l7 4 L O K D A N S O N ’ S V O Y A G E
iurion parted from the other veflels at eleven in the ev.enimgj on the
27th o f September, directing her courfe to the fouthward, with a
■ view of cruifing for fome days to the windward o f Valparaifo.
And now, by this diftribution o f onr (hips, we flattered our-
feWe6, that we had takeu all the advantages of the enemy that we
poffibly could with our fmall force, fince our difpolition wasdoufat-
lefi the mbit prudent that could be projefted: for, as we might
foppofe the Glaucefter, fey this time, to be drawing near the highland
of- Paita, we were enabled, by our feparate ft at ions, to intercept
all veflels employed either betwixt Peru and Chili to the
fouthward, or betwixt Panama and Peru to the northward ; fine«,
the principal trade from Peru to Chili being carried on to the port
of Valparaifo, the Centurion, cruifmg to the windward of Valparaifo,
would, in all probability, meet with fhern, as it is the conftant
pradtice of tliofe {hips to fall in with the coaft, to the windwatd of
that port: the Gloucejler would, in like manner, be in the way of
the trade bound from Panama, or to the northward, to any part
o f Peru', fince the highland, off which {he was ftationed, is con-
ftantly made by every {hip in that voyage. And whilft the'Cr«*«-
rion and Gloucejler were thus fituated for interrupting the enemy^s
trade, the Pryafs Prize and Centurion's Prize were as conveniently
polled for preventing all intelligence, by intercepting all {hips
bound from Valparaifo to the northward; for it was on board thefe
veffels that, it was to be feared, fome account o f us might ppffibly
he font to Peru.
But the moll prudent difpofitions carry with them only a probability
o f fuccefs, and can never inlure its certainty ; fince thole
chances, which it was reafonable to overlook in deliberation, are
fometimes o f molt powerful influence in execution. Thus, in the
prefent cafe, the diftrefs o f the Pryal, and our quitting our ftation
to affift her (events which no degree o f prudence could either forefee
or obviate), gave an opportunity to all the {hips bound to Valparaifo
to reach that port, without moleftation, during this unlucky
interval. So that though, after leaving Captain Saunders, we
5 were
were very expeditious in regaining our ftation, where we got the
aoth at noon, yet, in plying on and off till the 6th of October, we
had not tlie'good fortune to difcover a fail of any fort : and then,
having loft all. hopes of meeting with better fortune by a longer ftay,
we made fail to the leeward of the port, in order to join our prizes ;
but when we arrived off the highland, where they were directed to
«ruife, we did not find them, though we continued there four or
five days- W e fuppofed, that fome chaee had occafioned their
leaving their ftation, 2nd therefore we proceeded down the coaft
to the highland of Nafea, which was the focond rendezvous, where
Captain Satmders was direéfeed to join us. Here we got; on the:
SCI ft, and were in great expectation of falling in with fome of the
enemy’s veffels, as both the- account of former voyages, and the
information' of our prifoners, afl'ured us, that all ftnps bound to-
Cdlao eonftantly make this land, to prevent the danger of running,
to the leeward of the port. But, notwithftanding the advantages»
o£ this ftation, we faw no foil till the 2d of November, when two»
{hips, appeared in fight together: we immediately gave them ehace,,
and. foon perceived that they were the PryaCs and Centurion's<
prizes. As they had the wind of uav we brough-t-to* and waited:
the» coming o p s when Captain. Saunders came on board us,, andi
acquainted the- Commodore, that he had cleared the Pryal, pur*
fiaaut to his orders.; and, having fcuttled her, he remained by her-
till {he funk ;. but that it was. the fourth of October before this was»
effeftedi for there run: fo large and hollow a fea, that the Sloop,,
laving neither mafts-not foils to fteady her, rolled and pitched fo>
violently, that it was impofiible fora boat to lay along-fide of her,
for the» greateft; part o f the time: and, during this attendance om
the Sloop,, they were all driven fo- far to the North-weft,, that, they
were afterwards- obliged to ftretch a long way to the weftwardi ten
regain the. ground they hàd'lbft ; which was the reafon that we had!
not met with them ©n< their ftation, as we expeSed.. W e found
they had not been mm* fortunate in their cruize than we were
for. they had féan ma vefleKiince-they feparated from us». The little;
fuccefss