Brown, the whaling-master, she proceeded to shift her whaling-ground more to the northward and eastward. During this interval no particular transaction occurred, except that Mr Johnson and Mr Bernard, who, it may be recollected, were the first and second mates of the Minerva, (the South whaler whose crew had mutinied), went on board the Rebecca, bound shortly for England.

On Saturday the 1st of February, in latitude 00. 14. S. longitude, 81. 50. W. she espied land, and accordingly steered in for it: at eleven, a. m. however, she tacked ship, and stood to windward, with a view of getting to the isle of Plate, it being considered a good whaling ground. She made this isle on Tuesday the 4th; and perceiving a sail to windward, sent three boats after her, took her, and found her to be the San Pedro, in ballast, bound to Point St Helena for salt. On Thursday following, still keeping a look out for whales, she fell in with a strange sail, boarded her, andi found her to be the Spanish brig Santa Rosa del Carmo, laden with salt, flour, and tallow. She took her alongside, discharged her of her cargo, and the next day, putting twenty prisoners on board of her, gave her up as a cartel.

On Friday the 14th, she captured the Transito brig, from Tomaco, bound to Paita, laden with cocoa-nuts; and on Monday following she stood into Tacames roads, to procure fresh provisions, where she came to an anchor in the afternoon, with the two prizes in company. Here three armed boats were sent on shore, who, after a time, returned laden with oranges, limes, plantains, pine-apples, &c. as also a pig and a goat. They went on shore again the next day, and procured two bullocks and

2

an additional quantity of fruit. As no convenient watering-place was to be found here, the ship got under weigh on Thursday the 20th, and steered farther north, towards Tola, and on the Sunday following came to an anchor in Tola roads. In the afternoon a letter was sent to the governor, requesting stock: he very politely complied, and the boat returned with six pigs, a number of fowls, &c. The next day she took a canoe laden with jerk beef and pork; but Captain Duck, understanding that it belonged to the governor, immediately liberated it, by way of return for his politeness. It might have been mentioned before, that while at Tacames a relation of the governor requested a passage to Tola, which the captain readily complied with, entertained him very well on board, and set him safe on shore at that place. This circumstance, no doubt, in a great measure, gave rise to the unusual civility of the governor.

During the time the ship remained at this place, the officers were very well received and entertained at the governor's house. He was a very gentlemanly old man, kept a good table, and was happy to see his friends. He had an only daughter, a very agreeable girl, of about sixteen, who had just come from a convent, where she had been educated. She was greatly concerned at hearing of the depredations committed by the Port au Prince at Hilo, where the church was plundered of its consecrated vessels. The attack which had been meditated upon the nunnery southward of Calao, also shocked her extremely. She lifted up her hands and eyes, uttered some expressions in Spanish, and laboured for a little time under considerable agitation. She expressed, in tolerably good English, her sentiments

upon these subjects, in particular to young Mariner, then about fourteen years of age, and told him she was quite certain the ship would never again reach England. She asked him if he had any hand in robbing the church at Hilo; to which, when he replied jocularly that he only knocked down as many images as he could reach, she predicted that he would never again see his father and mother, and that the ship and all the crew would certainly be destroyed, as a just judgmen from God, for the heinous sacrilege which they had committed.-Mariner told her, that if she were in England she would stand a chance of being punished for a witch; which observation produced a laugh, accompanied by a pretty smart box on the ears. So great a favour, from so fair a hand, could not but be received in good part; he accordingly took the first opportunity of going on board and bringing her a cheese, as a present (the scarcity of the article at this place rendering it valuable), while she, not to be behind-hand in generosity, taking a pair of gold buckles from her shoes, gave them to him, reminding him at the same time, that she presented them merely as an acknowledgment, for that they would not long be of service to him. He little thought at this time that her prediction was destined to be so nearly fulfilled, and that only by hair-breadth escapes, his good fortune, after a lapse of years, would bring him through unforeseen difficulties and dangers, to his native country, though never to the sight of his mother, who died during his absence, leaving his father to reflect on the uncertain fate of a son, whom he could scarcely hope to see again.

CHAPTER II.

AFTER having laid in the requisite supplies at Tola, and taken leave of the governor with many acknowledgments for his civilities, they weighed anchor, and made sail, leaving the brigs behind, having stripped them of their anchors, cables, sails, &c.

Finding a leak to increase, which had hitherto appeared trifling, she proceeded towards the island of Cocos to careen, and on Saturday the 15th of February, came to an anchor in Chatham Bay. On running the guns over to starboard, and heeling the ship four streaks, the leak was found to proceed from a graving-piece not being properly secured under the fore-chains. After wooding, watering, and painting, she weighed anchor on the 25th, and made sail towards the whaling ground.

On Saturday the 5th of March, having made Pan de Azucar, which bore N. six or seven leagues, she recommenced her whaling cruize; but, notwithstanding the most diligent look-out for two or three weeks, she was very unsuccessful; hence the men became exceedingly discontented. On the 30th, she captured the Spanish brig Santa Isidora, Captain Josef Evernzega, from Guiàquil, bound to Acapulco, laden with cocoa. At meridian, the land off Acapulco bore N. distance

seven or eight miles, and the prisoners were put on board their own boats, and sent on shore, with the exception of the Spanish carpenter, and one other man, who were detained. On this day Mr M'Farlane, the surgeon, deserted. The following day Mr John Parker received charge of the brig, to proceed to Port Jackson, with proper instructions for selling the vessel and cargo. He was allowed ten hands and four months provisions; and the Port au Prince now kept plying to windward, keeping a good look-out for whales.

On Monday the 12th of May she caught four whales, which, together with what had been caught before at sundry times, made up the number to fifteen, being the whole that were taken during the voyage. From this period till June, no circumstance transpired worthy of notice.

On Tuesday the 3d of June, Cape Corientes bearing S. and by E. seven or eight leagues, they stretched into St Blas, and discovered a merchant vessel lying at anchor, apparently almost ready for

sea.

The Port au Prince immediately tacked ship, and stood out to the Maria Islands, under American colours; for it would have been impossible to have cut this vessel out from her present station, protected, as she was, by a strong fort at the top of a hill. The rainy season was now set in, commencing with heavy rains, thunder, and lightning. The merchantman was still riding at anchor, seemingly ready for sea; and on Wednesday the 18th it was resolved to make all sail, and steer for St Blas, with intention of cutting her out in the night. At ten p. m. the Port au Prince approached the rock Pedro de Mar, to be in readiness. At this time there came on a heavy squall, with thunder