r the harbour to bear N.N.E., at
fifteen leagues distance, which was a sufficient offing to prevent our
being seen by the enemy. To the westward of the Centurion there was
stationed the Carmelo, and to the eastward were the Tryal prize, the
Gloucester, and the Carmin: These were all ranged in a circular line,
and each ship was three leagues distant from the next; so that the
Carmelo and the Carmin, which were the two extremes, were twelve
leagues distant from each other: And as the galleon could, without
doubt, be discerned at six leagues distance from either extremity,
the whole sweep of our squadron, within which nothing could pass
undiscovered, was at least twenty-four leagues in extent; and yet
we were so connected by our signals, as to be easily and speedily
informed of what was seen in any part of the line: And, to render this
disposition still more complete, and to prevent even the possibility
of the galleon's escaping us in the night, the two cutters belonging
to the Centurion and the Gloucester were both manned and sent in
shore; and were ordered to lie all day at the distance of four or five
leagues from the entrance of the port, where they could not possibly
be discovered; but they were directed in the night to stand nearer
to the harbour's mouth, and as the light of the morning came on, to
return back again to their day-posts. When the cutters should first
discover the Manilla ship, one of them was to return to the squadron,
and to make a signal, whether the galleon stood to the eastward or
to the westward; whilst the other was to follow the galleon at a
distance, and if it grew dark, to direct the squadron in their chace,
by shewing false fires.

Besides the care we had taken to prevent the galleon from passing us
unobserved, we had not been inattentive to the means of engaging her
to advantage, when we came up with her: For, considering the thinness
of our hands, and the vaunting accounts given by the Spaniards of her
size, her guns, and her strength, this was a consideration not to be
neglected. As we supposed that none of our ships but the Centurion
and the Gloucester were capable of lying alongside of her, we took
on board the Centurion all the hands belonging to the Carmelo and the
Carmin, except what were just sufficient to navigate those ships;
and Captain Saunders was ordered to send from the Tryal prize
ten Englishmen, and as many negroes, to reinforce the crew of the
Gloucester. For the encourage