mediately on the commencement of the action the mats with
which the galleon had stuffed her netting took fire and burned violently,
blazing up half as high as the mizzen top. This accident (supposed to be
caused by the Centurion's wads) threw the enemy into great confusion, and
at the same time alarmed the Commodore, for he feared lest the galleon
should be burned, and lest he himself too might suffer by her driving on
board him. But the Spaniards at last freed themselves from the fire by
cutting away the netting, and tumbling the whole mass which was in flames
into the sea. But still the Centurion kept her first advantageous
position, firing her cannon with great regularity and briskness, whilst
at the same time the galleon's decks lay open to her topmen, who having
at their first volley driven the Spaniards from their tops, made
prodigious havoc with their small arms, killing or wounding every officer
but one that ever appeared on the quarter-deck, and wounding in
particular the General of the galleon himself; and though the Centurion,
after the first half-hour, lost her original situation and was close
alongside the galleon, and the enemy continued to fire briskly for near
an hour longer, yet at last the Commodore's grape-shot swept their decks
so effectually, and the number of their slain and wounded was so
considerable, that they began to fall into great disorder, especially as
the General, who was the life of the action, was no longer capable of
exerting himself. Their embarrassment was visible from on board the
Commodore, for the ships were so near that some of the Spanish officers
were seen running about with great assiduity to prevent the desirtion of
their men from their quarters. But all their endeavours were in vain, for
after having, as a last effort, fired five or six guns with more judgment
than usual, they gave up the contest, and the galleon's colours being
singed off the ensign staff in the beginning of the engagement, she
struck the standard at her main top-gallant masthead, the person who was
employed to do it having been in imminent peril of being killed, had not
the Commodore, who perceived what he was about, given express orders to
his people to desist from firing.

Thus was the Centurion possessed of this rich prize, amounting in value
to near a million and a half of dollars. She was called the "Nuestra
Senora de Cabadonga", and was commanded by the General Don Jeronimo de
Montero, a Portuguese