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.
About eleven in the forenoon the sea-breeze set in, and, to
make our small force as available as might be, I ordered all our three
guns to be placed on that side from which we were likely to engage.
As
the sea-breeze freshened we ran fast towards them, during which our
small arms were effectually employed to break their powder-jars before
we should board them, which we did without delay, and they submitted
after exchanging a few shots.
[Footnote 273: The port of Aeazualte, at the mouth of the river
Samsonate, in the province of that name. - E.]
This ship was named the Sacra Familia, of 300 tons, six guns, and
seventy men, having a great many small arms, shot, and hand-granades.
She had arrived some time before from Calao, with wine and brandy; but
had now nothing on board except fifty jars of gunpowder, a small
quantity of rusk, and some jerked beef; so that she was hardly worth the
risk and trouble of capture. But as she had the character of sailing
better, and was much better fitted than our ship, I resolved to exchange
ships, and we all went aboard the prize, which had been fitted out in
warlike manner, and commissioned, for the express purpose of taking us,
if we chanced to fall in her way.
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