Captain Hillyar had no legal right to molest him, but in his opinion the end justified the means and he resolved to attack.

Deliberately the _Phoebe_ and _Cherub_ selected their stations and, late in this stormy afternoon, bombarded the crippled _Essex_ without mercy.

Porter with his carronades was unable to repay the damage inflicted by the broadsides of the longer guns, nor could he handle his ship to close in and retrieve the day in the desperate game of boarding.

He tried this ultimate venture, nevertheless, and let go his cables.

But the ship refused to move ahead.
Her sheets, tacks, and halliards had been shot away.