limit himself to the capture, if possible, of the great Acapulco treasure-ship, which would soon be due on its annual voyage to Manilla. Having ascertained that it was expected to sail from Acapulco on the 3d of March (1742), Anson bore away for the Island of Quibo, where he took in wood and water, and thence proceeded in the track of the great galleon. On the 1st of March were sighted the two remarkable hummocks known to seamen as the 'Paps of Acapulco ;' Anson thereupon disposed his ships, at about fifteen leagues from the shore, in a semicircle, so as to command a sweep of sea not much less than eighty miles in extent. The governor of Acapulco, however, had divined Anson's object; and for the time he defeated it by detaining the galleon under his guns, until the English were compelled by want of water to abandon their fruitless watch. After a brief delay at Chequetan, Anson determined to bear away for China, that he might refit his ships, and obtain fresh stores and supplies of provisions.

During a violent storm on the 26th of July, the crazy old Gloucester sprang a leak, and was soon reduced to so hopeless a condition that Anson removed her crew to the Centurion. This was no remarkable addition to his strength, as the crew of the Gloucester was reduced to seventy-seven men and eighteen boys, and of these only sixteen men and eleven boys were able to keep the deck. Having set the ill-fated vessel on fire, Anson continued his voyage, which a return of their old enemy, the scurvy, rendered inexpressibly wearisome and painful. The deaths increased at the rate of eight, ten, and twelve a day. The dirt, nauseousness, and stench were almost everywhere intolerable; more people daily disabled by the disease, no sign of land, very little wind, and that not fair, very bad provisions and water, and the ships very leaky.'

It was a great joy to all when, on the 21st of August, the Centurion reached the Island of Tinian, one of the Ladrones. Having sighted a native proa, he despatched his pinnace, with Spanish colours flying, to overhaul her. She proved to be manned by a Spanish sergeant and four Indians, from whom it was ascertained that the island produced various kinds of fruits and vegetables, sweet oranges and sour lemons, limes, cocoa nuts, and the bread-fruit, that it was well watered, and abounded in cattle, hogs, and poultry. Anson hastened to disembark his men, the sick being lodged in a large Indian

hut, which appeared to have been used as a store-house, and measured twenty yards long by fifteen broad. A speedy improvement in their condition was visible. 'Notwithstanding the great debility and the dying aspects of the greatest part of our sick,' says the historian, 'it is almost incredible how soon they began to feel the salutary influence of the land; for, though we buried twenty-one men on this and the preceding day, yet we did not lose above ten men more during our whole two months' stay here; and in general our diseased received so much benefit from the fruits of the islands, particularly the fruits of the acid kind, that in a week's time there were but five who were not so far recovered as to be able to walk without help.'

From the description of Tinian given by our authority, it would seem a fit scene for an idyllic love-story, into which no shadow of the ills that afflict humanity ought to be allowed to enter. The soil is everywhere dry and healthy, and somewhat sandy, which, being less disposed than other soils to a rank and over-luxuriant vegetation, occasions the meadows and the bottoms of the woods to be much neater and smoother than is

customary in hot climates. The land rises by easy slopes, from the very beach where we watered to the middle of the island, though the general course of its ascent is often interrupted and traversed by gentle descents and valleys; and the inequalities that are formed by the different combinations of these gradual swellings of the ground are most beautifully diversified with large lawns, which are covered with a very fine trefoil, intermixed with a variety of flowers, and are skirted by woods of tall and well-spread trees, most of them celebrated either for their aspect or their fruit. The turf of the lawns is quite clean and even, and the bottoms of the woods in many places clear of all bushes and underwoods; and the woods themselves usually terminate on the lawns with a regular outline, not broken nor confused with straggling trees, but appearing as uniform as if laid out by art.'

The Commodore himself was attacked by the fell disease which had done so much havoc among his crews, and to insure his recovery, had his hut pitched on the island for a few days. On the 2d of September, while he was thus recruiting, the Centurion was driven out to sea by a furious gale, leaving on the island a company of 113 persons. As Tinian lay out of the

track of European vessels, the prospect was sufficiently discouraging, and the object of the expedition seemed finally frustrated; but Anson preserved his silent and composed manner, and without evincing any symptom of anxiety or disturbance, immediately set to work to lengthen, by about twelve feet, a Spanish bark, which had been captured, in order that he might carry them all to China. As the Centurion had on board most of the necessary tools and materials, the inventive faculties of carpenter, smith, and sail-maker were severely taxed to supply the deficiencies. One day, while hammers were clanging and saws grinding, a sudden shout arose. 'A sail! a sail!' Eager eyes turned towards the offing, and a ship that was barely visible everybody declared to be the Centurion; another appeared, and then it was evident that their first hopeful conjectures must be abandoned. By the help of his glass, Anson discovered that the supposed ships were only two sailing boats. The thought flashed upon him that the Centurion must have foundered, and that those were her boats returning with the survivors of her crew-a thought involving so much bitterness that, to conceal the sudden rush of emotion, he withdrew to the solitude of his hut. Fortunately they proved to be only a couple of proas pursuing their way to one of the islands. Once more the clink of hammers and the hum of busy men filled the air; but when the boat was nearly ready for launching, the look-out man, from the top of one of the hills, discovered the Centurion bearing down before the wind (October 18th), and raised an enthusiastic cry of, 'The ship! the ship!' On hearing this joyful and unhoped-for news, Anson threw down the axe which he had been wielding lustily, and for once allowed his feelings to break through his habitual reserve. His unusual exultation showed how rigorous a restraint he had put upon himself, in order to keep up the spirits of his followers, who, in this hour of delight, 'ran down to the seaside in a kind of frenzy, eager to feast themselves with a sight they had so ardently wished for, and of which they had for a considerable time despaired.'

Having refitted the Centurion as well as his limited means would allow, Anson set sail on the 21st of October, and on the 12th of November arrived at Macao, on the coast of China. There he remained during the winter season, recruiting his men, and making good all deficiencies of stores and provisions.

He also secured a small reinforcement of his crew, entering twenty-three men, a few of them Dutch, and the rest Lascars.

He

On the 19th of April 1743, Anson resumed his voyage. gave out that he was bound for Batavia, on his way back to England; but, with characteristic tenacity of purpose, held to his design of intercepting the great Acapulco ship, though his crew at this time numbered only two hundred and one, of whom not more than forty-five were able seamen. The complement of one of the Spanish galleons was between five hundred and six hundred men; but in Anson's sea-arithmetic forty-five English seamen equals five hundred Spaniards, so that he had no fear of the issue. Nor had his men who, when their commander announced his intention of resuming his quest after the treasure-ship, expressed their satisfaction, in true English fashion, by three hearty cheers. One day, no mutton appearing on his table, Anson inquired the reason, for he felt certain the supply was not exhausted. 'True, your honour,' replied the cook, 'there are still a couple of sheep left in the galley, but I thought your honour would wish them kept for the dinners of the Spanish captain whom your honour is going to take prisoner !'

On the last day of May the Centurion came in sight of the Philippines, and cruised off Cape Espiritu Santo, waiting and watching for her expected prey. The anxiety of his people, who already seemed to hear the chink of Spanish doubloons in their pockets, increased every day until, on the morning of the 20th June, the look-out man descried the tall masts of the galleon in the offing, and immediaately all sail was set upon the Centurion. The great Acapulco argosy showed no desire to avoid the contest; and as she carried forty-four guns and five hundred men, she might reasonably calculate in beating off her antagonist. Hoisting Spanish colours, and having the standard of Spain flying at the top-gallant masthead, she brought to in bold defiance of the English man-of-war. Anson, in the meantime, had made such preparations as would ensure the most efficacious employment of the limited resources he had at his disposal. He picked out about thirty of his choicest hands and best marksmen, whom he distributed into his tops, and who fully answered his expectations by the signal services they performed. As he had not hands enough remaining to quarter a

sufficient number to each great gun in the customary manner, he therefore, on his lower tier, fixed only two men to each gun, who were to be only employed in loading it, whilst the rest of his people were divided into different gangs of ten or twelve men each, who were constantly moving about the decks, to run out and fire such guns as were loaded. By this arrangement he was enabled to make use of all his guns; and, instead of firing broadsides with intervals between them, he kept up a constant fire without intermission, whence he doubted not to procure very original advantages. For it is common with the Spaniards to fall down upon the decks when they see a broadside preparing, and to continue in that posture till it is given; after which they rise again, and, presuming the danger to be for some time over, work their guns, and fire with great briskness, till another broadside is ready; but the firing gun by gun, in the manner directed by the Commodore, rendered this practice of theirs impossible.'

The action began about one o'clock. Anson laid his ship across the galleon's bows and raked her decks with a rapid and regular fire, which attested the proficiency in gunnery his men had acquired through his foresight in exercising them daily. The musketry from the tops, moreover, did great damage. For two hours the fighting was severe; the masts and rigging of the galleon were cut to pieces, and she received one hundred and fifty shots in her hull, many of them between wind and water. Having lost sixty-seven men killed and eighty-five wounded, she struck her standard; but it must be admitted she did not do so in dishonour. The loss of the British was only two men killed and seventeen wounded.1

The cargo of the Nuestra Señora de Cabadonza consisted of one million three hundred and thirteen thousand eight hundred and forty-three pieces of eight, and thirty-five thousand six hundred and eighty-two ounces of virgin silver, besides cochineal and other goods; the total value in English money being about £320,000.

Scarcely had this splendid prize surrendered, when one of his lieutenants whispered in Anson's ear that the Centurion

1 The Spaniards were highly indignant, when they learned the smallness of Anson's crew, at their defeat, and complained that they had been beaten by a handful of boys. As they were double the number of the British, great precautions were taken to prevent them from rising against their captors.