anchor. Our prize being new and likely to sail well, I took
her with us, naming her the St David, designing to have made her a
complete fire-ship as soon as we should be rejoined by the Mercury, in
which there were materials for that purpose. Next day we looked into
Cheripe, whence we chased a small vessel, which ran on shore to avoid
us. Next morning, being near Lobos, our appointed rendezvous with the
Mercury, I sent ashore my second lieutenant, Mr Randal, with two letters
in separate bottles, directing Captain Hately to follow me to Payta, to
which port I now made the best of my way, and arrived before it on the
18th of March, and sent Mr Randal to look into the cove, to bring me an
account of what ships were there, that I might know what to think of the
information we had received from our prisoners.

On the 21st, I steered directly in for the cove of Payta, which I
entered under French colours about four in the afternoon. We found only
a small ship there, of which Mr Brooks took possession in the launch.
About seven p.m. we came to anchor within three quarters of a mile of
the town. The town seemed to be moderately large and populous, and there
might probably be some land-forces for its defence, being the rendezvous
of the ships which trade between Panama and Caloa; yet, as the taking of
this place was treated in our instructions as a matter of importance, I
consulted with my officers as to the best manner of making the attempt.
Leaving the charge of the ship with the master, Mr Coldsea, and a few
hands, to look after the negroes we had on board, and with orders to
bring the ship nearer to the town, for the more expeditiously embarking
any plunder we might make; I landed with forty-six men, well armed,
about two in the morning of the 22d, and marched directly up to the
great church without the slightest opposition, for we found the town
entirely deserted by the inhabitants.

At day-light, we observed large bodies of men on the hills, on both
sides of the town, which we expected would have come down to attack us;
but, on marching up towards them, they retired before us. Hitherto we
had taken no prisoners, except an old Indian and a boy, who told us that
Captain Clipperton had been here some time before, and had set some
prisoners ashore, who assured them he meant not to do them any injury;
but that the inhabitants, not thinking fit to trust him, had removed all
their valuable effects into the mountains, among which