ACTION WITH THE GREAT GALLEON. 59 



Anson heard of it, we can well believe that he broke through "the equable and unvaried 

 character" he had hitherto preserved. The men were in a perfect state of frenzy. A 

 boat with eighteen men, and fresh meats and fruits, was sent off to the Centurion, which 

 came to anchor next day. She had been nearly three weeks absent. The chaplain 

 who has left us the narrative of Anson's voyage was on board at the time. He describes 

 their deplorable condition in a leaky ship, with three cables hanging loose, from one of 

 which dragged their only remaining anchor ; not a gun lashed or port closed ; shrouds loose, 

 and topmasts unrigged, and no sails which could be set except the mizeu. The pumps 

 alone gave employment for the whole of the available crew. "In these exigencies,-" says 

 he, " no rank or office exempted any person from the manual application and bodily labour 

 of a common sailor. They eventually raised their sheet anchor, which had been dragging 

 at the bows, got up their mainyard, and generally got the ship in something like sailing 

 trim. They were quite as rejoiced to see the island once more as were their companions 

 to see them. 



After a long stay at Macao, where the Chinese officials put all kinds of obstacles in 

 the way of refitting and provisioning his ship, Anson set sail for the express purpose 

 of intercepting the Manilla galleon or galleons, which, indeed, had been the object of his 

 long cruise off Mexico and South America. The annual ship plying between Acapulco 

 and Manilla, and vice versa, was always richly laden with the best the Spanish colonies 

 afforded, and all on board the Centurion were now eager for the fray. Anson determined 

 to lay off Cape Spiritu Santo, Samal (one of the Philippine group of islands), as the 

 galleons always made that land first on the voyage to Manilla. It was a month after 

 they had gained the station that the coveted prize hove in sight. " On this a general 

 joy spread through the whole ship." The Spaniards had determined to risk the fight, and 

 it is needless to say that Anson was ready for them. He picked out about thirty of his 

 choicest marksmen, whom he distributed among the tops, and they eventually did great 

 execution. "As he had not hands enough remaining to quarter a sufficient number to 

 each great gun in the customary manner, he therefore on his lower tier fixed only two 

 men to each gun, who were to be solely employed in loading it, whilst the rest of his 

 people were divided into different gangs of ten or twelve men each, who were continually 

 moving about the decks, to run out and fire such guns as were loaded. By this 

 management he was enabled to make use of all his guns ; and instead of whole broadsides, 

 with intervals between them, he kept up a constant fire without intermission; whence he 

 doubted not to procure very signal advantages. For it is common with the Spaniards to 

 fall down upon the decks when they see a broadside preparing, and to continue in that 

 posture till it is given; after which they rise again, and presuming the danger to be for 

 some time over, work their guns and fire with great briskness, till another broadside is 

 ready; but the firing gun by gun, in the manner directed by the commodore, rendered 

 this practice of theirs impossible." Several squalls of wind and rain about noon often 

 obscured the galleon from their sight ; but when the weather cleared up she was observed 

 resolutely lying to, waiting her impending doom. Towards one o'clock the Centurion 

 hoisted her colours, the enemy being within gunshot. Anson noted that the Spaniards 

 had neglected to clear the decks, as they were still engaged in throwing overboard cattle 



