by birth, and the most approved officer for skill
and courage of any employed in that service. The galleon was much larger
than the Centurion, and had five hundred and fifty men and thirty-six
guns mounted for action, besides twenty-eight pidreroes in her gunwale,
quarters, and tops, each of which carried a four-pound ball. She was very
well furnished with small arms, and was particularly provided against
boarding, both by her close quarters and by a strong network of 2-inch
rope, which was laced over her waist and was defended by half-pikes. She
had sixty-seven killed in the action and eighty-four wounded, whilst the
Centurion had only two killed and a lieutenant and sixteen wounded, all
of whom but one recovered; of so little consequence are the most
destructive arms in untutored and unpractised hands.

The treasure thus taken by the Centurion having been for at least
eighteen months the great object of their hopes, it is impossible to
describe the transport on board when, after all their reiterated
disappointments, they at last saw their wishes accomplished. But their
joy was near being suddenly damped by a most tremendous incident, for no
sooner had the galleon struck than one of the lieutenants, coming to Mr.
Anson to congratulate him on his prize, whispered him at the same time
that the Centurion was dangerously on fire near the powder-room. The
Commodore received this dreadful news without any apparent emotion, and
taking care not to alarm his people, gave the necessary orders for
extinguishing it, which was happily done in a short time, though its
appearance at first was extremely terrible. It seems some cartridges had
been blown up by accident between decks, whereby a quantity of oakum in
the after hatchway near the after powder-room was set on fire, and the
great smother and smoke of the oakum occasioned the apprehension of a
more extended and mischievous fire. At the same instant, too, the galleon
fell on board the Centurion on the starboard quarter, but she was cleared
without doing or receiving any considerable damage.

The Commodore made his first lieutenant, Mr. Suamarez, captain of this
prize, appointing her a post-ship in His Majesty's service. Captain
Suamarez, before night, sent on board the Centurion all the Spanish
prisoners but such as were thought the most proper to be retained to
assist in navigating the galleon.

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

And now the Commodore learned from some of these prisoner