy.