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3/0 L O R D A N S O N ' S V O Y A G E
C H A P . V I I I .
F rom Macao to C a p e Efpiritu Santo : T h e ta k in g o f
th e Manila g a le o n , a n d r e tu r n in g b a c k a g a in .
T H E Commodore was now got to fea, with his (hip well
refitted, his (lores replenilhed, and an additional (lock of
provifions on board: His crew too was fomewhat reinforced
; for he -had entered twenty-three men during his flay at
Macao, the greateft part of them Lafcars or Indian failors, and
the reft Hutch. He gave out at Macao that he was bound to Batavia,
and thence to England-, and though the wefterly monfoon
was now fet in, when that paffage is confidered as impracticable,
yet by the confidence he had expreffed in the ftrength of his (hip,
and the dexterity o f his hands, he had perfuaded not only his own
crew, but the people at Macao likewife, that he propofed to try
this unufual experiment j fo that there were many letters fent on
board him by the inhabitants of Canton and Macao for their friends
at Batavia.
But his real defign was of a very different nature. For he fup-
pofed, that inftead of one annual (hip from Acapulco to Manila,
there would be this year, in all probability, two fince, by being
before Acapulco, he had prevented one of them from putting to fea
the preceding feafon. He therefore, not difcouraged by his former
difafters, refolved again to rifque the cafualties of the Pacific
ocean, and to cruife for thefe returning veffels off Cape Efpiritu
Santo, on the Ifland of Samal, which is the firft land they always
make at the Philippine Illands : And as June is generally the month
in which they arrive there, he doubted not -but he (hould get to
his intended ftation time enough to intercept them. It is true,
they were faid to be (lout veffels, mounting forty-four guns a-piece,
and carrying above five hundred hands, and might be expefted to
return
return in company; and he himfelf had but two hundred and
twenty-feven hands on board, of which near thirty were boys.
But this difproportion of ftrength did not deter him, as he knew
his (hip to be much better fitted for a fea engagement than theirs,
and as he had reafon to expeil that his men would exert them-
felves after a mod extraordinary manner, when they had in view
the immenfe wealth of thefe Manila -galeons.
This proj'edt the Commodore had refolved on in his own
thoughts, ever fince his leaving the coaft of Mexico.< And the
greateft mortification which he received,.. from the various delays
he had met with in China, was his apprehenfion, left he might be
thereby fo long retarded as to let the galeons efcape him. Indeed,
at Macao it was incumbent on him to keep thefe views extremely
fecret; for there being a great intercourfe and a mutual connexion
o f interefts between that port and Manila, he had: reafon to fear,
that, if his defigns were difcovered, intelligence would be immediately
fent to Manila, and meafures would be taken to prevent the
galeons from falling into his hands. But being now at fea/ and
entirely clear of the coaft, he fummoned a ll, his people on the
quarter-deck, and informed them of his refolution to cruife for the
two Manila (hips, of whofe wealth they were not ignorant: He
told them he (hould chufe a ftation, where he could not fail of
meeting with them; and though they were (lout (hips, and full
manned; yet, if his own people behaved- with their accuftomed
fpirit, he was certain hefthould prove too hard for them both, and
that one of them at lead could not fa-il -of becoming his prize:
He farther added, that many ridiculous tales had been propagated
about the ftrength of the (ides of thefe (hips, and their being impenetrable
to cannon-lhot; that thefe fiftions had been principally
invented to palliate the cowardice of th'ofe-who had formerly encaged
them; but he hoped there were none of thofe prefent weak
enough to give credit tofoabfurd a (lory : For his- own part, he did
affure them upon his word, that, whenever he fell in with them, he
would fight them fo near, that they (hould-find, his bullets, inftead
of being (lopped by one of their fides, (hould go through them both.
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