atisfy themselves, that the disappointment had been occasioned by a
casual delay of the galleon, which a few days would remove, and not
by a total suspension of her departure for the whole season: But these
speculations were not relished by the generality of our people; for
they were persuaded that the enemy had, by some accident, discovered
our being upon the coast, and had therefore laid an embargo on the
galleon till the next year. And indeed this persuasion was but too
well founded; for we afterwards learnt, that our barge, when sent on
the discovery of the port of Acapulco, had been seen from the
shore; and that this circumstance (no embarkations but canoes
ever frequenting that coast) was to them a sufficient proof of the
neighbourhood of our squadron; on which they stopped the galleon till
the succeeding year.

The commodore himself, though he declared not his opinion, was yet in
his own thoughts very apprehensive that we were discovered, and that
the departure of the galleon was put off; and he had, in consequence
of this opinion, formed a plan for possessing himself of Acapulco;
for he had no doubt that the treasure remained in the town, though the
orders for dispatching the galleon were countermanded.[3]

[Footnote 3: It is unnecessary to detail this plan, as, for sufficient
reasons soon discovered, it was not attempted to be executed.--E.]

His scheme was formed on a supposition that the galleon was detained
till the next year; but as this was a matter of opinion only, and not
founded on intelligence, and there was a possibility that she might
still put to sea in a short time, the commodore thought it prudent
to continue his cruise upon this station, as long as the necessary
attention to his stores of wood and water, and to the convenient
season for his future passage to China, would give him leave; and
therefore, as the cutters had been ordered to remain, before Acapulco
till the 23d of March, the squadron did not change its position till
that day; when the cutters not appearing, we were in some pain for
them, apprehending they might have suffered either from the enemy or
the weather; but we were relieved from our concern the next morning,
when we discovered them, though at a great distance and to the leeward
of the squadron: We bore down to them and took them up and were
informed by them, that, conformable to their orders, they had left
their station the day before, without having seen any thing of the
g