Did Black Bart's crew choose a last stand?

Did Roberts's pirates slow down to avenge their captain, or were they unable to escape because the wind failed?

Being becalmed is more likely, although the story of a deliberate last stand sounds more heroic.

A viewer asks whether Roberts's crew deliberately turned to avenge him or simply could not get away. The interpretation here favors the ship being becalmed, though the point remains uncertain. Saying the pirates chose a last stand produces the braver and more memorable story. The exchange is a compact lesson in testing heroic narrative against wind, maneuver, and the material conditions of sailing warfare.