with the Success,
then in quest of _Sonsonate_, expecting there to receive the ransom of
the Marquis of _Villa Roche_ who had been some time a prisoner on board.
We ranged close under her stern, and asked how Captain Clipperton and
the rest of the gentlemen did, but received no answer, and the Success
steered one way, while we went another. After this, calms, contrary
winds, and unaccountable currents, so delayed our proceedings, that were
reduced to a very short allowance, which we were forced to diminish
daily, and had been reduced to very great distress, had we not from time
to time found turtle floating on the surface of the sea, for which we
kept a good look-out, being able to discover them even at great
distances, by the sea-birds perching on their backs. On sight of these,
we were forced often to forego taking advantage of the wind; and,
besides often losing some of our way in pursuit of them, they had still
a worse effect, as dressing them occasioned a great consumption of our
water.

Being now threatened with almost certain perdition if means were not
fallen upon to avoid a state of absolute famine, I proposed that we
should attempt to plunder some small town as we coasted along shore. At
this time _Guotalco_ was the nearest port; but, as we were standing in
for it, we saw a sail a considerable way to leeward, which we considered
more proper for us to endeavour to capture than to venture on shore, for
which purpose we bore down upon her, which proved to be the Success.
When sufficiently near, I made the private signal formerly concerted
between us, but Captain Clipperton hauled his wind, and did not lie by a
moment for us to get up with him. We were now so for to leeward of
Guatalco, that it was in vain to beat up for that port, especially on an
uncertainty. We were now reduced to a small daily allowance of
calavances, which not being sufficient to keep us alive, we had recourse
to the remainder of our smoked congers which had been neglected for some
months, and had been soaking and rotting in the bilge-water, so that
they were now as disgusting food as could be. Under these calamitous
circumstances, we again met the Success near port _Angels_, in lat. 15 deg.
50' N. long. 96 deg. 25' W. Having exchanged signals, we stood so near each
other that a biscuit might have been chucked aboard, yet did not
exchange a word, as Clipperton had ordered his officers and ship's
company to take no notice of us: Yet was Captai