off Acapulco harbour.)

This last news was most joyfully received by us, as we had no doubt but
she must certainly fall into our hands, and as it was much more eligible
to seize her on her return than it would have been to have taken her
before her arrival, as the specie for which she had sold her cargo, and
which she would now have on board, would be prodigiously more to be
esteemed by us than the cargo itself, great part of which would have
perished on our hands, and no part of it could have been disposed of by
us at so advantageous a mart as Acapulco.

Thus we were a second time engaged in an eager expectation of meeting
with this Manila ship, which, by the fame of its wealth, we had been
taught to consider as the most desirable prize that was to be met with in
any part of the globe.

CHAPTER 22.
THE Manila* TRADE.

(*Note. The capital of Luzon, the chief island of the Philippine group.
The Philippines were discovered in 1521 by Magellan, who was killed there
by the natives. They were annexed by Spain in 1571 and were ceded to the
United States of America in 1898, together with Cuba, after the brave but
futile attempt of the Spaniards to preserve what were almost the last
relics of their colonial dominions.)

The trade carried on from Manila to China, and different parts of India,
is principally for such commodities as are intended to supply the
kingdoms of Mexico and Peru. These are spices; all sorts of Chinese silks
and manufactures, particularly silk stockings, of which I have heard that
no less than 50,000 pairs were the usual number shipped on board the
annual ship; vast quantities of Indian stuffs--as calicoes and chintzes,
which are much worn in America; together with other minuter articles--as
goldsmith's work, etc., which is principally done at the city of Manila
itself by the Chinese, for it is said there are at least 20,000 Chinese
who constantly reside there, either as servants, manufacturers, or
brokers. All these different commodities are collected at Manila, thence
to be transported annually in one or more ships to the port of Acapulco.

THE Manila SHIP.

This trade from Manila to Acapulco and back again is usually carried on
in one or at most two annual ships, which set sail from Manila about
July, arrive at Acapulco in the December, January, or February following,
and, having there disposed of their effects, return for Manila some time
in March, where they generally arrive in June, so that