and disabled in her masts by a gale of wind,
that she was sunk, and her prize commissioned in her room. As
nothing appeared on our station, which was to leeward of
Valparaiso, we had no opportunity of exerting ourselves. We
next proceeded along the coast of Peru, and took two prizes,
both very valuable to the Spaniards, the one being loaded with
ship timber, and the other with iron bars, but to us of no
great service; by the latter, (viz. the Nuestra Senora del
Carmin, 250 tons of cargo, value 400,000 dollars,) we had
information of a rich vessel in the road of Paita, bound to
Lousuata on the coast of Mexico, the money being still in town.
This was a chance worth pursuing; and having arrived off the
port in the night, we sent in all the boats manned and armed,
with fifty men, surprised and took the town with scarcely any
resistance or loss, except one killed and one wounded on our
side; the inhabitants abandoning their houses, and retiring to
the neighbouring mountains.

"This event happened on the 15th of November 1741. (Vide
Anson's Voyage, p. 149.) We kept possession of the town two
days and a half without any disturbance from the natives, and,
having plundered it, set it on fire, but spared the two
churches.

"We found here about 30,000_l._ besides jewels; there was much
more, but the inhabitants carried it off. We sunk two galleys
and two snows, and carried away with us the small ship that was
to have carried the money. We departed hence on the 16th, and
some days after joined the Gloucester, which had been ranging
the coast, and intercepted some vessels, though not so valuable
as ours. We then proceeded along shore, burning some of our
prizes, which proved dull sailers, and arrived at the island
of Quibo, 17th December 1741, a delightful uninhabited place,
abounding with wild deer and other refreshments. Having watered
here with all imaginable expedition, we sailed hence on the
19th December, with a design to cruise off Acapulco, on the
coast of Mexico, for a rich ship that was expected from
Manilla, on the island of Luconia, in the East Indies.

"There is a yearly ship whose cargo amounts to an immense sum,
and could we but have had a favourable passage thither, she
must indubitably have been ours; but we were disappointed