A voyage round the world in the years MDCCXL, I, II, III, IV

by Baron George Anson Anson

As soon as the Centurion was righted, they took on board her powder and gunners' stores, and proceeded with getting in their guns as fast as possible, and then used their utmost expedition in repairing the fore-mast, and in compleating the other articles of her refitment. But whilst they were thus employed, they were alarmed on the 10th of March by a Chinese fisherman, who brought them intelligence that he had been on board a large Spanish ship off the Grand Ladrone, and that there were two more in company with her. He added several particulars to his relation, as that he had brought one of their officers to Macao, and that, on this, boats went off early in the morning from Macao to them: and the better to establish the belief of his veracity, he said he desired no money if his information should not prove true. This was presently believed to be the fore-mentioned expedition from Manila, and the commodore immediately fitted his cannon and small arms in the best manner he could for defence; and having then his pinnace and cutter in the offing, who had been ordered to examine a Portuguese vessel which was getting under sail, he sent them the advice he had received, and directed them to look out strictly. Indeed, no Spanish ships ever appeared, and they were soon satisfied the whole of the story was a fiction, though it was difficult to conceive what reason could induce the fellow to be at such extraordinary pains to impose on them.

It was the beginning of April when they had new rigged the ship, stowed their provisions and water on board, and had fitted her for the sea; and before this time the Chinese grew very uneasy, and extremely desirous that she should be gone, either not knowing, or pretending not to believe, that this was a point the commodore was as eagerly set on as they could be. At length, about the 3d of April, two mandarine boats came on board from Macao to press him to leave their port, and this having been often urged before, though there had been no pretence to suspect Mr. Anson of any affected delays, he at this last message answered them in a determined tone, desiring them to give him no further trouble, for he would go when he thought proper, and not sooner. After this rebuke the Chinese (though it was not in their power to compel him to depart) immediately prohibited all provisions from being carried on board him, and took such care their injunctions should be complied with, that from thence forwards nothing could be purchased at any rate whatever.

The 6th of April the Centurion weighed from the Typa, and warped to the southward; and by the 15th she was got into Macao road, compleating her water as she past along, so that there remained now very few articles more to attend to, and her whole business being finished by the 19th, she, at three in the afternoon of that day, weighed and made sail, and stood to sea.

CHAPTER VIII

FROM MACAO TO CAPE ESPIRITU SANTO—THE TAKING OF THE
MANILA GALEON, AND RETURNING BACK AGAIN

The commodore was now got to sea, with his ship well refitted, his stores replenished, and an additional stock of provisions on board. His crew too was somewhat reinforced, for he had entered twenty-three men during his stay at Macao, the greatest part of them Lascars or Indian sailors, and the rest Dutch. He gave out at Macao that he was bound to Batavia, and thence to England, and though the westerly monsoon was now set in, when that passage is considered as impracticable, yet, by the confidence he had expressed in the strength of his ship, and the dexterity of his hands, he had persuaded not only his own crew, but the people at Macao likewise, that he proposed to try this unusual experiment, so that there were many letters sent on board him by the inhabitants of Canton and Macao for their friends at Batavia.

But his real design was of a very different nature: for he supposed that instead of one annual ship from Acapulco to Manila, there would be this year, in all probability, two, since, by being before Acapulco, he had prevented one of them from putting to sea the preceding season. He therefore, not discouraged by his former disasters, resolved again to risque the casualties of the Pacific Ocean, and to cruise for these returning vessels off Cape Espiritu Santo on the island of Samal, which is the first land they always make at the Philippine Islands: and as June is generally the month in which they arrive there, he doubted not but he should get to his intended station time enough to intercept them. It is true they were said to be stout vessels, mounting forty-four guns apiece, and carrying above five hundred hands, and might be expected to return in company, and he himself had but two hundred and twenty-seven hands on board, of which near thirty were boys. But this disproportion of strength did not deter him, as he knew his ship to be much better fitted for a sea engagement than theirs, and as he had reason to expect that his men would exert themselves after a most extraordinary manner when they had in view the immense wealth of these Manila galeons.