find it, and there was reason to believe this was not
altogether without its use, for, on visiting the place afterwards, the
provisions were gone, and in a manner that made them conclude they had
fallen into his hands.

Although many of the crew of the Anna believed that this Indian still
continued in the neighbourhood, there were some who strongly suspected
he might have gone off to the island of Chiloe, where they feared
he would alarm the Spaniards, and would soon return with a force
sufficient to surprise or overpower the Anna. The master was therefore
prevailed upon to discontinue firing the evening gun, and there is a
particular reason for attending to this circumstance, to be explained
hereafter; for he had hitherto, from an ostentatious imitation of
the men-of-war, fired a gun every evening at setting the night watch.
This, as he pretended, was to awe the enemy, if there were any within
hearing, and to convince them that his ship was always on her
guard. The crew being now well refreshed, and their wood and water
sufficiently replenished, he put to sea a few days after the escape
of the Indian, and had a fortunate passage to the rendezvous at
Juan Fernandez, where he arrived on the 16th of August, as already
mentioned.

The remaining ships of the squadron, none of which rejoined the
commodore, were the Severn, Pearl, and Wager, of the fate of which
it may be proper to make mention. The Severn and Pearl parted company
from the commodore off Cape Voir; and, as we afterwards learnt, put
back to Brazil. The Wager had on board a few field-pieces, and some
coehorn-mortars, mounted for land service, with several kinds of
artillery stores and pioneers tools, intended for operations on shore.
And, as an enterprise had been planned against Baldivia, for the first
operation of the squadron, Captain Cheap was extremely solicitous
that these articles might be forthcoming, and determined to use his
endeavours for that purpose, that no delay or disappointment might
be imputed to him, not knowing the state the squadron was reduced
to. While making the best of his way, with these views, to the first
appointed rendezvous, off Socoro, whence he proposed to proceed
for Baldivia, the Wager made the land on the 14th of May, about the
latitude of 47 deg. S. and while Captain Cheap was exerting himself in
order to get clear of the land, he had the misfortune to fall down the
after-ladder, by which he dislocated his shoulder, and was