Nearly 30 iron five-claw hooks that resemble tiger claws originated from the ancient empires of the East were vigorously tossed by English sailors to the left and right sides of Portuguese heavy merchant ships. Then, pulling back the rope attached to the five-claw hook, the hook clings tightly to the unusually smooth fence washed by the sea.

The Tiger's Claw hook was so effective that it had completely attached four small English privateers to the perimeter of the merchant ships. The "innocent" merchant ship, which was not loaded with any kind of artillery, surrounded the sea near the Cape Verde Islands.

Although they had no artillery and could not fight back against the pirates who tried to capture them, all the Portuguese sailors did not want to be taken prisoner by the pirates. The reason for this was that there were still 300 stripped of their clothes, marked with a fiery red soldering iron, in the bottom of their cabin, and they were ready to be shipped to the Sumu colony in Brazil.

In the eyes of the Portuguese, these black slaves could not be regarded as human beings, but only a very cheap living goods that could be exchanged for expensive cash crops and gold and silver treasures for them in the colonies. In some cases, they only had to pay a small amount of trade costs, such as cheap daily necessities in European society, a dozen arquebuses and a few barrels of black powder.

Pirates are hateful, but the inhumane Portuguese who traded black slaves were even more hateful and unworthy of pity than them. Even if they were brutally killed or thrown into the sea by the pirates, they would not be able to atone for their sins.

After the first round of shelling by the pirates, the Portuguese maritime lieutenant and boatswain with a dozen strong sailors took out a dozen Spanish-made Mushkert heavy arquebuses from the arsenal and fork brackets to support the launch, and carried several powder kegs onto the open deck, ready to fight the pirates to the death.

It is ridiculous that the Spaniards conquered the Inca Empire with this heavy, effective arquebus with an effective range of only 852 feet (about 250 meters). Now, however, the Portuguese still intended to use this weapon against the pirates with bronze front-loading guns, which was a bit too self-defeating.

At the captain's orders, the sailors standing in two rows were forced to shake off their stands, lower their arquebuses from their shoulders, close the powder and pellet bags, extinguish the potash nitrate-soaked arquebuses that had been lit at both ends, and watched as the pirates threw countless five-claw hooks onto the deck.

The maritime lieutenant standing in the first row glanced at the captain standing on the lookout, then turned to look at the Portuguese sailors and musketeers in the second row behind him, and ordered in a low voice, "Listen, the pirate leader, after you board the ship, I'll cover you for loading gunpowder and pellets." God will surely protect us in defeating the pirates. ”

A sailor hurriedly spat out a projectile (the habit of musketeers) in his mouth in advance, and looked at the maritime lieutenant with an excited expression, "My lord, no matter what, you can't let the pirates steal this shipment." ”

———————————

Isabel Walton, the captain of the Nemesis, walked alone on the pedals, scanning the expressions of the crew and sailors standing on the deck of the Portuguese merchant ship with alarm. She was followed by the Spanish navigator Cassiano, and behind the navigator was the maritime adjutant Baldwin.

Isabel's purpose in ordering the Spanish navigator to follow her aboard the Portuguese merchant ship was actually a distrust of the navigator. In addition, she feared that the navigator would find a large amount of valuables she had stolen from the plantation aboard the Nemesis.

When the three of them jumped off the pedal and stepped on the deck of the Portuguese merchant ship, there were already a large number of English privateer sailors gathered around them. Everyone had a victorious smile on their faces, fiddling with their weapons as they waited for her or Captain Hawkins' order to sack the merchant ship.

When Captain Hawkins boarded the merchant ship with the maritime lieutenant and several saber retinues, he saw Isabel and others standing on the other side of the starboard side, and immediately strode in her direction. As the two stood side by side, Captain Hawkins asked her for her opinion, "Captain, we should now imprison the Portuguese to avoid rebellion." ”

By this time, the Portuguese, armed with various weapons, were all standing on the deck below the captain's lookout, watching closely the pirates who had boarded their merchant ships. Their captain stood fearlessly at the front, looking at the pirates a dozen paces away.

"Yes, yes. However, it is necessary to find out a few of their captains, navigators, navigators, and maritime lieutenants. Isabel looked at the Portuguese across her arms and said to Captain Hawkins.

"Okay. I and my men were in charge of holding the Portuguese. The job of searching for the cabin can be done with your people. ”

"Captain Hawkins, I think we should dispose of the prisoners first. You know, a captive is a very dangerous kind of person. Isabel said calmly,

After speaking, he turned his head to look at the navigator who was standing behind him without saying a word. Immediately, he tilted his head in the direction of Captain Hawkins, and said softly, "Captain, when I take the lieutenant to negotiate with the Portuguese, you must protect our navigator, understand?" ”

"Well, I understand, Captain." Captain Hawkins nodded, immediately understanding what she meant.

As Isabel and Adjutant Baldwin walked towards the Portuguese on the other side, the Portuguese captain, who was standing in front of the crew, heard a noise behind him. If you listen closely, it turns out that it is the sound of pounding projectiles and gunpowder in the barrel with a gun through the barrel.

With a frightened face, he turned his head to look at his crew, "What are you doing?" ”

The maritime lieutenant, who was providing cover for the sailors, glanced at the approaching female pirate with hatred, and said in a low voice, "Captain, when I say lie down, you must get down!" ”

The Portuguese crew loaded their arquebuses and could not escape Isabel's eyes. However, she wore leather armor without carrying a bow and arrows, and only two swords, one long and one short, which could be used against the Portuguese who could rebel at any time.

Came to a place only four or five paces away from the Portuguese and stopped. Glancing from left to right, he glanced at the Portuguese captain and the group of crew members behind him, and said to the lieutenant beside him in a very low voice, "Baldwin, call a few people, the Portuguese are loading arquebuses." ”

"Arquebus??" Baldwin glared at her in astonishment, and couldn't help but mutter.

Isabel turned her face to the Portuguese again and spoke calmly in English, "Gentlemen, I warn you not to try to retake your ship by any means. ”

"An English pirate?" The Portuguese captain looked at her face and muttered a few words. Then, with his head held high, he said in Portuguese, "Woman, I don't know what you're talking about." ”