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hull. She had only one lad killed by a grapeshot, which wounded him miserably: he lived about an hour. Three others were slightly wounded. A few following days were employed in repairing damages. The Port au Prince procured a fresh supply of shot from the Lucy, who, being in want of provisions, received the whole of the stock from the prize, which was then ordered to proceed to James' Island, one of the Gallipago Islands.

On Tuesday, the 8th, in the afternoon, being to windward of Paita, the two ships bore up for the roads, where the Astræa was seen hauled close up in the head of the bay: they immediately stood in, and recommenced action with the frigate, which was continued for more than an hour, during which the Port au Prince received considerable damage, As the Astræa was hauled in shore, firm as a battery, with springs on her cables, her shot were sure to tell; and, as the two ships were obliged to engage her under weigh, they found it impossible to take her. Two cannonades were dismounted on the quarter-deck of the Port au Prince she had also one man killed by an eighteen pounder, which came through the bends into the cock-pit.

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The two ships now stood out of the bay in

company, proceeded on their voyage, and on Wednesday the 16th made Chatham Island, one of the Gallipagos. On the following day they came to an anchor, but saw no signs of the prize that had been ordered to proceed to this quarter, nor ever afterwards heard of her. Whilst at this place some turpin (land tortoise) was procured from on shore; and all the plate and dollars, which had been taken by the two ships in company, was equally divided between them.

On Sunday, the 3d of November, having parted company with the Lucy, the Port au Prince gave chase to one of three ships which appeared in sight, and coming up, found her to be the American ship Neutrality, Captain Foulger; the other two were the Britannia and British Tar, of London. The American had been in Paita since the engagement with the Astræa, and from her account it appeared that the frigate was commanded by a Frenchman, and had on board several of the men who had formerly deserted from the Port au Prince. She had received orders from the viceroy of Peru to run aground, if she were hard pressed by an enemy. In the late engagement she was much damaged in the hull; her fore-top-mast was shot away, forty hands killed, and one hun

dred and twenty wounded. She would in all probability have struck, had she not heard from the deserters that the Port au Prince was very deficient in men and shot.

The ship had now arrived on her whaling ground, and kept therefore a good look out for whales, according to her instructions. Till the latter end of January, 1806, she kept her cruize between the latitudes 1. 10. S. and 00. 20. N. but, owing to the scarcity of whales, had very little success. On the 22d of this month, by the advice of Mr. Brown, the whaling-master, she proceeded to shift her whaling-ground more to the northward and eastward. During this interval no particular transaction occurred, except that Mr. Johnson and Mr. Bernard, who, it may be recollected, were the first and second mates of the Minerva, (the South whaler whose crew had mutinied), went on board the Rebecca, bound shortly for England.

On Saturday, the 1st of February, in latitude 00. 14. S. longitude 81. 50. W. she espied land, and accordingly steered in for it: at eleven, A. M. however, she tacked ship, and stood to windward, with a view of getting to the isle of Plate, being considered a good whaling ground. She made this isle on Tuesday, the 4th, and perceiving a sail to windward, sent three boats

after her, took her, and found her to be the San Pedro, in ballast, bound to Point St. Helena for salt. On Thursday following, still keeping a look out for whales, she fell in with a strange sail, boarded her, and found her to be the Spanish brig Santa Rosa el Carne, laden with salt, flour, and tallow. She took her alongside, discharged her of her cargo, and the next day, putting twenty prisoners on board of her, gave her up as a cartel.

On Friday, the 14th, she captured the Transito brig, from Tomaco, bound to Paita, laden with cocoa-nuts; and on Monday following she stood into Tacames roads, to procure fresh provisions, where she came to an anchor in the afternoon, with the two prizes in company. Here three armed boats were sent on shore, who, after a time, returned laden with oranges, limes, plaintains, pine-apples, &c. as also a pig and a goat. They went on shore again the next day, and procured two bullocks and an additional quantity of fruit. As no convenient watering-place was to be found here, the ship got under weigh on Ihursday, the 20th, and steered farther north, towards Tola, and on the Sunday following came to an anchor in Tola roads. in the afternoon a letter was sent to the governor, requesting stock: he very po

litely complied, and the boat returned with sixpigs, a number of fowls, &c. The next day she took a canoe, laden with jerk beef and pork; but understanding that it belonged to the governor, immediately liberated it, by way of return for his politeness. It might have been mentioned before, that while at facames a relation of the governor requested a passage to Tola, which the captain readily complied with, entertained him very well on board, and set him safe on shore at Tola. This circumstance, no doubt, in a great measure, gave rise to the unusual politeness of the governor.

During the time the ship remained at this place, the officers were very well received and entertained at the governor's house. He was a very gentlemanly old man, kept a good table, and was happy to see his friends. He had an only daughter, a very agreeable girl, of about sixteen, who had just come from a nunnery, where she had received her education. She was greatly concerned at hearing of the depredations committed by the Port au Prince, particularly at Hilo, where the church was plundered of its consecrated vessels. The attack which had been meditated upon the nunnery to the southward of Calao shocked her extremely; she lifted up her hands and eyes,

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