The boom of the cannon, and the crack as the single mainmast split, seemed almost simultaneous. Slowly, agonisingly, it began to topple sideways, the rending of wood accompanied by the snapping of ropes through the warm evening air. It was hard to believe, when Markham spun round to look, that the nearest cutter, a few seconds before intent on treating their officer’s condition, could have fired the shot.

But they had, a fact that was very obvious as the smoke cleared from the muzzle …