we have mentioned, the Gloucejler s people told us, that they had
been in fight of two or three other drips of the enemy which had
efcaped them; and one of them we had reafon to believe, from
fome of our intelligence, was of an immenfe value.
Being now joined by the Gloucejler and her prize, it was refolv-
ed that we fliould Hand to the northward, and make the. beft of
our way either to Cape St. Lucas on California, or to Cape Gorientes
on the coaft o f Mexico. Indeed the Commodore, when at Juan
Fernandes, had determined with himfelf to touch in the neighbourhood
of Panama, and to endeavour to get fome correfpond-
ence over land with the fleet under the command of admiral V ?r-
non. For when we departed from England, we left a large force at.
Portfmouth, which was intended to be fent to the Weft-Indies„
there to be employed in an expedition againft fome of the Spanijh
fettlements. And Mr. Anfon taking it for granted, that this en-
terprize had fucceeded, and that Porto Bella perhaps might be then
garrifoned by Britijh troops, he hoped, that on his arrival at the
Ifthmus, he thould eafily procure an intercourfe with our countrymen
on the other fide, either by the Indians, who were greatly
difpoled in our favour, or even by the Spaniards themfelves, fome
of whom, for proper rewards, might be induced to carry on this,
intelligence, which, after it was once begun, might be continued
with very little difficulty ; fo that Mr. Anfon flattered himfelf, that
he might by this means have received a reinforcement of men from
the other fide, and that by fettling a prudent plan of operations with
our Commanders in the Weft-Indies, he might have taken even
Panama itfelf; which would have given to the Britijh Nation the
pofleffion of that Ifthmus, whereby we fliould have been in effedt
mailers of all the treafures of Peru, and fliould have had in our-
hands an equivalent for any demands, however extraordinary,,
which we might have been induced to have made on either o f the
branches of the houfe o f Bourbon.
Such were the projedls which the Commodore revolved in his.
thoughts at the llland of Juan Fernandes, notwithftanding the
2 feeble
feeble condition to which he was then reduced. And indeed, had
the fuccefs of bur force in the Weft-Indies been anfwerable to the
general expeflation, it cannot be denied but thefe views would have
been the molt prudent that could have been thought of. But in
examining the papers which were found on board the Carmelo, the
firlt prize we took, we learnt (though I then omitted to mention
it) that our attempt againft Carthagena had failed, and that there
was no probability that our fleet, in that part of the world, would
engage in any new enterprize, that would at all facilitate this plan.
Mr. Anfon therefore gave over all hopes of being reinforced acrofs
the Ifthmus, and confequently had no inducement at prefent to proceed
to Panama, as he was incapable of attacking the place ; and
there was great reafon to believe, that by this time there was a
general embargo on all the coaft.
The only feafible meafure then which was left us, was to fleer
as foon as poffible to the fouthern parts of California, or to the adjacent
coaft of Mexico, there to cruize for the Manila Galeon, which
we knew was now at fea, bound to the port of Acapulco. And we
doubted not to get on that ftation, time enough to intercept her ;
•for this ffiip does not ufually arrive at Acapulco till towards the
middle of January, and we were now but in the middle of November,
and did not conceive that our palfage thither would coft us
above a month or five weeks ; fo that we imagined, we had
near twice as much time as. was neceffary for our purpofe. Indeed
there was a bufinefs which we forefaw would occafion fome delay,
but we flattered ourfelves that it would be difpatched in four or five
days, and therefore could not interrupt our projedt. This was the
recruiting of our water ; for the number of prifoners we had entertained
on board, fince our leaving the Bland of Fernandes, had fo
far exhaufted our flock, that it was impoffible to think of venturing
upon this paflage to the coaft of Mexico, till we had procured
a frefh fupply; efpecially as at Paita, where we had fome
hopes of getting a quantity, we did not find enough for our con-
fumption during our flay there. It was for fome time a matter