We immediately manned one of the long brass guns, training it right aft on the advancing pirate.  I directed the gunner to aim at the foeman’s spars, endeavouring to cripple her aloft. With a flash and a roar the iron missile sped on its way, striking the pirate’s topsail yard. There was a shower of splinters and the broken spar fell, till brought up by the strain on the topsail and t’gallant sail, and at the same time the halyards of the foresail parted, bringing that sail down to the deck with a run.