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. 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. The ship now made sail to the northward, and on the 9th August arrived in Caldera Bay. The next night, the gunner and ten of the ship's company deserted, carrying with them arms and ammunition. The following day, the vessel being still disguised as an American, five Spanish gentlemen coming on board to purchase goods, were detained prisoners of war, and a letter despatched to the governor, requesting him to seek out for the deserters, and send them on board in exchange for the prisoners. This he promised to do, if he could find them; but, not succeeding in the attempt, he sent a present of gold and silver ore to the captain, with a letter, stating that he could obtain no news of them. Captain Duck, therefore, liberated the prisoners, without exchange or ransom. 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 similar cargo. The men were much dissatisfied at taking a parcel of dung-barges, as they termed them, instead of rich Spanish galleons. She next made an attempt upon the town of Arica, but finding it too strongly defended, the attack was relinquished. She then made sail towards Hilo, with the intention of taking it; and as she could not get close enough in shore, two six-pounders were put on board a prize brig, the Begonio, to anchor before the town, and cover the boats while landing. They succeeded in this attempt, notwithstanding a smart fire of musketry, 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, they plundered and pillaged the place of every thing valuable. Silver candlesticks, chaices, incense pans, crucifixes, and images also of silver, constituted a rich booty. The next morn ing, at 8 a. m., the enemy not having yet made his appearance, they secured all the plate that could be found, as well as the two prisoners, who, by this time, had become tolerably sober, 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 Saturday the 14th, at 10 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. They 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. 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. On Sunday the 22d, the Port au Prince fell in with the Lucy privateer, Captain Ferguson, from London, and in whose company, on the following day, she came to an anchor off Chinca, and two boats were then sent on shore with forty armed men from each ship. In the afternoon they returned, having succeeded in plundering the town, without, however, finding any thing of much con sequence. Friday the 27th, the boats, manned and armed, were sent to attempt landing at a nunnery; but they could not effect their purpose, owing to the surf, which ran very high, and were consequently obliged to return. On Friday the 4th of October, a sail being seen standing in for Paita, the two ships gave chase; the Lucy being ahead, took her, and found her to be a king's tender bound to Paita, laden with pork, bread, vinegar, and olive oil, for the Spanish frigate Astræa, lying at anchor in Paita roads. This frigate soon after got under weigh, and gave chase to the two ships, which immediately stood out of the bay; but at two p. m., being three leagues from the shore, they tacked ship, and stood towards the Astræa, and in half an hour commenced a close action with her, when she bore up for the lee-shore, and engaged before the wind. At half past four the Port au Prince was close on the lee-shore in four or five fathoms water; here she lost her mizen-top-mast, and was so much disabled in her rigging as to be obliged to discontinue the engagement. The Lucy, which had not received so much damage, had hauled off some time before, and made sail; and the enemy seeing this, hauled off on the same tack. The Port au Prince immediately bent a new main-top-sail (which had been shot away), when the Astræa, finding she did not gain ground, wore ship and stood in for Paita. The loss of the Port au Prince in this action was one lad killed and three men wounded. On Tuesday the 8th, the two ships stood in for Paita, to make another attack on the frigate, but she being 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. The Port au Prince had here one man killed, and two carronades dismounted on the quarter-deck. 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, were 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 reported that she was commanded by a Frenchman, and had on board several of the deserters 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-topmast was shot away, forty hands killed, and one hundred 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. On the 22d of this month, by the advice of Mr |