he offer of writing to inform my commander
of our unfortunate situation, though there appeared not the least
probability of relieving us. They said the letter should be conveyed to
Macao in a fishing-boat, which would bring an answer in the morning. A
small boat accordingly came alongside, and took the letter.

About six o'clock in the evening they gave us some rice and a little
salt fish, which we ate, and they made signs for us to lay down on the
deck to sleep; but such numbers of Ladrones were constantly coming from
different vessels to see us, and examine our clothes and hair, they
would not allow us a moment's quiet. They were particularly anxious for
the buttons of my coat, which were new, and as they supposed gold. I
took it off, and laid it on the deck to avoid being disturbed by them;
it was taken away in the night, and I saw it on the next day stripped of
its buttons.

About nine o'clock a boat came and hailed the chief's vessel; he
immediately hoisted his mainsail, and the fleet weighed apparently in
great confusion. They worked to windward all night and part of the next
day, and anchored about one o'clock in a bay under the island of Lantow,
where the head admiral of Ladrones was lying at anchor, with about two
hundred vessels and a Portuguese brig they had captured a few days
before, and murdered the captain and part of the crew.

Saturday, the 23d, early in the morning, a fishing-boat came to the
fleet to inquire if they had captured an European boat; being answered
in the affirmative, they came to the vessel I was in. One of them spoke
a few words of English, and told me he had a Ladrone-pass, and was sent
by Captain Kay in search of us; I was rather surprised to find he had no
letter. He appeared to be well acquainted with the chief, and remained
in his cabin smoking opium, and playing cards all the day.[19]

In the evening I was summoned with the interpreter before the chief. He
questioned us in a much milder tone, saying, he now believed we were
Englishmen, a people he wished to be friendly with; and that if our
captain would lend him seventy thousand dollars 'till he returned from
his cruise up the river, he would repay him, and send us all to Macao. I
assured him it was useless writing on those terms, and unless our ransom
was speedily settled, the English fleet would sail, and render our
enlargement altogether ineffectual. He remained determined, and said if
it were not sent, he would keep us, an