n Clipperton so sensible
of the difficulties and hazards we had to encounter in our design of
going for India, that he said the child just born would be grey-haired
before we should arrive there. We were now in a most miserable
situation, wandering upon an inhospitable coast in want of every thing,
and all the land we had seen was so wild and open to the sea, that it
would have been impossible for us to have landed any where, and nothing
could have urged us to make the attempt but the extreme want we were now
in.

On the 12th March, being off the port of Acapulco towards evening, we
saw a ship between us and the shore, which turned out to be the Success,
when Clipperton not only answered my private signal, but also that for
speaking with me. After his late inhumane behaviour, I would hardly have
trusted him, had we not been so near Acapulco, where I thought he meant
to cruize for the Manilla ships, and now wished to have our assistance,
wherefore I bore down alongside. He now sent his second lieutenant,
Captain Cooke, with a very obliging letter to me, stating that he was
cruizing for the homeward-bound Manilla ships, and desired me to assist
him in the enterprise, with which view he desired me to come on board
next morning, to consult on the best plan of attacking her, and proposed
an union of the two companies. I was well pleased at this offer, and
returned an answer that I should be with him early. I then read his
letter to my people, who all expressed their readiness to join in the
enterprise; but, as Clipperton had used us so unhandsomely, they desired
me to have some security for their shares, signed by Clipperton, Godfrey
the agent, and the rest of the officers in the Success.

I went aboard the Success next morning, accompanied by Brooks and
Randal, my lieutenants, and was received with much apparent civility,
all animosities being forgotten, and we seemed now in the most perfect
harmony. I first told Captain Clipperton and Mr Godfrey of the paper
expected by my officers and men, entitling them to such shares as were
allowed by the original articles, to which they readily consented, and
drew up an instrument fully answerable to what my people desired. We
then proceeded to our consultation, when it was agreed that I should
send most of my people on board the Success as soon as the Manilla ship
appeared, leaving only a boat's crew with me to bring me away in case I
should have an opportunity to use my vessel as a