island of Socoro, they were only to cruize off that island for ten
days; from whence, if not then joined by the commodore, they were to
proceed off Baldivia, making the land between the latitudes of 40 deg. and
40 deg. 30' S. and taking care to keep to the southward of the port. If
not there joined in fourteen days by the rest of the squadron, they
were then to direct their course for the island of Juan Fernandez;
after which they were to regulate their farther proceedings by the
former orders given out at St Catharines. The same orders were also
given to the master of the Anna pink, who was enjoined to answer and
obey the signals made by any ship of the squadron, in absence of the
commodore; and, if he should be so unfortunate as to fell into the
hands of the enemy, he was directed to destroy his orders and papers
with the utmost care. Likewise, as the separation of the squadron
might prove highly prejudicial to the service, each captain was
ordered to give it in charge to the respective officers of the watch,
on all occasions, never to keep their respective ships at a greater
distance from the Centurion than two miles, as they should answer
at their peril; and if any captain should find his ship beyond the
specified distance, he was to acquaint the commodore with the name of
the officer who thus neglected his duty.

These necessary regulations established, and the repairs of the Tryal
sloop completed, the squadron weighed from Port St Julians on Friday
the 27th February, 1741, at seven in the morning, and stood to sea.
The Gloucester found such difficulty in endeavouring to purchase her
anchor, that she was left a great way astern, so that we fired several
guns in the night as signals for her to make more sail: But she did
not rejoin us till next morning, when we learnt that she had been
obliged to cut her cable, leaving her best bower anchor behind. At ten
in the morning of the 28th, Wood's Mount, the high land over Port
St Julian, bore from us N. by W. distant ten leagues, and we had
fifty-two fathoms water. Standing now to the southward, we had great
expectations of falling in with the Spanish squadron under Pizarro;
as, during our stay at Port St Julian, there had generally been hard
gales between W.N.W. and S.W. so that we had reason to conclude that
squadron, had gained no ground upon us in that interval. Indeed, it
was the prospect of meeting them that had occasioned our commodore to
be so very solicitous to