In three days time we had compleated our bufinefs at this place,
and were extremely impatient to depart, that we might arrive time
enough on the coaft o f Mexico to intercept the Manila galeon.
But the wind being contrary, detained us a night, and the next
day, when we got into the offing (which we did through the fame
channel by which we entered) we were obliged to keep hovering
about the Bland, in hopes of getting fight of the Gloucejier, who,
as I have in the lift chapter mentioned, was feparated from us on
our firft arrival. It was the pth of Decemberj in the morning,
when we put to fea, and continuing to the fouthward o f the Iiland,
looking out for the Gloucejier, we, on the ioth, at five in the afternoon,
difcerned a fmall fail to the northward o f . us, to which we
gave chace, and coming up with her, took her. She proved to
be a bark from Panama, called the Jefti Nazareno. She had nothing
on board but fome oakum, about a ton o f rock fait, and between
30 and 40/. in fpecie; moft of it confiding of fmall filver
money, intended for purchafing a cargoe o f provifions, at Cheripe,
an inconfiderable village on the Continent.
- And on occafion o f this prize I cannot but obferve for the ufe of
future crullers, that had we been in want o f provifions, we had by
this capture an obvious method o f fupplying ourfelves. For at
Cheripe, there is a conftant ftore o f provifions prepared for the yci-
fels who go thither every week from Panama, the market o f Panama
being chiefly fupplied from thence : So that by putting a few
of our hands on board our prize, we might eafily have feized a large
quantity without any hazard, fince Cheripe is a place of no ftrength.
As provifions are the ftaple commodity of that place and o f its
neighbourhood, the knowledge of this circumftance may be of
great ufe to fuch cruifers, as find their provifions grow fcant, and
yet are defirous of continuing on that coaft as long as poffible.
But to return:
On the 1 2th of December we were at laft relieved from the perplexity
we had fuffered, occafioned by the feparation of the Gkueeftery
ceftcr •, for on that day (he joined us, and informed us, that in
tacking to the fouthward, on our firft arrival, fhe had fprung her
fore top-maft, which had difabled her from working to windward,
and prevented her from joining us fooner. And now we fcuttled
and funk the JeJii Nazareno, the prize we took laft; and having
the greateft impatience to get into a proper ftation for intercepting
the Manila galeon, we flood all together to the weftward, leaving
the Ifland of ijuibo (notwithftanding all the impediments we met-
with) about nme days after our firft coming in fight of it.
CHA P .