While thus employed, I received a letter from the governor of the place, which none of us could understand; but learnt by the messenger, that it intimated some account of a truce concluded between the crowns of Britain and Spain, and that the governor requested me to stay five days, that he might satisfy me by shewing me the articles of accommodation.  I thought this odd, telling the Spanish gentleman I had not met with a friendly or peaceable reception; asking him why they had thus armed themselves in so desperate a manner, and why the governor had not rather sent me a flag of truce in the morning before we engaged, giving me this intimation?  Saying also, if this story were true, we ought to have found the alleged intelligence on board the prize, as she came from Lima, whence they pretended the news came.  It was likewise extraordinary, that none of the officers in the prize should know any thing of the matter:  yet I had so great a regard for even the name of peace, that I would wait fifteen days, if the governor would supply us with provisions and water, otherwise I would not consent to stay twenty-four hours.  I sent also a short answer to the governor, excusing our imperfect knowledge of the Spanish language.  In this letter I stated if peace were actually concluded between our sovereigns, that I was ready to act as he desired, on due proof; and hoped, as we were now friends, that he would allow us to have refreshments from his port.  On receipt of this, the governor expressed great satisfaction, and seemed to make no difficulty in complying with my request.  Our boats went therefore ashore every morning, under a flag of truce, and we received for the first four days eight small jars of water daily.  On the fifth day they reduced us to five jars, and during the whole time only one small cow was sent us.

On this occasion a boat came off full of men, among whom were two priests, who brought with them a paper in Spanish, which they called the articles of peace; but so wretchedly written and blotted, that we should have been puzzled to read it, had it even been in English.  I therefore desired the priests to translate it into Latin, which they promised to do, and took the paper with them.  They also told me, that the governor meant to send for some Englishmen who lived at Guatimala, if I would continue three days longer in the road; to which I answered, that he might take his own time.  Two days after, on our boat going ashore as usual, the governor ordered her and her crew to be seized.  I was all day in suspence, not imagining the governor would make such a breach of the law of nations; but in the evening two of the boat’s crew came off in an old leaky canoe, bringing a letter from the governor, and another from Mr Brooks, my first lieutenant, who was one of the prisoners.  The governor required me to deliver up the Sacra Familia, and that we should all surrender, otherwise he would declare us pirates; and Mr Brooks told me he believed the