y was
carried on with cheerfulness.

In about a fortnight, they had gained well up on the Spanish coast,
but although they had seen many of the inhabitants on the beach, they
had not fallen in with any vessels belonging to the Spaniards. Aware
that if he met with a Spanish ship of superior force it would attack
him, Philip had made every preparation, and had trained his men to the
guns. He had now, with the joint crews of the vessels, a well-manned
ship, and the anticipation of prize-money had made his men very eager
to fall in with some Spaniard, which they knew that Philip would
capture if he could. Light winds and calms detained them for a month
on the coast, when Philip determined upon running for the Isle St
Marie, where, though he knew it was in possession of the Spaniards, he
yet hoped to be able to procure refreshments for the ship's company,
either by fair means or by force. The _Dort_ was, by their reckoning,
about thirty miles from the island, and having run in until after
dark, they had hove-to till the next morning. Krantz was on deck;
he leant over the side, and as the sails flapped to the masts, he
attempted to define the line of the horizon. It was very dark, but as
he watched, he thought that he perceived a light for a moment, and
which then disappeared. Fixing his eyes on the spot, he soon made out
a vessel, hove-to, and not two cables' length distant. He hastened
down to apprise Philip, and procure a glass. By the time Philip was
on deck, the vessel had been distinctly made out to be a three-masted
xebeque, very low in the water. After a short consultation, it was
agreed that the boats on the quarter should be lowered down, and
manned and armed without noise, and that they should steal gently
alongside and surprise her. The men were called up, silence enjoined,
and in a few minutes the boats' crew had possession of the vessel;
having boarded her and secured the hatches before the alarm could be
given by the few who were on deck. More men were then taken on board
by Krantz, who, as agreed upon, lay to under the lee of the _Dort_
until the daylight made its appearance. The hatches were then taken
off, and the prisoners sent on board of the _Dort_. There were sixty
people on board, a large number for a vessel of that description.

On being interrogated, two of the prisoners, who were well-dressed and
gentlemanlike persons, stepped forward and stated that the vessel was
from St Mary's, bound to Lima, wi