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returned. The following day was employed in disguising the ship like an American, in order to go into Coquimbo Roads to refresh. On Wednesday, at five P. M. she anchored in these roads, and hoisted American colours. At eight o'clock three Spanish gentlemen, mistaking her for a smuggler, came on board with the expectation of finding contraband goods. A stratagem was used to confirm their opinion till they should bring money on board to trade with. Samples of cloth, cut from the inside of the officers' coats, were accordingly shown to them as fair specimens of the quality of the goods on which they promised to bring the next day 4000 dollars to make purchases. In the mean while a letter was sent to the governor requesting leave to purchase stock, to which he returned for answer, that he had received orders from the viceroy of Lima not to supply American ships. At ten the following night, the three Spanish gentlemen just mentioned returned, accompanied by three others. They brought specie to the amount of 4000 dollars. After having been entertained in the cabin till two or three in the morning, they became anxious to see the goods. They were accordingly conducted below, but soon informed of the disagreeable necessity of detaining them as prisoners of war. At first they took it for a joke, and laughed heartily, but soon became serious enough on being convinced of the truth. One of them was so much affected that he actually swooned away. As soon as the first shock arising from this unpleasant information was over, they began to be a little more reconciled; but expressed their expectations, that although they were prisoners of war, their 4000 dollars would be returned: they were told in answer, that the Port au Prince being a private ship of war, and the men consequently having no wages but what consisted in the booty they might obtain, the money must undoubtedly be retained. Don Felix, who was one of them, and who well deserved his name, did not make himself at all unhappy on the occasion, but ate, drank, and cheered up the rest as well as he could. On finding, at dinner, that his companions had lost their stomachs, he very jocosely desired them to stand upon no compliments, but to fall to and eat heartily, the whole being well paid for, and that consequently they were under no obligations to the captain for his entertainment.

The following day, August 2, a letter was sent to the governor of the town, to inform him that the Port au Prince was an enemy; and that, if he did not capitulate, the place would be taken by

force. In the mean time, two more Spaniards came on board with 400 dollars, expecting to purchase smuggled goods, but of course met the fate of their six countrymen. In the evening four boats, well manned and armed, were sent on shore to break open and plunder certain warehouses opposite the vessel, and about a mile and a half distant from the town, which was situated on the other side of the bay. They succeeded in bringing off 52 packed hides of tallow, 800 gallons of wine in jars, four pigs of copper, and a number of dried hides. The first six prisoners were now liberated and sent on shore, though contrary to the inclination of a majority of the ship's company, who wished them to be detained, with a view of getting a ransom: Captain Duck, however, thought they had already paid dearly enough, and sent them away accordingly, About the same time a bullock and several goats were procured from the Indians, for which, not being considered as enemies, they were punctually paid.

The next day, the two remaining prisoners were ransomed for 300 dollars; and an answer was brought from the governor, stating his determination of defending the town to the last man. As the place was protected by twenty-two guns, and apparently by a considerable number of troops, it was not deemed advisable to attempt taking it. Three armed boats were, however, sent on shore to forage for fresh stock: they returned in four hours with thirty live goats.

On Monday, the 5th of August, the Port au Prince weighed anchor, worked out of the bay, and made all sail to the northward; and, on the Friday following, arrived in Caldera Bay. Here a fisherman was employed to go to Copiapo, (a town fifteen leagues up the country,) to employ himself diligently in informing the inhabitants that the vessel was an American smuggler with contraband goods. The next night eleven of the ship's company deserted and went on shore, the gunner, who was one of them, having procured them pistols, cutlasses, and amunition. In the morning Captain Duck was informed by some Indians that they had met the deserters on their road to Copiapo. He immediately wrote to the governor to inform him that they were mutineers, and to request him to send them back. The following day five Spanish gentlemen arrived from Copiapo, who stated that they had met the deserters four or five leagues from that town, and had been informed by them that the ship was an English privateer, in consequence

of which, not knowing what to believe, they had sent back the greater part of the money with which they had intended to purchase goods. They were detained on board till the next day, and then confined; 457 dollars, a large bar of silver, and a number of trinkets, being taken from their bags. The captain then wrote another letter to the governor, stating that he had five Spanish prisoners, and wished to make an exchange for the deserters. On Thursday an answer was received from the governor, promising to deliver up the deserters if they came within his jurisdiction; on which the captain sent him a letter of thanks, and a present of a cheese. The Saturday following a present of gold and silver ore was sent by the governor to the captain, with a letter, stating that he had obtained no news of the deserters; in consequence of which intelligence, the prisoners were dismissed in the afternoon without exchange or ransom.

nure.

The following day (Sunday, the 18th of August) the ship weighed anchor, and made sail to the northward. Between this and the Thursday following, three Spanish brigs and a boat were taken : one of them was cut out of Pisagua Bay, after having just discharged her cargo of wheat; another was a small open vessel, laden with manure; and the two others were on their passage, one to Inquiqui, the other to Pavillon, to take in a cargo of maThe men were much dissatisfied at taking a parcel of dung barges, as they termed them, instead of rich Spanish galleons. This discontent of the men operated to a certain degree, with other causes, in bringing about the ultimate destruction of the ship, as will hereafter be seen. She now proceeded on her course, after having put all the prisoners on board the open vessel, with orders to proceed towards Pisagua; and on Monday, the 2d of September, being off Arica, saw a vessel at anchor, and immediately made sail towards the bay. At five P. M. she got into the roads; and finding the town not well defended by cannon, opened a fire upon it. At five she came to an anchor, and kept up an intermitting fire during the night, expecting, in the mean while, the arrival of the prizes, till which time an assault could not be made upon the town for want of hands. Early the next morning a letter was sent to the governor, requesting him to capitulate; but this he refused, having, during the night, raised a fortification of sand with fourteen embrasures.

At eight o'clock the following morning the Port au Prince warped within range of grape shot of the town, and again commenced a cannonade. At noon she ceased firing, after having done considerable damage. The brig was still at anchor, with her sails unbent and rudder unshipped. At two o'clock a firing was again commenced, and renewed at intervals, during which time the prizes came to an anchor. Another letter was now sent to the governor, threatening to burn the brig and destroy the town if he did not capitulate; but he still refused. It was at this time impossible to land, on account of the very heavy surf; a brisk fire was therefore kept up till five in the afternoon, when the brig was burnt. Several shots were fired from the fort, but without effect. Doubting whether the place, after all, was worth the time and trouble of taking, at six P. M. the ship got under way and steered towards Hilo, with an intention of taking that place. Two sixpounders were put on board the Begonio brig to anchor before the town, and cover the men while landing, as the Port au Prince could not get close enough in shore. The following day, at nine o'clock A. M. the ship and brigs came to an anchor at Guiana, a small village about a mile to the southward of Hilo. The boats were now sent, with forty-five men, on board the Begonio, which anchored at ten before the town, commenced firing, and began to land the men at the same time. Whilst landing, the enemy opened a smart fire of musquetry, which mortally wounded one man, and slightly wounded two others. The men being all landed, took refuge behind a rock, whence, seeing a fit opportunity, they rushed forth, drove the Spaniards out of the town, and took possession of it. In one house they witnessed a scene sufficiently ludicrous, viz. the commandant and a fat friar, so drunk that they could not stand; these they secured without much trouble, in hopes of receiving a ransom for them.

As the enemy was expected to come shortly in greater numbers from the country,—to defend themselves better they took possession of the church, and mounted a swivel on the steeple. In the mean while the men plundered and pillaged the place of every thing valuable, nor was it possible to restrain them. Silver candlesticks, chalices, incense pans, crucifixes, and images also of silver, constituted a rich booty: those made of wax and wood were of course not appropriated, but, notwithstanding, sadly abused. The next morning, at eight A. M. the enemy not having yet made

his appearance, the officers and men secured all the plate that could be found, as well as the two prisoners, who, by this time, had become tolerably sober; they then set fire to the town, and returned on board.

During the preceding night the Begonio had driven from her anchor, drifted aground, and her people had been obliged to quit her. She afterwards took fire, and was entirely consumed. On Saturday, the 7th, the commandant was sent on shore to procure his own and the friar's ransom.

On Sunday, the 8th of September, she weighed anchor, and made sail for Punta de la Coles to water, where the next day she came to an anchor, and sent a guard of musquetry on shore to protect the boats while watering. A bullock was now received from the commandant as part of his ransom, and a message, stating that, as his property lay a considerable distance up the country, he could not send any thing more within ten days. This would have been too great a delay for the vessel, the friar was therefore sent on shore without ransom.

On Friday, the 13th, she again got under weigh, the two prize brigs having been previously sunk, after the stores had been taken out of them. On Saturday she took the Nuestra Senora del Carne la Serena, bound to Guiana for manure. At ten A. M. a boat was seen pulling towards the ship, which, in the course of an hour, came alongside, with six men, and proved to belong to the Minerva, South whaler, Captain Obit Cottle, of London; Mr. Matthew Johnson first mate, and Mr. Benjamin Bernard second mate. The boat stated, that the remainder of the ship's company, nineteen in number, had mutinied, shot the captain, and allowed them to have the two boats. These six and four more were permitted to leave the ship with the two boats; but after having been ten days at sea, the four, being much fatigued, went on shore in the jolly boat; since which the remaining six had been fourteen days in the whaling boat before they fell in with the Port au Prince. When they left the Minerva, the mutineers hoisted a black flag, and declared themselves at war with all nations.

On Thursday, the 19th, a thousand dollars were discovered on board the prize brig, as also plate to the value of three or four hundred dollars. She was afterwards given up as a cartel, all the prisoners being put on board of her.

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