th, was able to relate to Mr.
Anson most of the particulars of the destination and strength of our
squadron from what he had learned among the Spaniards before he left
them. And this was afterwards confirmed by a more extraordinary
circumstance; for we shall find that when the Spaniards (fully satisfied
that our expedition was intended for the South Seas) had fitted out a
squadron to oppose us, which had so far got the start of us as to arrive
before us off the island of Madeira, the Commander of this squadron was
so well instructed in the form and make of Mr. Anson's broad pennant, and
had imitated it so exactly that he thereby decoyed the "Pearl", one of
our squadron, within gunshot of him before the captain of the Pearl was
able to discover his mistake.

(*Note. The South Sea Company was formed in 1711 on the model of the East
India Company to trade in the Pacific; and on the conclusion of the
Treaty of Utrecht it was given the monopoly of the English trade with the
Spanish coasts of America. The grant of certain privileges by Government
led to wild speculation in its shares which gave rise to the famous South
Sea Bubble of 1720.)

On the 18th of September, 1740, the squadron weighed from St. Helens with
a contrary wind. It consisted of five men-of-war, a sloop-of-war, and two
victualling ships. They were the Centurion, of 60 guns, 400 men, George
Anson, Esquire, commander; the "Gloucester", of 50 guns, 300 men, Richard
Norris, commander; the "Severn", of 50 guns, 300 men, the Honourable
Edward Legg, commander; the Pearl, of 40 guns, 250 men, Matthew Mitchel,
commander; the "Wager", of 28 guns, 160 men, Dandy Kidd, commander; and
the "Trial", sloop, of 8 guns, 100 men, the Honourable John Murray,
commander. The two victuallers were pinks, the largest about 400 and the
other about 200 tons burthen; these were to attend us till the provisions
we had taken on board were so far consumed as to make room for the
additional quantity they carried with them, which when we had taken into
our ships they were to be discharged. Besides the complement of men borne
by the above-mentioned ships as their crews, there were embarked on board
the squadron about 470 invalids and marines, under the denomination of
land forces, which were commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Cracherode.

The winds were so contrary that we had the mortification to be forty days
in our passage from St. Helens to the island of Madeira, though it is
known to be o