d to carry the Success into the harbour, making directly for the
ship that lay there at anchor. The _Spaniards_ carried her into
shoal-water,[244] where she was exposed to two fires, one from the new
battery on land, almost directly over head, and the other from the ship.
At nine she got foul of the rocks, when they had to cut away two of
their anchors, endeavouring to get her off, all the while the enemy
plying them warmly with shot and stones from the new battery on the
hill, so that they suffered severely in the hull and rigging of the
ship. They also had three men wounded, besides losing the first
lieutenant, Mr Davidson, an honest man and a good officer. Thus the
Success had to remain in a miserable situation, exposed during the whole
night to the continual fire of the enemy; and the surface of the water
being as smooth as a mill-pond, the ship was easily seen in the night,
while her unfortunate crew had no other mark to fire at but the flashes
of the enemy's guns.

[Footnote 244: This unexplained circumstance probably meant, that the
Success had at this time _Spanish_ pilots, who betrayed her.--E.]

In this dangerous emergency, Captain Clipperton being overcome with
liquor, and quite unable to command, the officers came to the resolution
of running clear from the enemy as soon as they could get the ship
afloat, and signed a paper to indemnify Mr Cook if he would assume the
command. By four in the afternoon of the 29th they got the ship afloat,
and cut away their small bower anchor, but ran aground again in ten
minutes. At nine they carried out the kedge-anchor, but the hawser broke
in heaving. They now carried out another hawser, having a lower-deck gun
fixed to it, as they had now lost all their anchors, and were still
aground. At two in the morning of the 30th the enemy repeatedly called
upon them to surrender, or they might expect no quarter. At five they
carried out the main-top-mast shrowd hawser, with another gun, still
plying the enemy with their great guns and small-arms, though they were
able to do little harm; while the enemy never missed them, especially
directing their shot at the boats of the Success, whenever they saw them
in motion. At eleven in the forenoon of the 30th they carried out the
remains of their best bower-cable, with two lower-deck guns, which they
dropped right a-head in five fathoms water. They now cleared the hold,
ready to start their water to lighten the ship; got their upper and