It was the last of May, when they arrived off this cape; and the month of June being that in which the Manilla ships are usually expected, the Centurion’s people were now waiting each hour with the utmost impatience for the happy crisis which was to balance the account of all their past calamities.  As from this time there was but small employment for the crew, the commodore ordered them almost every day to be exercised in the management of the great guns, and in the use of their small arms.  This had been his practice, more or less, at all convenient seasons, during the whole course of his voyage; and the advantages which he received from it, in his engagement with the galleon, were an ample recompence for all his care and attention.[2]

[Footnote 2:  The original has here some reflections on the importance and advantages of exercising the seamen in firing, &c. which, however good, are too common and obvious to merit insertion.  The art of destroying men’s lives has been abundantly improved since our author’s day.—­E.]

The galleons being now expected, the commodore made all necessary preparations for receiving them, having hoisted out his long-boat, and lashed her alongside, that the ship might be ready for engaging, if they fell in with the galleons in the night.  All this time too he was very solicitous to keep at such a distance from the cape, as not to be discovered:  But it hath been since learnt, that notwithstanding his care, he was seen from the land; and advice of him was sent to Manilla, where it was at first disbelieved, but on reiterated intelligence (for it seems he was seen more than once) their merchants were alarmed, and the governor was applied to, who undertook (the commerce supplying the necessary sums) to fit out a force consisting of two ships of thirty-two guns, one of twenty guns, and two sloops of ten guns each, to attack the Centurion on her station:  And some of these vessels did actually weigh with this view; but the principal ship not being ready, and the monsoon being against then, the commerce and the governor disagreed, and the enterprize was laid aside.  This frequent discovery of the Centurion from the shore was somewhat extraordinary; for the pitch of the cape is not high, and she usually kept from ten to fifteen leagues distant; though once indeed, by an indraught of the tide, as was supposed, they found themselves in the morning within seven leagues of the land.

As the month of June advanced, the expectancy and impatience of the commodore’s people each day increased.  And I think no better idea can be given of their great eagerness on this occasion, than by copying a few paragraphs from the journal of an officer, who was then on board, as it will, I presume, be a more natural picture of the full attachment of their thoughts to the business of their cruise, than can be given by any other means.  The paragraphs I have selected, as they occur in order of time, are as follow: