As My Ship Did Not Sail So Well As
The Success, Clipperton Used To Shorten Sail, Particularly At Night, And
Shewed Us Lights On All Necessary Occasions.
Towards evening of that
day, he stretched about two leagues a-head of us, and I could not see
that he lowered even a topgallant-sail for us to come up with him.
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.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 802 of 825
Words from 218302 to 218557
of 224764
