in a few weeks we should arrive at
the river of Canton in China, where we expected to meet with many English
ships, and numbers of our countrymen, and hoped to enjoy the advantages
of an amicable, well-frequented spot, inhabited by a polished people, and
abounding with the conveniences and indulgences of a civilised
life--blessings which now for nearly twenty months had never been once in
our power.

(*Note. Before leaving the American coast for China, Anson released
fifty-seven of his prisoners, including all the Spaniards, and sent them
to Acapulco. A certain number of natives were retained to assist in
working the ships. There had been some previous attempt at correspondence
between Anson and the Spanish governor of Acapulco. The latter, with
Spanish courtesy, when answering Anson's letter, despatched with his
answer "a present of two boats laden with the choicest refreshments and
provisions which were to be found in Acapulco." Unfortunately the boats
were unable to find Anson, and he never received either the letter or the
present.)

CHAPTER 25.
DELAYS AND ACCIDENTS--SCURVY AGAIN--A LEAK--THE GLOUCESTER ABANDONED.

When on the 6th of May, 1742, we left the coast of America, we stood to
the south-west with a view of meeting with the north-east trade wind,
which the accounts of former writers made us expect at seventy or eighty
leagues distance from the land. We had, besides, another reason for
standing to the southward, which was the getting into the latitude of 13
or 14 degrees north, that being the parallel where the Pacific Ocean is
most usually crossed, and consequently where the navigation is esteemed
the safest. This last purpose we had soon answered, being in a day or two
sufficiently advanced to the south. At the same time we were also farther
from the shore than we had presumed was necessary for falling in with the
tradewind; but in this particular we were most grievously disappointed,
for the wind still continued to the westward, or at best variable. As the
getting into the north-east trade was to us a matter of the last
consequence, we stood more to the southward, and made many experiments to
meet with it, but all our efforts were for a long time unsuccessful, so
that it was seven weeks from our leaving the coast before we got into the
true trade wind.

CONTRARY AND VARIABLE WINDS.

This was an interval in which we believed we should well-nigh have
reached the easternmost parts of Asia, but we wer