Lima,[140] where he found plenty of a kind of herb with which he had been well acquainted in his own country, and by eating which he soon recovered his health.  This becoming public, his example was universally followed, by which the best part of the men were saved from death, and in a short time recovered their health and spirits.  On the 5th August, the vice-admiral was installed as admiral, the rear-admiral succeeding him as vice-admiral, and Cornelius Jacobson was advanced to be rear-admiral.

[Footnote 140:  The island of San Lorenzo, a little to the south of Calao, is evidently here meant.—­E.]

The new vice-admiral soon after returned from his expedition to the road of Puna and Guayaquil, where he had burnt two ships and captured a third.  He had also taken Guayaquil after considerable loss, and finding it untenable, and not having boats to carry away the booty, he had set it on fire, burning a great quantity of rich goods in the warehouses, after which he reimbarked his men.  The Dutch fleet sailed from the island of Lima on the 14th of August, and anchored that same evening in a bay behind the Piscadores islands, about twenty-three miles north, where they watered.  Continuing their course on the 16th, they came in sight of the island of Santa Clara, or Amortajado, on the 24th, intending once more to visit Guayaquil.  The fleet anchored on the 25th in the road of the island of Puna, whence all the people had fled, both Spanish and Indians, so that no intelligence could be procured of the strength and dispositions of the enemy.  On the 27th, the guns, ballast, and stores of all kinds were removed from three of the largest ships, which were laid ashore to be careened.  On the 28th, news came of the second attempt upon Guayaquil having miscarried, through the fault of some of the officers, the troops being defeated and obliged to reimbark, with the loss of twenty-eight men.  On the 1st September, the three largest ships being careened, they began to careen the rest.

It was resolved in a council of war not to prosecute the originally intended expedition to Chili at this time, but to proceed for Acapulco, in order to cruize for the Manilla ship; and afterwards, if the condition of the fleet permitted, to return to the coast of Chili.  Accordingly, having set fire to the town of Puna, they sailed from thence on the 12th September, and on the 20th October had sight of the coast of New Spain.  On the 28th at day-break they were within half a league of an island which lies before the port of Acapulco and anchored in the evening within sight of the fort, which had been rebuilt the year before, on a point running out to sea, in order to protect the Manilla ships, which might ride safely at anchor under the cannon of that fortress.  On the 1st November, a strong detachment of the fleet was sent to anchor twenty leagues west from Acapulco, to look out for the galleon, the admiral and the Orange remaining before the port, and the other ships spread along the coast, that they might be sure of intercepting the galleon.  On the 29th, water becoming scarce, and no appearance of the galleon, it was resolved to proceed with all diligence for the East Indies.