On
Examining Our Provisions, We Found Only Bread On Board For Seventy Days,
Even At Our Present Short Allowance, And
It would require not less than
fifty days for our run across the Pacific to Guam, one of the Ladrones;
Wherefore we resolved to continue our cruize here no longer than other
eight days. Being in want of water also, it was agreed upon that the
Marquis should go first into a harbour for that necessary article, while
the Duke and Duchess continued on the look-out, and then these other
ships to do the same in succession.
On the 21st December, while bearing up for the port in which was the
Marquis, the man at the mast-head, about nine in the morning, gave
notice that he saw a sail besides the Duchess and bark, seeming about
seven leagues from us. We immediately hoisted our ensign, and bore for
the strange sail, as did the Duchess; and as it fell calm, I sent the
pinnace to endeavour to make out what she was. All the rest of the day
we had very little wind, so that we made hardly any way, and as our boat
did not return we remained in much anxiety, not knowing whether the ship
in sight were our consort the Marquis, or the Manilla ship. In this
uncertainty, I sent Mr Fry in our yawl to the Duchess, to endeavour to
learn what this ship was, and as soon as the yawl was gone I hoisted
French colours and fired a gun, which the stranger answered, and in some
measure cleared our doubts. Mr Fry soon returned, bringing the joyful
news that the ship in sight really was the Manilla galleon for which we
had waited so long, and of which we were now almost in despair of
meeting. This revived our courage, and every one actively prepared for
the engagement; all our melancholy reflections on the shortness of our
provisions for the run to Guam being now dispelled, and nothing now
occupied our thoughts but of our being masters of the mighty treasure
supposed to be on board this ship, while every moment seemed an hour
till we could get up with her. We gave orders for the two pinnaces to
keep with her all night, shewing false fires from time to time, that we
might know whereabout they and the chase were; and it was agreed, if
the Duke and Duchess could get up with her together, that we should
board her at once. Before night we had made a clear ship, and had every
thing in readiness for action at day-light; and all night long we kept a
sharp look-out for the boats false fires, which we frequently saw and
answered.
At day-break of the 22d December, 1709, we saw the chase about a league
from us on our weather bow, the Duchess being a-head of her to leeward
about half a league. About six a.m. our boat came aboard, having kept
very near the chase all night without receiving any damage, and told us
that the Duchess passed the chase in the night, at which time the chase
fired two shots at her, which were not returned.
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