the hills perceiving most of the
boats were off, rallied, and retook the town, after killing near two
hundred Ladrones. One of my men was unfortunately lost in this dreadful
massacre! The Ladrones landed a second time, drove the Chinese out of
the town, then reduced it to ashes, and put all their prisoners to
death, without regarding either age or sex!

I must not omit to mention a most horrid (though ludicrous) circumstance
which happened at this place. The Ladrones were paid by their chief ten
dollars for every Chinaman's head they produced. One of my men turning
the corner of a street was met by a Ladrone running furiously after a
Chinese; he had a drawn sword in his hand, and two Chinaman's heads
which he had cut off, tied by their tails, and slung round his neck. I
was witness myself to some of them producing five or six to obtain
payment!

On the 4th of November an order arrived from the admiral for the fleet
to proceed immediately to Lantow, where he was lying with only two
vessels, and three Portuguese ships and a brig constantly annoying him;
several sail of mandarine vessels were daily expected. The fleet weighed
and proceeded towards Lantow. On passing the island of Lintin, three
ships and a brig gave chase to us. The Ladrones prepared to board; but
night closing we lost sight of them: I am convinced they altered their
course and stood from us. These vessels were in the pay of the Chinese
government, and style themselves the Invincible Squadron, cruising in
the river Tigris to annihilate the Ladrones!

On the fifth, in the morning, the red squadron anchored in a bay under
Lantow; the black squadron stood to the eastward. In this bay they
hauled several of their vessels on shore to bream their bottoms and
repair them.

In the afternoon of the 8th of November, four ships, a brig and a
schooner came off the mouth of the bay. At first the pirates were much
alarmed, supposing them to be English vessels come to rescue us. Some of
them threatened to hang us to the mast-head for them to fire at; and
with much difficulty we persuaded them that they were Portuguese. The
Ladrones had only seven junks in a fit state for action; these they
hauled outside, and moored them head and stern across the bay; and
manned all the boats belonging to the repairing vessels ready for
boarding.

The Portuguese observing these maneuvers hove to, and communicated by
boats. Soon afterwards they made sail, each ship firing her broadsi