I
Kept Standing After Him However, Till Almost A-Shore On The Breakers,
When I Had To Tack And Stand Out To Sea.
Next morning no ship was to be
seen, which reduced us to the most terrible apprehensions, considering
our sad
Situation for want of water, and our vast distance from any
place where we could expect to procure any, as we had now no other
choice but either to beat up 220 leagues to the Tres Marias, or to
bear away for the gulf of Amapala, at a much greater distance. I was
afterwards informed, by some of Clipperton's officers, whom I met with
in China, that he had done this cruel action absolutely against the
repeated remonstrances of his officers, who abhorred such an act of
barbarity. I also learnt afterwards, by some Spaniards from Manilla,
that the Acapulco ship sailed about a week after we desisted from
cruizing for her. This ship was the Santo Christo, carrying upwards of
forty brass guns, and was exceedingly rich.
In the sad situation we were now reduced to, every thing was to be
hazarded, and any experiment tried that promised the smallest chance of
success. We continued our course therefore, under terrible
inconveniences, distressed for water and provisions, and weak in point
of number; yet so far from being united by our common danger, that our
people could not be restrained within the bounds of common civility. The
winds and weather being favourable, we found ourselves before the port
of Sansonate [273] on the 30th March, about sun-set, when we
discovered a ship of good size at anchor in the harbour. Being a fine
moonlight evening, I sent my first lieutenant in the yawl, with some of
our best hands, to see what she was. Soon afterwards we heard some guns
fired, and on the return of the lieutenant, he reported that she was a
stout ship, having at least one tier of guns. Little regarding her
apparent strength, or our own weakness, as we thought our necessities
made us a match for her, we continued plying in all night, and prepared
to engage her. At sun-rise the land-breeze blew so fresh from the shore,
that we worked in but slowly; and in the mean time we received all their
fire on every board we made, but without returning a single shot. Their
boat also was employed in bringing off soldiers from the shore, to
reinforce their ship; and they hung up a jar of about ten gallons of
powder, with a match, at each main and fore-yard-arm, and at the
bowsprit end, to let fall on our deck, in case we boarded them, which
contrivance, if it had taken effect, would have made an end of both
ships, and all that were in them. Seeing them so desperate in their
preparations, I could not but expect a warm reception; but as our case
would not admit of delay, at ever so hazardous a rate, we were not to be
dismayed.
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