skill, and where
the whole had been so artfully combined, and so judiciously adapted
to the slopes of the hills, and the inequalities of the ground, as to
produce a most striking effect, and to do honour to the invention of
the contriver. Thus (an event not unlike what we had already seen)
we were forced upon the most desirable and salutary measures by
accidents, which at first sight we considered as the greatest of
misfortunes; for had we not been driven by the contrary winds and
currents to the northward of our course (a circumstance which at
that time gave us the most terrible apprehensions) we should, in
all probability, never have arrived at this delightful island, and
consequently we should have missed of that place, where alone all
our wants could be most amply relieved, our sick recovered, and our
enfeebled crew once more refreshed, and enabled to put again to sea.

The Spanish serjeant, from whom we received the account of the island,
having informed us that there were some Indians on shore under his
command, employed in jerking beef, and that there was a bark at anchor
to take it on board, we were desirous, if possible, to prevent the
Indians from escaping, who doubtless would have given the governor
of Guam intelligence of our arrival; and we therefore immediately
dispatched the pinnace to secure the bark, which the serjeant told us
was the only embarkation on the place; and then, about eight in the
evening, we let go our anchor in twenty-two fathom; and though it was
almost calm, and whatever vigour and spirit was to be found on board
was doubtless exerted to the utmost on this pleasing occasion, when,
after having kept the sea for some months, we were going to take
possession of this little paradise, yet we were full five hours in
furling our sails: It is true, we were somewhat weakened by the crews
of the cutter and pinnace having been sent on shore; but it is not
less true, that, including those absent with the boats and some
negro and Indian prisoners, all the hands we could muster capable of
standing at a gun amounted to no more than seventy-one, most of which
number too were incapable of duty; but on the greatest emergencies
this was all the force we could collect, in our present enfeebled
condition, from the united crews of the Centurion, the Gloucester, and
the Tryal, which, when we departed from England, consisted altogether
of near a thousand hands.

When we had furled our sails, the remaining pa