er had the galleon struck, than one of the lieutenants coming
to Mr Anson to congratulate him on his prize, whispered him at
the same time, that the Centurion was dangerously on fire near the
powder-room. The commodore received this dreadful news without any
apparent emotion, and, taking care not to alarm his people, gave the
necessary orders for extinguishing it, which was happily done in a
short time, though its appearance at first was extremely terrible. It
seems some cartridges had been blown up by accident between decks,
by which a quantity of oakum in the after-hatch-way, near the
after-powder-room, was set on fire; and the great smother and smoke
of the oakum occasioned the apprehension of a more extended and
mischievous fire. At the same instant, too, the galleon fell on board
the Centurion on the starboard quarter, but she was cleared without
doing or receiving any considerable damage.

The commodore made his first lieutenant, Mr Saumarez, captain of this
prize, appointing her a post-ship in his majesty's service. Captain
Saumarez, before night, sent on board the Centurion all the Spanish
prisoners, but such as were thought the most proper to be retained to
assist in navigating the galleon. And now the commodore learnt, from
some of the prisoners, that the other ship, which he had kept in the
port of Acapulco the preceding year, instead of returning in company
with the present prize, as was expected, had set sail from Acapulco
alone much sooner than usual, and had, in all probability, got into
the port of Manilla long before the Centurion arrived off Espiritu
Santo; so that Mr Anson, notwithstanding his present success, had
great reason to regret his loss of time at Macao, which prevented him
from taking two rich prizes instead of one.

The commodore, when the action was ended, resolved to make the best of
his way with his prize for the river of Canton, being in the mean time
fully employed in securing his prisoners, and in removing the treasure
from on board the galleon into the Centurion. The last of these
operations was too important to be postponed; for as the navigation to
Canton was through seas but little known, and where, from the season
of the year, much bad weather might be expected, it was of great
consequence that the treasure should be sent on board the Centurion,
which ship, by the presence of the commander in chief, the greater
number of her hands, and her other advantages, was doubtless much
s