the bay, taking our last leave of the island of Juan Fernandez,
and steering to the eastward, with an intention of joining the Trial
sloop in her station off Valparaiso.

(*Note. The Anna pink being no longer seaworthy, was broken up at Juan
Fernandez.)

On the 24th, a little before sunset, we saw two sail to the eastward, on
which our prize stood directly from us, to avoid giving any suspicion of
our being cruisers; whilst we in the meantime made ourselves ready for an
engagement, and steered towards the two ships we had discovered with all
our canvas. We soon perceived that one of these which had the appearance
of being a very stout ship made directly for us, whilst the other kept at
a very great distance. By seven o'clock we were within pistol-shot of the
nearest, and had a broadside ready to pour into her, the gunners having
their matches in their hands, and only waiting for orders to fire; but as
we knew it was now impossible for her to escape us, Mr. Anson, before he
permitted them to fire, ordered the master to hail the ship in Spanish,
on which the commanding officer on board her, who proved to be Mr.
Hughes, lieutenant of the Trial, answered us in English, and informed us
that she was a prize taken by the Trial a few days before, and that the
other sail at a distance was the Trial herself, disabled in her masts. We
were soon after joined by the Trial and Captain Saunders, her commander,
came on board the Centurion. He informed the Commodore that he had taken
this ship the 18th instant, that she was a prime sailer, and had cost him
thirty-six hours' chase before he could come up with her; that for some
time he gained so little upon her that he began to despair of taking her;
and the Spaniards, though alarmed at first with seeing nothing but a
cloud of sail in pursuit of them, the Trial's hull being so low in the
water that no part of it appeared, yet knowing the goodness of their
ship, and finding how little the Trial neared them, they at length laid
aside their fears, and recommending themselves to the blessed Virgin for
protection, began to think themselves secure. And indeed, their success
was very near doing honour to their Ave Marias;* for altering their
course in the night and shutting up their windows to prevent any of their
lights from being seen, they had some chance of escaping. But a small
crevice in one of the shutters rendered all their invocations
ineffectual, for through this crevice the people o