e treatment, that they had nothing to fear. The
commodore, also, being informed of their fears, sent directions that
they should continue in their own ship, with the use of the same
apartments and all other conveniences they had before enjoyed,
giving strict orders that they should experience no inquietude or
molestation; and, that they might be the more certain of having these
orders complied with, or having the means of complaining if they were
not, the commodore appointed the pilot, who is generally the second
person in Spanish ships, to remain with them as their guardian and
protector. He was particularly chosen on this occasion, as he seemed
extremely interested in all that concerned these women, and had
at first declared that he was married to the youngest; though it
afterwards appeared that he had asserted this merely with the view of
securing them from the insults they dreaded on falling into our hands.
By this compassionate and indulgent behaviour of the commodore, the
consternation of our female prisoners entirety subsided, and they
continued easy and cheerful during the time they were with us.

I have before mentioned that the Centurion ran her two consorts out
of sight at the commencement of this chase, on which account we lay to
for them all the night after we had taken the prize, firing guns and
shewing false fires every half hour, to prevent them from passing us
unobserved. But they were so far astern, that they neither heard nor
saw any of our signals, and were not able to come up with us till
broad day. When they had joined, we proceeded together to the
northward, being now four sail in company. We here found the sea
for many miles of a beautiful red colour, owing, as we found upon
examination, to an immense quantity of spawn floating on its surface:
For, taking some of the water in a glass, it soon changed from a dirty
aspect to be perfectly clear, with some red globules of a slimy nature
floating on the top. Having now a supply of timber in our new prize,
the commodore ordered all our boats to be repaired, and a swivel-stock
to be fitted in the bow of the barge and pinnace, in order to increase
their force, in case we should have occasion to use them in boarding
ships, or making any attempt on shore.

Continuing our course to the northward, nothing remarkable occurred
for two or three days, though we spread our ships in such a manner
that it was not probable any vessel of the enemy should escape us.