he Spaniards, if
they got possession of the canoe, (as we afterwards learnt they did)
but could not impose on Mr Hughes, who well knew that the commodore
had no squadron to join, nor any intention of steering back to Peru.

Being now in the offing of Chequetan, bound cross the vast Pacific
Ocean in our way to China, we were impatient to run off the coast as
soon as possible; for as the stormy season was approaching apace, and
as we had no further views in the American seas, we had hoped that
nothing would have prevented us from standing to the westward, the
moment we got out of the harbour of Chequetan: And it was no small
mortification to us, that our necessary employment there had detained
us so much longer than we expected; and now we were farther detained
by the absence of the cutter, and the standing towards Acapulco in
search of her. Indeed, as the time of her cruise had been expired near
a fortnight, we suspected that she had been discovered from the shore;
and that the governor of Acapulco had thereupon sent out a force to
seize her, which, as she carried but six hands, was no very difficult
enterprize. However, this being only conjecture, the commodore, as
soon as we got clear of the harbour of Chequetan, stood along the
coast to the eastward in search of her: And to prevent her from
passing by us in the dark, we brought to every night; and the
Gloucester, whose station was a league within us towards the shore,
carried a light which the cutter could not but perceive if she kept
along shore, as we supposed she would do; and as a farther security,
the Centurion and the Gloucester alternately showed two false fires
every half hour.

By Sunday, the 2d of May, we were advanced within three leagues of
Acapulco, and having seen nothing of our boat, we gave her over for
lost, which, besides the compassionate concern for our shipmates, and
for what it was apprehended they might have suffered, was in itself
a misfortune in our present scarcity of hands, we were all greatly
interested in: For the crew of the cutter, consisting of six men and
the lieutenant, were the very flower of our people, purposely picked
out for this service, and known to be every one of them of tried
and approved resolution, and as skilful seamen as ever trod a deck.
However, as it was the general belief among us that they were taken
and carried into Acapulco, the commodore's prudence suggested a
project which we hoped would recover them. This was