noon
Our first step was , of course , to send all the women and children ashore . Then we consulted as to what had best be done if the pirates should come back in force . We hoped , at any rate , that this would not happen until you arrived . We expected that you would be here before noon ; but we decided that , should they get here before you , we from our galley would embark on Santoval 's , as it was better to fight in one strongly manned boat than to divide our forces . `` It was scarce half an hour after Santoval came down before the men left on the lookout appeared on the beach . On fetching them off , they told us that as soon as they reached the top of the hill they saw five vessels approaching with sails and oars , and that they would be here in half an hour at the outside . We at once abandoned my galley , brought the rowers and the wounded here , and prepared for the fight .